Surface profile measuring apparatus

• US 20090070068A1
• Filed: 08/28/2008
• Published: 03/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Konica Minolta Sensing, Inc. (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Konica Minolta Sensing, Inc. (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: Matsumoto, Jun, Takebe, Yosuke, Aso, Kohei
• Granted Patent: US 8,085,409 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/167
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/303 using photoelectric detection means

Abstract

A surface profile measuring apparatus of the invention has a changing section for changing the cross section of a flux of light to be projected onto a sample by a light projecting section in measuring a surface profile of the sample. The surface profile measuring apparatus having the above arrangement enables to measure the surface profile of the sample easily and precisely, without using different kinds of measuring apparatuses.

Claims

1. A surface profile measuring apparatus, comprising:

a light projecting section for projecting light to be measured onto a sample;

a light receiving section for receiving light reflected on a surface of the sample;

a computing section for performing computation to measure a surface profile of the sample based on an output from the light receiving section; and

a changing section for changing a cross section of a flux of the light to be projected from the light projecting section.

2. The surface profile measuring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the changing section includes an aperture switching plate having at least two aperture members of aperture sizes different from each other, the aperture switching plate being movable to switch the aperture member through which the projection light flux from the light projecting section is to be transmitted, and

the changing section is operable to change the cross section of the projection light flux by switching the aperture member.

3. The surface profile measuring apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the aperture member has a conjugated relation with respect to a position on the sample surface where the projection light flux is projected.

4. The surface profile measuring apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the light projecting section includes:

a light source;

a relay lens for transmitting an emission light flux to be emitted from the light source;

a defining aperture plate for transmitting light condensed on the relay lens to define an angle of the condensed light; and

an illumination lens for converting the light from the defining aperture plate into a parallel light flux to project the parallel light flux to the sample surface, wherein

the aperture member of the aperture switching plate is aligned with an optical axis between the light source and the relay lens.

5. The surface profile measuring apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the light projecting section includes:

a light source;

a relay lens for transmitting an emission light flux to be emitted from the light source;

a defining aperture plate for transmitting light condensed on the relay lens to define an angle of the condensed light; and

an illumination lens for converting the light from the defining aperture plate into a parallel light flux to project the parallel light flux to the sample surface, wherein

the aperture member of the aperture switching plate is aligned with an optical axis between the illumination lens and the sample surface.

6. The surface profile measuring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the changing section includes a diaphragm mechanism having an aperture member through which the projection light flux from the light projecting section is to be transmitted, an aperture size of the aperture member being sequentially variable, and

the diaphragm mechanism is operable to change the cross section of the projection light flux by changing a degree of opening of the aperture member.

7. The surface profile measuring apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

the aperture member has a conjugated relation with respect to a position on the sample surface where the projection light flux is projected.

8. The surface profile measuring apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

the light projecting section includes:

a light source;

a relay lens for transmitting an emission light flux to be emitted from the light source;

a defining aperture plate for transmitting light condensed on the relay lens to define an angle of the condensed light; and

an illumination lens for converting the light from the defining aperture plate into a parallel light flux to project the parallel light flux to the sample surface, wherein

the aperture member of the diaphragm mechanism is aligned with an optical axis between the light source and the relay lens.

9. The surface profile measuring apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

the light projecting section includes:

a light source;

a relay lens for transmitting an emission light flux to be emitted from the light source;

a defining aperture plate for transmitting light condensed on the relay lens to define an angle of the condensed light; and

an illumination lens for converting the light from the defining aperture plate into a parallel light flux to project the parallel light flux to the sample surface, wherein

the aperture member of the diaphragm mechanism is aligned with an optical axis between the illumination lens and the sample surface.

10. The surface profile measuring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the light projecting section includes:

a light source;

a first defining aperture plate for defining an emission light flux to be emitted from the light source;

a relay lens, as the changing section, for transmitting the emission light flux from the first defining aperture plate;

a second defining aperture plate for transmitting light condensed on the relay lens to define an angle of the condensed light; and

an illumination lens for converting the light from the second defining aperture plate into a parallel light flux to project the parallel light flux to the sample surface, wherein

the relay lens is movable in a direction of an optical axis of the light projecting section to change the cross section of the projection light flux.

11. The surface profile measuring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the light projecting section includes:

a light source;

a first defining aperture plate, as the changing section, for defining an emission light flux to be emitted from the light source,

a relay lens for transmitting the emission light flux from the first defining aperture plate;

a second defining aperture plate for transmitting light condensed on the relay lens to define an angle of the condensed light; and

an illumination lens for converting the light from the second defining aperture plate into a parallel light flux to project the parallel light flux to the sample surface, wherein

the first defining aperture plate is movable in a direction of an optical axis of the light projecting section to change the cross section of the projection light flux.

12. The surface profile measuring apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a detecting section for detecting a difference in the cross section of the projection light flux, wherein

the light projecting section includes a light source, and an adjusting section for adjusting an emission light intensity of the light source, and

the adjusting section adjusts the emission light intensity of the light source depending on the cross section difference detected by the detecting section.

13. The surface profile measuring apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a detecting section for detecting a difference in the cross section of the projection light flux;

a computing section for calculating a glossiness value of the sample surface based on light receiving information from the light receiving section; and

a storing section for storing a coefficient to be used in calculating the glossiness value, wherein

the computing section calculates the glossiness value by using the coefficient depending on the cross section difference detected by the detecting section.

14. The surface profile measuring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the light receiving section is a light receiving sensor, and

the surface profile measuring apparatus further includes

a detecting section for detecting a difference in the cross section of the projection light flux, and

a gain adjusting section for adjusting a gain of a light receiving signal from the light receiving sensor depending on the cross section difference detected by the detecting section.

15. The surface profile measuring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the light receiving section is a light receiving sensor, and

the surface profile measuring apparatus further includes

a detecting section for detecting a difference in the cross section of the projection light flux, and

an exposure adjusting section for adjusting an exposure condition of the light receiving sensor depending on the cross section difference detected by the detecting section.