Patent · US Expired

Optical profiler for films and substrates

US5042949A · kind A · utility

123Cited by
15References
11Claims
0Family size

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 17, 1989
Grant dateAug 27, 1991
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 17, 2009

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01B11/0608
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An optical non-contact surface profiler for determining (i) the surface profile of a transparent layer on a light-absorbing or opaque substrate, (ii) the surface profile of a light-absorbing or opaque substrate through a transparent layer, and (iii) the thickness profile of a transparent layer on a light-absorbing or opaque surface. A microscope alternatively configured in interferometric mode and in spectrophotometric mode provides phase data from an interference pattern and reflectance data from a reflectance pattern, respectively. A photo-sensing device receives the interference patterns and reflectance patterns and inputs the corresponding phase data and reflectance data to a computing device. The computing device processes the data to determine the appropriate surface or film thickness profiles.

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