Abstract: An apparatus and method for cleaning components internal to an optical recording system without requiring the optical recording system to be disassembled. The apparatus is comprised of inlets through which pressurized gas is fed. The pressurized gas is directed through channels within the apparatus to various outlets. The pressurized gas is then expelled from these outlets. When the apparatus is inserted in the optical recording system, the outlets are located next to components sensitive to particle contamination. Thus, the expelled gas removes the particle contaminants from the surfaces of the components, thereby enhancing operation of the optical recording system.

Abstract: In an ellipsometric apparatus, a laser is provided for generating a probe beam. The probe beam is passed through a polarization section to give the beam a known polarization state. The probe beam is then tightly focused with a high numerical aperture lens onto the surface of the sample. The polarization state of the reflected probe beam is analyzed. In addition, the angle of incidence of one or more rays in the incident probe beam is determined based the radial position of the rays within the reflected probe beam. This approach provides enhanced spatial resolution and allows measurement over a wide spread of angles of incidence without adjusting the position of the optical components. Multiple angle of incidence measurements are greatly simplified.

Abstract: An apparatus (20) for measuring the thickness of a thin film layer (32) on substrate (28) includes a probe beam of radiation (24) focused substantially normal to the surface of the sample using a high numerical aperture lens (30). The high numerical aperture lens (30) provides a large spread of angles of incidence of the rays within the incident focused beam. A detector (50) measures the intensity across the reflected probe beam as a function of the angle of incidence with respect to the surface of the substrate (28) of various rays within the focused incident probe beam. A processor (52) functions to derive the thickness of the thin film layer based on these angular dependent intensity measurements. This result is achieved by using the angular dependent intensity measurements to solve the layer thickness using variations of the Fresnel equations. The invention is particularly suitable for measuring thin films, such as oxide layers, on silicon semiconductor samples.

Abstract: An Ebert monochromator is modified in a wafer chuck format and adapted to received and sum spectrally tailored light in discrete band widths so that the meter emulates the photographic response of photo resist to light from a high pressure mercury lamp. The monochromator light path is placed between two closely spaced parallel mirrors (spaced apart on the order of 1/8 of an inch). The apparatus includes a circular entrance aperture having a right angle deflecting cone directed to a slit. That slit thereafter emits light to a cylindrical mirror. At the cylindrical mirror, collimated light rebounds to and on a diffraction grating. The light is chromatically classified at the diffraction grating, rebounds to the cylindrical mirror and on reflection passes to a focussing plane. At the focussing plane the particular spectra detected is displayed. Two apparatus are disclosed for tuning the spectral response of the light meter to the spectral response of the photo resist.

Abstract: A high pressure mercury arc lamp such as the light source in a projection aligner is utilized in a photo resist calibrating process. The light source is utilized with narrow band interference filters centered on the mercury emission lines to isolate exposures to one narrow band of wave length at a time. The assumption is made (incorrectly) that the energy in each band of wave lengths from the high pressure mercury arc lamp is equal. Exposure to a narrow strip of photo resist--preferably in the form of a bar graph--on a semi-conductor wafer is made. A single wave length band is exposed for each bar of the graph. As each bar of the graph is scanned, exposure is varied in known ways (eg. linearly variable neutral density filters, changing apertures size, and/or varying exposure from changing wafer motion). The wafer is then developed and examined to determine the ratio of sensitivity for each wave length. A light meter is then placed in and exposed to the same high pressure mercury arc lamp.

Abstract: A photographic exposure control system incorporating a multizone shutter arrangement and a photoresponsive array, with each element of the array being responsive to one of a plurality of spacially oriented areas of the photographic scene and in control of one shutter zone which transmits image-carrying rays from that scene area to a pictorially corresponding area of the film to selectively compress the range of scene brightness to within the linear range of the film thereby enhancing shadow detail. In the illustrated embodiment, the exposure system in effect controls the multi-zone shutter to expose film areas corresponding to bright scene areas, having a relative brightness falling within the linear range of the film, at one exposure factor and film areas corresponding to darker scene areas at a greater exposure factor.

Abstract: An electronic camera apparatus and method for providing increased apparent resolution in a color imaging system are described. The apparatus and method employ a transducing array of photosensitive elements, each element being operably associated with one of a plurality of selected wavelength ranges. An electrical circuit samples the output signal train from the transducing array and generates a plurality of color representing signals. The electrical circuit fills in gaps occurring in each color signal with amplitude values derived from processing at least two of the color signals. The method and apparatus thereby maintain sharp and aligned edge information in each of the color signals.

Abstract: A photoresponsive, shutter-diaphragm exposure control system having light regulating blades displaced from a light-blocking position to define increasing aperture values during an exposure interval includes a source of flash illumination which is energized with or just prior to initiation of the exposure interval for flash operation. In this arrangement, the flash illumination envelope is superimposed in a leading arrangement on the aperture opening curve so as to provide increasing illumination intensity in slightly leading relation to the increasing aperture values.