Patent · US Expired

Confocal laser scanning mode interference contrast microscope, and method of measuring minute step height and apparatus with said microscope

US5581345A · kind A · utility

28Cited by
4References
76Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 28, 1994
Grant dateDec 3, 1996
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 28, 2014

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
  • CPC primaryB82Y35/00
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A confocal laser scanning mode interferene contrast microscope comprises a laser source, an illuminating optical system for condensing a light beam from the laser source and forming a light spot on an object to be examined, a condensing optical system for condensing the light beam from the object to be examined on a detecting surface, a detecting device for detecting the light beam condensed on the detecting surface, the detecting device having a substrate formed with a channel waveguide and two light detecting elements, the channel waveguide having a double mode channel waveguide having an entrance end surface on the detecting surface and a waveguide fork which forks the double mode channel waveguide into two channel waveguides, the two detecting elements detecting lights propagated through the two channel waveguides, a scanning device for moving the object to be examined and the light spot relative to each other, and a signal processing device for producing differential information of the object to be examined by the detection signals of the detecting elements.

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