Method of combining multiple sets of overlapping surface-profile interferometric data to produce a continuous composite map
US5987189A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 20, 1996 |
| Grant date | Nov 16, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 20, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06T11/00
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method of combining height profiles of adjacent sections of a test surface to produce a composite profile of the surface consists of taking successive measurements of adjacent sections of the surface of the test sample by sequentially placing them within the field of view of the instrument and profiling them by phase shifting or vertical scanning. The x-y translation of the microscope between successive measurements from one section to the next adjacent section of the surface being profiled is carried out by overlapping such sections, so that spatial continuity is maintained between measurements. The height data generated for each section are then combined to form a larger image corresponding to the entire surface tested and discontinuities and/or errors introduced by the x-y translation process are corrected by normalizing the overlapping portions to a common reference plane. A plane is fitted through each set of measured heights in the overlapping regions and the tip, tilt and offset of each fitted plane are corrected to produce matching overlapping height data in adjacent sections. The measured height data for the balance of each section are then also corrected by the same dif…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.