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Apparatus for and a method of determining surface characteristics

  • US 8,239,163 B2
  • Filed: 05/26/2011
  • Issued: 08/07/2012
  • Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2005
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. Apparatus for determining surface structure element characteristics, wherein the apparatus comprises a data processor, the data processor comprising a structure determiner:

  • wherein the structure determiner includes;

    an intensity data storage for holding;

    a) structure intensity data comprising a first series of intensity values resulting from a measurement operation by an interferometer on a surface structure sample area using an objective such that the spread of light from a light source of the interferometer at the sample surface is greater than a surface characteristic of surface structure elements of the surface structure sample area and b) non-structure intensity data comprising a second series of intensity values resulting from a measurement operation on a second sample surface area not having the surface structure; and

    a controller coupled to the data storage, the controller being configured to cause the structure determiner;

    to determine a transform ratio relating to a ratio between the structure intensity data and the non-structure intensity data;

    to determine values for surface characteristics of the surface structure sample area by applying the determined transform ratio to a relationship representing the structure of the surface structure sample area.

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