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Ellipsometric microscope

  • US 5,754,296 A
  • Filed: 11/27/1996
  • Issued: 05/19/1998
  • Est. Priority Date: 03/20/1995
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for measuring the thickness of a thin film sample, the apparatus comprising:

  • light source means for emitting an incident beam of monochromatic, collimated light;

    means for directing said incident beam along an incident path for impingement on the film sample at a predetermined, non-normal angle with respect thereto, there being a reflectance beam reflecting from the film sample along a reflectance path, said reflectance beam including a plurality of components, said components presenting phase angles;

    polarization means for elliptically polarizing said incident beam, said polarizing means including means for shifting said phase angles of said components;

    detecting means including a charged coupled device camera having a detection face for detecting said reflectance beam;

    analyzing means coupled with said detecting means for analyzing said reflectance beam for determining the thickness of the film sample; and

    beam expansion means positioned in said reflectance path between the film sample and said detecting means for expanding said reflectance beam, and permitting passage of said components of said reflectance beam to said detection face that are generally parallel with respect to each other without forming a real image of the sample on said detection face of said detecting means.

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