Surface profile measuring apparatus

• US 8,085,409 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2008
• Issued: 12/27/2011
• 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, Aso, Kohei, Takebe, Yosuke
• Primary Examiner(s): Toatley, Gregory J
• Assistant Examiner(s): VALENTIN II, JUAN D
• Application Number:
  US12/231,057
• Publication Number:
  US 20090070068A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,216 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 356/601
• 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 onto a surface of a sample;

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

an aperture switching section configured to select an aperture having a predetermined cross-sectional area and causing the projected light to pass through the aperture prior to being projected onto the surface of the sample;

the aperture switching section configured to select an aperture of reduced size when the sample is curved, wherein the reduced aperture size causes a reduction in a cross-sectional area of light projected onto the surface of the sample so as to reduce divergence of the light reflected from the surface;

the aperture switching section configured to select an aperture of increased sized when the sample has an uneven or fine surface roughness, wherein the increased aperture size causes an increase in a cross-sectional area of light projected onto the surface of the sample so as to reduce variations in the light reflected from the surface; and

a computing section configured to measure a surface profile of the sample based on an output from the light receiving section and based on the aperture selected by the aperture switching section.

2. The surface profile measuring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the aperture switching section controls 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 aperture switching section is operable to change a cross sectional area of the projection light 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 light 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 aperture switching section controls a diaphragm mechanism having an aperture member through which the projected light is transmitted, an aperture size of the aperture member being sequentially variable, and the diaphragm mechanism is operable to change a cross sectional area of light projected on the surface of the sample 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 aperture switching 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 aperture switching 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 change in the selected aperture, the selected aperture corresponding to a predetermined cross sectional area of the light projected onto the surface of the sample;

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

wherein the adjusting section adjusts the emission light intensity of the light source depending on the selected aperture.

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

a detecting section for detecting a change in an intensity level of light flux corresponding to the cross sectional area of the projected light;

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 change in the intensity level of light flux corresponding to the cross sectional area of projected light.

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 change in the intensity level of light flux corresponding to the cross sectional area of the projected light, and a gain adjusting section for adjusting a gain of a light receiving signal from the light receiving sensor depending on the change in the intensity level.

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 change in the intensity level of light flux corresponding to the cross sectional area of the projected light, and an exposure adjusting section for adjusting an exposure condition of the light receiving sensor depending on the change in the intensity level of the light flux.