| Patent Number |
Title Of Patent |
Date Issued |
| 7619746 |
Generating model signals for interferometry |
November 17, 2009 |
| A method is disclosed which includes, for each of multiple areas of a test surface on a test object having different reflectivities, using an interferometry system to measure each area in a first mode of operation that measures information about the reflectivity of the area over a range |
| 7616323 |
Interferometer with multiple modes of operation for determining characteristics of an object sur |
November 10, 2009 |
| Disclosed is a system including: (i) an interferometer configured to direct test electromagnetic radiation to a test surface and reference electromagnetic radiation to a reference surface and subsequently combine the electromagnetic radiation to form an interference pattern, the elec |
| 7616322 |
Cyclic error compensation in interferometry systems |
November 10, 2009 |
| An interference signal S(t) is provided from interference between two beams directed along different paths. The signal S(t) is indicative of changes in an optical path difference n{tilde over (L)}(t) between the different paths, where n is an average refractive index along the differ |
| 7612893 |
Scanning interferometric methods and apparatus for measuring aspheric surfaces and wavefronts |
November 3, 2009 |
| Interferometric scanning method(s) and apparatus for measuring test optics having aspherical surfaces including those with large departures from spherical. A reference wavefront is generated from a known origin along a scanning axis. A test optic is aligned on the scanning axis and s |
| 7586620 |
Methods and systems for interferometric analysis of surfaces and related applications |
September 8, 2009 |
| A method for determining a spatial property of an object includes obtaining a scanning low coherence interference signal from a measurement object that includes two or more interfaces. The scanning low coherence interference signal includes two or more overlapping low coherence inter |
| 7576868 |
Cyclic error compensation in interferometry systems |
August 18, 2009 |
| A first portion of a beam including a first frequency component is directed along a first path. A second portion of the beam is frequency shifted to generate a shifted beam that includes a second frequency component different from the first frequency component and one or more spuriou |
| 7564568 |
Phase shifting interferometry with multiple accumulation |
July 21, 2009 |
| An interferometer system is disclosed which is configured to combine measurement light with reference light to form an optical interference pattern, where the interferometer system includes a modulator configured to repetitively introduce a sequence of phase shifts between the measur |
| 7564566 |
Method and system for analyzing low-coherence interferometry signals for information about thin |
July 21, 2009 |
| Methods and systems are disclosed for analyzing a scanning interferometry signal. Steps include: providing a scanning interferometry signal produced by a scanning interferometer for a first location of a test object (e.g., a sample having a thin film); providing a model function of t |
| 7561278 |
Interferometer using integrated retarders to reduce physical volume |
July 14, 2009 |
| An apparatus includes an interferometer having a polarizing beam splitter to split an input beam into a measurement beam and a reference beam, the measurement beam contacting a measurement object, the reference beam contacting a reference object. The interferometer includes at least one |
| 7548322 |
Multi-axis interferometers and methods and systems using multi-axis interferometers |
June 16, 2009 |
| In general, in one aspect, the invention features an apparatus including a multi-axis interferometer configured to produce at least three output beams each including interferometric information about a distance between the interferometer and a measurement object along a corresponding |
| 7542147 |
Data age compensation with avalanche photodiode |
June 2, 2009 |
| A method is disclosed including conditioning a measurement signal from an interferometer, said conditioning characterized by one or more conditioning parameters; measuring a plurality of values for the conditioned measurement signal; providing one or more values indicative of the con |
| 7532330 |
Angle interferometers |
May 12, 2009 |
| Methods and systems for determining information about the incident angle of a beam are disclosed, the method including directing a beam having an s-polarized component and a p-polarized component to reflect from an interface at a non-normal angle, where the non-normal reflection intr |
| 7528962 |
Apparatus and methods for reducing non-cyclic non-linear errors in interferometry |
May 5, 2009 |
| In general, in one aspect, the invention features interferometry systems that include an interferometer configured to direct a first beam and a second beam derived from common light source along different paths and to combine the two beams to form an output beam including information |
| 7528961 |
Compensation of turbulent effects of gas in measurement paths of multi-axis interferometers |
May 5, 2009 |
| In general, in a first aspect, the invention features a method that includes using an interferometry assembly to provide three different output beams, each output beam including an interferometric phase related to an optical path difference between a corresponding first beam and a co |
| 7522288 |
Compensation of systematic effects in low coherence interferometry |
April 21, 2009 |
| In general, in one aspect, the invention features a method that includes transforming interferometry data acquired for a test sample using a low coherence imaging interferometry system to a frequency domain and, at a plurality of frequencies in the frequency domain, reducing contribution |
| 7495773 |
In situ determination of pixel mapping in interferometry |
February 24, 2009 |
| Interferometric methods and apparatus by which the map between pixel positions and corresponding part locations are determined in situ. The part under test, which is assumed to be a rigid body, is precisely moved from a base position to at least one other position in one to six degrees |
| 7495770 |
Beam shear reduction in interferometry systems |
February 24, 2009 |
| In certain aspects, the invention features interferometry systems that include an input assembly positioned to receive a beam emitted from a light source comprising a first component beam and a second component beam, the input assembly being configured to change a dimension of one of |
| 7492469 |
Interferometry systems and methods using spatial carrier fringes |
February 17, 2009 |
| In general, in one aspect, the invention features an apparatus that includes an interferometer having a main cavity and an auxiliary reference surface, the main cavity including a partially reflective surface defining a primary reference surface and a test surface. The interferometer |
| 7489407 |
Error correction in interferometry systems |
February 10, 2009 |
| In general, in one aspect, the invention features methods that include using an interferometer to produce an output beam having a phase related to an optical path difference between a path of a first beam and a path of a second beam, wherein the first beam contacts a measurement object |
| 7488929 |
Perimeter detection using fiber optic sensors |
February 10, 2009 |
| A fiber optic perimeter detection system includes a receiver to receive output light signals from sensors positioned at different regions, each sensor including a sensing fiber. Each sensor generates an output light signal having a specified wavelength, the output light signal having a |
| 7468799 |
Scanning interferometry for thin film thickness and surface measurements |
December 23, 2008 |
| A method including: providing a low coherence scanning interferometry data for at least one spatial location of a sample having multiple interfaces, wherein the data is collected using a low coherence scanning interferometer having an illumination geometry and an illumination frequen |
| 7466429 |
Profiling complex surface structures using scanning interferometry |
December 16, 2008 |
| A method including comparing information derivable from a scanning interferometry signal for a first surface location of a test object to information corresponding to multiple models of the test object, wherein the multiple models are parameterized by a series of characteristics for |
| 7456975 |
Methods and systems for interferometric analysis of surfaces and related applications |
November 25, 2008 |
| A method for determining a spatial property of an object includes obtaining a scanning low coherence interference signal from a measurement object that includes two or more interfaces. The scanning low coherence interference signal includes two or more overlapping low coherence inter |
| 7446883 |
Method and apparatus for tilt corrected lateral shear in a lateral shear plus rotational shear a |
November 4, 2008 |
| A Fizeau or other interferometer is used to provide high resolution, in-situ calibration of an external angle measurement system such as widely spaced high stability plane mirror interferometers (HSPMIs)). The calibrated measurement system then measures mechanical tilt during shearin |
| 7446882 |
Interferometer for determining characteristics of an object surface |
November 4, 2008 |
| Disclosed is a system including: (i) an interferometer configured to direct test electromagnetic radiation to a test surface and reference electromagnetic radiation to a reference surface and subsequently combine the electromagnetic radiation to form an interference pattern, the elec |
| 7433049 |
Multi-axis interferometer with procedure and data processing for mirror mapping |
October 7, 2008 |
| In general, in one aspect, the invention features methods that include locating a plurality of alignment marks on a moveable stage, interferometrically measuring a position of a measurement object along an interferometer axis for each of the alignment mark locations, and using the in |
| 7428685 |
Cyclic error compensation in interferometry systems |
September 23, 2008 |
| The invention features a method including: (i) providing an interference signal S(t) from two beams directed along different paths, wherein the signal S(t) is indicative of changes in an optical path difference n{tilde over (L)}(t) between the different paths, where n is an average r |
| 7428057 |
Interferometer for determining characteristics of an object surface, including processing and ca |
September 23, 2008 |
| Disclosed is a system including: (i) an interferometer configured to direct test electromagnetic radiation to a test surface and reference electromagnetic radiation to a reference surface and subsequently combine the electromagnetic radiation to form an interference pattern, the elec |
| 7417743 |
Interferometry systems and methods |
August 26, 2008 |
| In general, in a first aspect, the invention features apparatus that include an interferometer having a main cavity and an auxiliary reference surface, the main cavity including a primary reference surface and a test surface. The interferometer is configured to direct a primary portion o |
| 7405833 |
Method for calibration and removal of wavefront errors |
July 29, 2008 |
| Apparatus and methods for generating an empirically determined mathematical model of wavefront error in an interferometer as a function of aperture misalignment and then applying the model to correct subsequent measurements. The methods are useful in Fizeau and other types of interfe |
| 7403289 |
Interferometry method for ellipsometry, reflectometry, and scatterometry measurements, including |
July 22, 2008 |
| A method including: imaging test light emerging from a test object over a range of angles to interfere with reference light on a detector, wherein the test and reference light are derived from a common source; for each of the angles, simultaneously varying an optical path length differen |
| 7382466 |
Coating for reflective optical components |
June 3, 2008 |
| An optical component has a coating including one or more layers at each reflecting surface. The coating causes the optical component to have polarization eigenstates that are substantially linear and to have the properties of a half-wave plate. The coated optical component can be used |
| 7379190 |
Stage alignment in lithography tools |
May 27, 2008 |
| In general, in a first aspect, the invention features a lithography system that includes a stage for supporting a wafer, an illumination system including a radiation source and a lens assembly, wherein the illumination system is configured to direct radiation through a mask to produc |
| 7375823 |
Interferometry systems and methods of using interferometry systems |
May 20, 2008 |
| In general, in one aspect, the invention features methods that include interferometrically monitoring a distance between an interferometry assembly and a measurement object along each of three different measurement axes while moving the measurement object relative to the interferomet |
| 7365857 |
Precompensation of polarization errors in heterodyne interferometry |
April 29, 2008 |
| Apparatus and methods for adjusting the polarizations of the components of an input beam to reduce leakage caused by imperfections in an interferometer are disclosed. The apparatus includes an interferometer positioned to receive an input beam that includes two components having diff |
| 7330274 |
Compensation for geometric effects of beam misalignments in plane mirror interferometers |
February 12, 2008 |
| Techniques for compensating for geometric effects of beam misalignment in plane mirror interferometers are disclosed. |
| 7327469 |
Method for compensating errors in interferometric surface metrology |
February 5, 2008 |
| A method for determining a surface profile of an object is described. The method typically includes providing a surface profile (e.g., a height profile) of a test object measured by an interferometric profiler. Information related to field- and object orientation-dependent systematic |
| 7327466 |
Multi-corner retroreflector |
February 5, 2008 |
| A two-corner retroreflector that includes a common face positioned to receive two beams and two corners each positioned to receive one of the beams and retro-reflect it back through the common face. |
| 7327465 |
Compensation for effects of beam misalignments in interferometer metrology systems |
February 5, 2008 |
| In general, in a first aspect, the invention features methods that include deriving a first beam and a second beam from an input beam and directing the first and second beams along different paths, where the path of the first beam contacts a measurement object, producing an output beam |
| 7324214 |
Interferometer and method for measuring characteristics of optically unresolved surface features |
January 29, 2008 |
| Disclosed is an interferometry analysis method that includes comparing information derivable from multiple interferometry signals corresponding to different surface locations of a test object to information corresponding to multiple models of the test object, wherein the multiple mod |
| 7324210 |
Scanning interferometry for thin film thickness and surface measurements |
January 29, 2008 |
| A method including: providing a low coherence scanning interferometry data for at least one spatial location of a sample having multiple interfaces, wherein the data is collected using a low coherence scanning interferometer having an illumination geometry and an illumination frequen |
| 7321432 |
Measurement and compensation of errors in interferometers |
January 22, 2008 |
| In general, in one aspect, the invention features a method for determining the location of an alignment mark on a stage including measuring a location, x.sub.1, of a stage along a first measurement axis using an interferometer, measuring a location, x.sub.2, of the stage along a seco |
| 7321431 |
Method and system for analyzing low-coherence interferometry signals for information about thin |
January 22, 2008 |
| Methods and systems are disclosed for analyzing a scanning interferometry signal. A scanning interferometry signal is provided that is produced by a scanning interferometer for a first location of a test object (e.g., a sample having a thin film). A model function of the scanning int |
| 7321430 |
Vibration resistant interferometry |
January 22, 2008 |
| Scanning interferometry data for a test object is provided, the data typically including intensity values for each of multiple scan positions for each of different spatial locations of the test object. The intensity values for each spatial location define an interference signal for the |
| 7315382 |
Interferometry method for ellipsometry, reflectometry, and scatterometry measurements, including |
January 1, 2008 |
| A method including: imaging test light emerging from a test object over a range of angles to interfere with reference light on a detector, wherein the test and reference light are derived from a common source; for each of the angles, simultaneously varying an optical path length differen |
| 7310152 |
Interferometer assemblies having reduced cyclic errors and system using the interferometer assem |
December 18, 2007 |
| In general, in one aspect, the invention features apparatus that include an interferometer including a main assembly having two laterally displaced polarizing beam splitter interfaces, wherein the interfaces are positioned to receive two spatially separated beams and direct them each |
| 7304747 |
Methods and systems for determining optical properties using low-coherence interference signals |
December 4, 2007 |
| Methods and related systems for determining properties of optical systems (e.g., interferometers) and/or optical elements (e.g., lenses and/or lens systems) are described. For example, information related to an optical thickness mismatch of an interferometer can be determined by providin |
| 7298494 |
Methods and systems for interferometric analysis of surfaces and related applications |
November 20, 2007 |
| A method for determining a spatial property of an object includes obtaining a scanning low coherence interference signal from a measurement object that includes two or more interfaces. The scanning low coherence interference signal includes two or more overlapping low coherence inter |
| 7298493 |
Interferometric optical assemblies and systems including interferometric optical assemblies |
November 20, 2007 |
| In general, in one aspect, the invention features assemblies that include a first polarizing beam splitter positioned in the paths of a pair of initial beams, the polarizing beam splitter being configured to combine the pair of initial beams to form an input beam. The assemblies further |
| 7292346 |
Triangulation methods and systems for profiling surfaces through a thin film coating |
November 6, 2007 |
| An optical system includes a photolithography system, a low coherence interferometer, and a detector. The photolithography system is configured to illuminate a portion of an object with a light pattern and has a reference surface. The low coherence interferometer has a reference opti |
