Optical profilometer combined with stylus probe measurement device
First Claim
1. An instrument for profiling a sample, comprising:
- a stylus probe measuring device;
an optical profilometer that determines height information about a surface of the sample;
positioning means for positioning the stylus probe measuring device and the optical profilometer with respect to the sample; and
a controller adapted to control the positioning means.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An optical profilometer and a stylus probe measuring device used in the same instrument have the advantage that these two sensors can be quickly switched between each other. This can be an advantage when used to measure samples, since the optical profilometer can be used until a sample is found to be outside of the desired tolerances. Afterwards, the stylus probe measuring device can be used to accurately determine the profile data. This is an advantage because an optical profilometer is relatively quick, and the stylus probe measuring device is relatively accurate. Additionally, since the optical profilometer and stylus probe device are in the same instrument, the X and Y positions of these devices can be interrelated accurately. This allows images to be produced where the positions on the images can be easily correlated. For example, measurement cursors in sensor data displays can correlated by the positional offset information.
119 Citations
39 Claims
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1. An instrument for profiling a sample, comprising:
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a stylus probe measuring device; an optical profilometer that determines height information about a surface of the sample; positioning means for positioning the stylus probe measuring device and the optical profilometer with respect to the sample; and a controller adapted to control the positioning means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method of operating a sensing instrument comprising:
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providing an object; using an optical profilometer to position a stylus probe measuring device on the object; obtaining data about the object using stylus probe measuring device; and using the stylus probe measuring device data to calibrate the X and Y position offset between the optical profilometer and the stylus probe measuring device. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26)
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27. A method of operating a sensing instrument comprising:
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providing a test object; using an optical device to position a scanning probe microscope on the test object; obtaining data about the test object using a scanning probe microscope; and using the scanning probe microscope data to calibrate the X and Y position offset between the optical device and the scanning probe microscope, wherein the providing step comprises providing a test object with a raised edge and wherein the scanning probe microscope data obtaining step includes sweeping the scanning probe microscope towards the raised edge so that an offset along one axis is determinable from an indication of the raised edge. - View Dependent Claims (28)
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29. A method of operating a sensing instrument comprising:
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obtaining profile data about a sample using an optical profilometer; and obtaining profile data about the sample using a stylus probe measuring device;
wherein the two obtaining steps are done without removing the sample from the instrument. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32)
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33. A method of operating a sensing instrument comprising:
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providing an object; using an optical profilometer to locate a position on an object; positioning a stylus probe measuring device at the position; and obtaining profile information concerning the position using the stylus probe measuring device. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36)
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37. A method of operating a sensing instrument comprising:
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providing an instrument having at least two sensors; measuring an object with one of the sensors; moving another of the sensors to a measuring location using positional offset information; measuring the object with the other of the sensors; and producing displays of the measured data, measurement cursors in the displays being correlated by the positional offset information. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39)
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Specification