Abstract: A system and process for analyzing a sample includes an excitation section and an analyze section, said excitation section including a light source emitting an incident measurement luminous beam, a polarization state generator (PSG), first optics, and said analyze section includes a polarization state analyzer (PSA), a detection system and second optics. The excitation section includes an illumination source emitting an incident visualization luminous beam, superposition optics that direct the incident visualization luminous beam toward the sample surface along an optical axis which is identical to the optical axis of the incident measurement luminous beam and the analyze section includes separation optics that transmit a part of the reflected or transmitted visualization luminous beam and a part of the reflected or transmitted measurement luminous beam towards a visualization direction.

Abstract: A system and process for analyzing a sample includes an excitation section and an analyze section, said excitation section including a light source emitting an incident measurement luminous beam, a polarisation state generator (PSG), first optics, and said analyze section includes a polarisation state analyzer (PSA), a detection system and second optics. The excitation section includes an illumination source emitting an incident visualization luminous beam, superposition optics that direct the incident visualization luminous beam toward the sample surface along an optical axis which is identical to the optical axis of the incident measurement luminous beam and the analyze section includes separation optics that transmit a part of the reflected or transmitted visualization luminous beam and a part of the reflected or transmitted measurement luminous beam towards a visualization direction.

Abstract: Disclosed is an achromatic spectroscopic ellispometer for analyzing small regions of a sample over a wide range of wavelengths from ultraviolet (UV) to infrared (IR). The spectroscopic ellipsometer contains a light source emitting a light beam which passes through a polarisation state generator section before being focused at an incidence angle q by a first parabolic mirror to a small spot on a sample. A second parabolic mirror collects the reflected beam and connects said beam to an analyzing section. The reflected beam emerges from the analyzing section and is spectroscopically detected and analyzed. The light beam through the polarisation state generator section up to the first parabolic mirror and the light beam from the second mirror through the analyzing section are parallel enabling achromatism. The incidence angle q is largely varied without shifting of the location of the small spot on the sample surface.

Abstract: The invention concerns an achromatic spectroscopic ellipsometer for analysing small regions of a sample (1) over a wide range of wavelengths from ultraviolet (UV) to infrared (IR). The spectroscopic ellipsometer contains a light source (2) emitting a light beam (3). The light beam (3) goes through a polarisation state generator section (4) before being focused at an incidence angle q by a first parabolic mirror (5) to a small spot on sample (1). A second parabolic mirror (6) collects the reflected beam (16) and connects said beam to an analysing section (7). The reflected beam (16) emerges from the analysing section (7) to go to means (8) for detecting and analysing a spectroscopically said beam. According to the invention, the light beam (3) through the polarisation state generator section (4) up to the first parabolic mirror (5) and the light beam from the second mirror (6) through the analysing section (7) are parallel enabling achromatism.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method and a device for the ellipsometric measurement of physical parameters representative of a sample.The measured values I.sub.om, I.sub.sm and I.sub.cm are calculated (51, 52) from the signal (50) which represents the measured intensity I(t).In a first step (55, 57), initial theoretical values I.sub.st /I.sub.ot and I.sub.ct /I.sub.ot are produced from initial estimations (56) of the physical parameters. In a second step (58, 59) subsequent estimations (59) of physical parameters are determined from which subsequent theoretical values I.sub.st /I.sub.ot and I.sub.ct /I.sub.ot are deduced (55, 57). The second step is reiterated to an Nth estimation (59) of the physical parameters, so as to minimise the difference between the theoretical values and those measured.The physical parameters are evaluated (54) in the course of the Nth estimation.