Cyclic error compensation in interferometry systems

US7428685B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Zygo Corporation · US

Inventors

• Frank C. Demarest · Killingworth, US
• Henry A. Hill · Tucson, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Feb 17, 2005
• Grant date: Sep 23, 2008
• Expiry date: Mar 5, 2026

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01B9/02084
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

The invention features a method including: (i) providing an interference signal S(t) from two beams directed along different paths, wherein the signal S(t) is indicative of changes in an optical path difference n{tilde over (L)}(t) between the different paths, where n is an average refractive index along the different paths, {tilde over (L)}(t) is a total physical path difference between the different paths, and t is time; (ii) providing one or more coefficients representative of one or more errors that cause the signal S(t) to deviate from an ideal expression of the form A1 cos(ωRt+φ(t)+ζ1), where A1 and ζ1 are constants, ωR is an angular frequency difference between the two beams before being directed along the different paths, and φ(t)=nk{tilde over (L)}(t), with k=2π/λ and λ equal to a wavelength for the beams; (iii) calculating a linear combination of values of the signal S(t); and (iv) reducing the effect of the deviation of S(t) from the ideal expression on an estimate of {tilde over (L)}(t) using an error signal generated from the coefficients and one or more error basis functions derived at least in part from the linear combination of values of the signal S(t).