Film thickness measurement apparatus with tilting stage and method of operation
US5729343A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 22, 1996 |
| Grant date | Mar 17, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 22, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01B11/0675
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A film measurement apparatus having a stage with a support surface on which a substrate coated with a film may rest. An extended light source faces the stage, and an imager is aimed at the stage to capture the reflection of the light source. The imager includes a receiver upon which an image of at least an extended portion of the substrate may be generated, and a processor in communication with the imager is operable to calculate the thickness of the film at plurality of locations. The stage may be tilted to empirically measure an average illumination and the contrast between interference fringes, avoiding theoretical estimates provided by Fresnel'equation.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.