Patent · US Active

Interferometer for determining characteristics of an object surface, including processing and calibration

US7428057B2 · kind B2 · utility

59Cited by
129References
48Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJan 19, 2006
Grant dateSep 23, 2008
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 5, 2027

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01B2290/70
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

Disclosed is a system including: (i) an interferometer configured to direct test electromagnetic radiation to a test surface and reference electromagnetic radiation to a reference surface and subsequently combine the electromagnetic radiation to form an interference pattern, the electromagnetic radiation being derived from a common source; (ii) a multi-element detector; (iii) one or more optics configured to image the interference pattern onto the detector so that different elements of the detector correspond to different illumination angles of the test surface by the test electromagnetic radiation; and (iv) an electronic processor coupled to the detector, wherein the electronic processor is configured to process information measured by the detector to determine information about a test object having the test surface. The measurements made by the detector elements provide ellipsometry/reflectometry data for the test surface.

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