Patent · US Expired

Fine surface profile measuring apparatus

US4971445A · kind A · utility

23Cited by
4References
12Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 9, 1988
Grant dateNov 20, 1990
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 9, 2008

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01B9/04
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A fine surface profile meter includes an X-Y stage, supported by a leaf spring, for supporting a sample thereon, a piezoelectric actuator for two-dimensionally scanning the X-Y stage, a positioning table, disposed below the X-Y stage, for positioning the X-Y stage at an arbitrary position, an objective lens disposed above the X-Y stage, an observation optical system for allowing an operator to observe an enlarged sample image, a measurement optical system, an optical axis of which is aligned with an optical path of the objective lens through a beam splitter, the measurement optical system for emitting a laser beam onto the sample through the objective lens and to receive the laser beam reflected by the sample, a calculator circuit for calculating height information of the sample using an output from the measurement optical system and for obtaining a two-dimensional distribution of the height information, a cover for shielding the X-Y stage, the positioning means, the objective lens, the beam splitter, the observation optical system, and the measurement optical system from an outer atmosphere, a detachable measurement unit for integrally holding the objective lens, the beam splitter…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.