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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7933025 | Sinusoidal phase shifting interferometry Disclosed is a method that includes combining a first light beam and at least a second light beam to form a combined light beam, introducing a sinusoidal phase shift with a frequency f between a phase of the first light beam and a phase of the second light beam, rec... | 04/26/2011 |
| 7684050 | Shape measuring apparatus, shape measuring method, and exposure apparatus A shape measuring method for measuring a surface shape of a measurement target includes dividing light from a light source into measurement light and reference light, the measurement light being obliquely incident upon a surface of the measurement target, the refere... | 03/23/2010 |
| 7545512 | Method for automated measurement of three-dimensional shape of circuit boards A method of measuring a 3D shape includes the steps of measuring a brightness of a first illumination source 41a, measuring a phase-to-height conversion factor, measuring a 3D shape of a circuit board 62 according to the normal inspection mode, ... | 06/09/2009 |
| 7446883 | Method and apparatus for tilt corrected lateral shear in a lateral shear plus rotational shear absolute flat test A Fizeau or other interferometer is used to provide high resolution, in-situ calibration of an external angle measurement system such as widely spaced high stability plane mirror interferometers (HSPMIs)). The calibrated measurement system then measures mechanical t... | 11/04/2008 |
| 7405833 | Method for calibration and removal of wavefront errors Apparatus and methods for generating an empirically determined mathematical model of wavefront error in an interferometer as a function of aperture misalignment and then applying the model to correct subsequent measurements. The methods are useful in Fizeau and othe... | 07/29/2008 |
| 7400388 | Method for determining distortion and/or image surface A method for determining at least one of distortion and de-focus for an optical imaging system. The method includes determining wavefront aberrations in a pupil plane of the optical imaging system by a wavefront measurement method, determining focus offset measured ... | 07/15/2008 |
| 7388675 | Interferometers for the measurement of large diameter thin wafers An interferometer for measuring the flatness, variation of thickness and parallelism of large, thin transparent wafers held vertically and undistorted by gravitational forces. A sodium lamp provides monochromatic light that is diffusely reflected off a background sc... | 06/17/2008 |
| 7375825 | Light intensity ratio adjustment filter for an interferometer, interferometer, and light interference measurement method The light intensity ratio adjustment filter is placed between the reference surface and the sample surface of the interferometer. This light intensity ratio adjustment filter has a light intensity ratio adjustment film including an optical reflection-absorption laye... | 05/20/2008 |
| 7369251 | Full-field optical measurements of surface properties of panels, substrates and wafers Techniques and systems for using optical interferometers to obtain full-field optical measurements of surfaces, such as surfaces of flat panels, patterned surfaces of wafers and substrates. Applications of various shearing interferometers for measuring surfaces are ... | 05/06/2008 |
| 7339676 | Optical method and system for the characterization of laterally-patterned samples in integrated circuits Disclosed is a method for characterizing a sample having a structure disposed on or within the sample, comprising the steps of applying a first pulse of light to a surface of the sample for creating a propagating strain pulse in the sample, applying a second pulse o... | 03/04/2008 |
| 7319528 | Surface texture measuring instrument A surface texture measuring instrument provided with a near-field measuring unit (30) including a near-field probe (33) that forms a near-field light at a tip end thereof when a laser beam is irradiated, a laser source (35) that generates the la... | 01/15/2008 |
| 7289219 | Polarimetric scatterometry methods for critical dimension measurements of periodic structures An optical measurement system for evaluating a sample has a motor-driven rotating mechanism coupled to an azimuthally rotatable measurement head, allowing the optics to rotate with respect to the sample. A polarimetric scatterometer, having optics directing a polari... | 10/30/2007 |
| 7289222 | Interferometer apparatus and method of processing a substrate having an optical surface A method of processing a substrate having an optical surface includes using an interferometer which includes optics for providing a beam of measuring light. The optics polarize the beam of measuring light such that a tangential polarization component continuously in... | 10/30/2007 |
| 7230718 | Simultaneous phase-shifting fizeau interferometer The tilted relationship between the reference and test mirrors (24,26) of a Fizeau interferometer is used to spatially separate the reflections (R,T) from the two surfaces. The separate beams (R,T) are filtered through a spatial polarization element (32 | 06/12/2007 |
| 7204146 | Device and method for measuring thickness A device for measuring thickness of an object has a vibration generator for generating vibrations in the object, a vibration detector for detecting vibrations generated in the object by the vibration generator and a frequency analyzer for calculating resonance frequ... | 04/17/2007 |
| 7188046 | Form measuring device, form measuring method, form analysis device, form analysis program, and recording medium storing the program The present invention provides a form measuring device including a measuring section (302) for obtaining measurement data obtained by measuring a space between a straightedge rule (321) and an edge of an object to be measured (305) paired with e... | 03/06/2007 |
| 7173715 | Reduced coherence symmetric grazing incidence differential interferometer A system for inspecting specimens such as semiconductor wafers is provided. The system provides scanning of dual-sided specimens using a diffraction grating that widens and passes nth order (n>0) wave fronts to the specimen surface and a reflective surface for each ... | 02/06/2007 |
| 7161683 | Polarization-dependent grating interferometer for measuring optical profile depth and spectral properties of a sample The present invention relates to a spectrally dispersive interferometric optical apparatus having a light source, generating a phase shift, measuring the intensity of the interference signals, selectively measuring the intensity of the interference signal and determ... | 01/09/2007 |
| 7145659 | Light interference measurement method using computer-generated hologram, and interferometer using this method The present invention makes it possible to reliably hold a computer-generated hologram 17 and a sample surface 18a in ideal design positions and to perform interference measurements on the surface shape of the sample surface 18a by... | 12/05/2006 |
| 7130059 | Common-path frequency-scanning interferometer Frequency-scanning interferometry is applied to common-path interferometers for measuring topographical features of test objects. A reference element located adjacent to a test object functions as both a beamsplitter and a reference surface. A first portion of a mea... | 10/31/2006 |
| 7123365 | Method of calibrating an interferometer optics and method of processing an optical element having an aspherical surface A method of processing an optical element comprises providing an interferometer optics; arranging a calibrating substrate in a beam of measuring light emitted by the interferometer optics; superimposing measuring light having traversed the first and second surfaces ... | 10/17/2006 |
| 7113262 | Lithographic apparatus, device manufacturing method, and device manufactured thereby A lithographic projection apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes a radiation system for providing a beam of radiation and a substrate holder for supporting a substrate to be placed in a beam path of the beam of radiation. The substrate holder includes a plur... | 09/26/2006 |
| 7102762 | Surface inspection apparatus A surface inspection apparatus for inspecting a surface of an object to be inspected, includes: a projecting optical system which projects an inspection light to the object surface via a reference surface; a pick up unit which picks up surface interference fringes f... | 09/05/2006 |
| 7095497 | Beam splitting apparatus, transmittance measurement apparatus, and exposure apparatus A beam splitting apparatus generates, from incident light having a specific polarization, first and second split light that has the specific polarization. ... | 08/22/2006 |
| 7042578 | Method and apparatus for absolute figure metrology An apparatus including: an interferometer comprising a series of three partially reflective reference surfaces, wherein the interferometer is configured to direct electromagnetic radiation to a test surface along a path through the series of three partially reflecti... | 05/09/2006 |
| 7030995 | Apparatus and method for mechanical phase shifting interferometry An interferometry method including: i) forming an optical interference image by combining different portions of an optical wave front reflected from a pair of surfaces; ii) recording an interference signal at different locations of the optical interference image in ... | 04/18/2006 |
| 7031084 | Imaging system using combined dichroic/high-pass filters An imaging system including: a lens; a dichroic filter positioned in front of the lens; and a high pass filter positioned between the lens and the dichroic filter. An appropriate design coordinating the components of such an imaging system diminishes imaging artifac... | 04/18/2006 |
| 7019845 | Measuring elastic moduli of dielectric thin films using an optical metrology system An optical metrology system is provided with a data analysis method to determine the elastic moduli of optically transparent dielectric films such as silicon dioxide, other carbon doped oxides over metal or semiconductor substrates. An index of refraction is measure... | 03/28/2006 |
| 6999180 | Optical film topography and thickness measurement An apparatus capable of measuring topography and transparent film thickness of a patterned metal-dielectric layer on a substrate without contact with the layer. A broadband interferometer measures an absolute phase of reflection at a plurality of wavelengths from a ... | 02/14/2006 |
| 6963406 | Fused off-axis object illumination direct-to-digital holography with a plurality of illumination sources Systems and methods are described for rapid acquisition of fused off-axis illumination direct-to-digital holography. A method of recording a plurality of off-axis object illuminated spatially heterodyne holograms, each of the off-axis object illuminated spatially he... | 11/08/2005 |
| 6939203 | Fluid bearing slide assembly for workpiece polishing A fluid bearing polishing apparatus for carrying a polishing member for chemical mechanical polishing includes a fluid supply and a fluid dispensing structure to support the polishing member. A method of polishing a workpiece includes supporting a polishing member o... | 09/06/2005 |
| 6932679 | Apparatus and method for loading a wafer in polishing system The present invention includes a polishing pad or belt secured to a mechanism that allows the pad or belt to move in a reciprocating manner, i.e. in both forward and reverse directions, at high speeds. The constant bidirectional movement of the polishing pad or belt... | 08/23/2005 |
| 6909507 | Polarimetric scatterometry methods for critical dimension measurements of periodic structures An optical measurement system for evaluating a sample has a motor-driven rotating mechanism coupled to an azimuthally rotatable measurement head, allowing the optics to rotate with respect to the sample. A polarimetric scatterometer, having optics directing a polari... | 06/21/2005 |
| 6885460 | Apparatus for and method of measuring surface shape of an object An apparatus for measuring an object's surface shape that obtains complex amplitude at a plurality of positions substantially in the directions of the optical axis of the light reflected by the object and calculates the first surface shape of the object by the depth... | 04/26/2005 |
| 6885461 | Weighted least-square interferometric measurement of multiple surfaces A system and method are provided for obtaining mapping profiles of transparent objects having a plurality of reflective surfaces. The object, the surfaces of which are to be mapped, is placed in an unequal path interferometer including a reference surface located a ... | 04/26/2005 |
| 6882432 | Frequency transform phase shifting interferometry The invention features methods and systems in which wavelength-tune PSI data is analyzed in the frequency domain to produce spectrally separated frequency peaks each corresponding to a particular pair of surfaces in an interferometric cavity defined by multiple pair... | 04/19/2005 |
| 6806962 | Tilted interferometer The invention comprises methods and apparatus for reducing sub-harmonic cyclic errors by rotating by a small angle an interferometer or elements thereof. The rotation of the interferometer or selective elements thereof introduces a corresponding small angle between ... | 10/19/2004 |
| 6806966 | Copper CMP flatness monitor using grazing incidence interferometry A system and method for in-line inspection of specimens such as semiconductor wafers is provided. The system provides scanning of sections of specimens having predetermined standardized characteristics using a diffraction grating that widens and passes nth order (n>... | 10/19/2004 |
| 6771375 | Apparatus and method for measuring aspherical optical surfaces and wavefronts Interferometric method(s) and apparatus for accurately measuring aspherical surfaces and transmitted wavefronts, particularly of the type having relatively large diameters and departure employed in lithographic applications used in the fabrication of integrated circ... | 08/03/2004 |
| 6717680 | Apparatus and method for phase-shifting interferometry The invention extends and improves the basic technique of phase-shifting interferometry by minimizing the measurement errors introduced by additional unwanted reflections from surfaces and surface defects far from the surface of interest. The inventive phase shiftin... | 04/06/2004 |
