Abstract: The invention discloses a substrate holder (8) that is configured to receive a substrate (20) and can be utilized to determine the thickness deviation of a substrate from the standard thickness of a specific substrate type. The substrate holder (8) comprises a one-piece frame having a flat upper surface (42). An opening (30) that defines a peripheral rim (32) is provided in the substrate holder (8). Receiving elements (34) on which spheres are provided are shaped onto the peripheral rim (32) of the opening (30). A substrate (20) placed into the substrate holder (8) thus comes to rest on the upper surfaces of the spheres. The support elements (34) are arranged on the peripheral rim of the opening (30) in such a way that they lie at the vertices of an equilateral triangle.

Abstract: The invention discloses a contact sensor having a movably arranged impact detection element spaced away from a stationary housing part; and having a detection system that contains a light source with an emission surface as well as a receiving element, defining a receiving surface, arranged opposite the emission surface of the light source wherein the receiving surface and emission surface are of substantially the same size. Furthermore a a high-precision measurement machine and an apparatus for protecting a protruding component are disclosed.

Abstract: An XY coordinate measuring stage includes a drive unit for a coordinate axis. The drive unit has a friction rod and a motor, the motor including a motor shaft in contact with a side of the friction rod. An applied pressure roller contacts an opposite side of the friction rod. At least one applied pressure spring urges the applied pressure roller, the friction rod, and the motor shaft against one another with an applied pressure force so that the motor shaft frictionally engages the friction rod, converting a rotational motion of the motor into a linear motion of the friction rod. A compensation device associated with the motor shaft generates a compensation force onto the motor shaft oppositely to the applied pressure force so as to at least partially compensate for the applied pressure force.

Abstract: The invention discloses a substrate holder (8) that is configured to receive a substrate (20) and can be utilized to determine the thickness deviation of a substrate from the standard thickness of a specific substrate type. The substrate holder (8) comprises a one-piece frame having a flat upper surface (42). An opening (30) that defines a peripheral rim (32) is provided in the substrate holder (8). Receiving elements (34) on which spheres are provided are shaped onto the peripheral rim (32) of the opening (30). A substrate (20) placed into the substrate holder (8) thus comes to rest on the upper surfaces of the spheres. The support elements (34) are arranged on the peripheral rim of the opening (30) in such a way that they lie at the vertices of an equilateral triangle.

Abstract: The present invention concerns an interferometric measurement apparatus for wavelength calibration, having a laser light source (1), a detector (2), and an interferometer (3), the laser light source (1) emitting light of at least one wavelength, the interferometer (3) separating the light of the laser light source (1) into two sub-beams (4, 5)—a reference beam (4) and a measurement beam (5)—and combining the sub-beams (4, 5) again after at least one reflection at one reflection means (6) each, and the path length difference between the reference beam (4) and measurement beam (5) defining a constant wavelength calibration distance. In order to increase the measurement accuracy and reduce measurement errors, the measurement beam distance can be extended, but without causing problems in terms of manufacture, assembly, and/or alignment.

Abstract: The invention discloses a substrate holder (8) that is configured to receive a substrate (20) and can be utilized to determine the thickness deviation of a substrate from the standard thickness of a specific substrate type. The substrate holder (8) comprises a one-piece frame having a flat upper surface (42). An opening (30) that defines a peripheral rim (32) is provided in the substrate holder (8). Receiving elements (34) on which spheres are provided are shaped onto the peripheral rim (32) of the opening (30). A substrate (20) placed into the substrate holder (8) thus comes to rest on the upper surfaces of the spheres. The support elements (34) are arranged on the peripheral rim of the opening (30) in such a way that they lie at the vertices of an equilateral triangle.

Abstract: A coordinate measuring stage includes a stationary base part having a linear X guidance element, a center part slidable along the linear X guidance element, and an X-Y-positionable stage body for reception of a substrate, the X-Y positionable stage body being movable slidingly alone the Y guidance element. The center part is arranged in freely suspended fashion over the base part and supported at one end on the Y guidance element and with at another end on another support element. The Y guidance element, the other support element, and the stake body are supported, slidably and independently of one another, on the surface of the base part.

Abstract: An XY coordinate measuring stage includes a drive unit for a coordinate axis. The drive unit has a friction rod and a motor, the motor including a motor shaft in contact with a side of the friction rod. An applied pressure roller contacts an opposite side of the friction rod. At least one applied pressure spring urges the applied pressure roller, the friction rod, and the motor shaft against one another with an applied pressure force so that the motor shaft frictionally engages the friction rod, converting a rotational motion of the motor into a linear motion of the friction rod. A compensation device associated with the motor shaft generates a compensation force onto the motor shaft oppositely to the applied pressure force so as to at least partially compensate for the applied pressure force.

Abstract: A coordinate measuring stage (1) with interferometric position determination, and a coordinate measuring instrument having said coordinate measuring stage (1), are described. The coordinate measuring stage (1) comprises the following elements arranged one above another: a stationary base part (2) having a linear X guidance element (3); a center part (4), movable slidingly along a linear X guidance element (3); and above that, an X-Y-positionable stage body (5), for reception of a substrate, which is movable slidingly along a Y guidance element (6). The center part (4) is arranged in freely suspended fashion over the base part (2), being supported with its one end on the Y guidance element (6) and with its other end on an additionally arranged support element (13). The base part (2), the center part (4), and the stage body (5) each comprise an internally located opening (18) for a transmitted-light region.

Abstract: The present invention concerns an interferometric measurement apparatus for wavelength calibration, having a laser light source (1), a detector (2), and an interferometer (3), the laser light source (1) emitting light of at least one wavelength, the interferometer (3) separating the light of the laser light source (1) into two sub-beams (4, 5)—a reference beam (4) and a measurement beam (5)—and combining the sub-beams (4, 5) again after at least one reflection at one reflection means (6) each, and the path length difference between the reference beam (4) and measurement beam (5) defining a constant wavelength calibration distance. In order to increase the measurement accuracy and reduce measurement errors, the measurement beam distance can be extended, but without causing problems in terms of manufacture, assembly, and/or alignment.

Abstract: An apparatus for fine positioning of a component has a symmetrical, one-piece double parallel spring element having a movable center bar, suspended on bending points, which carries the component. The center bar is preloaded in the direction of the frame by way of an elastic element. The center bar can be adjusted in almost ideally tilt-free fashion with a fine adjustment element arranged between the center bar and frame. A high-precision coordinate measuring instrument having a measurement stage for receiving a substrate that is to be measured, an incident-light and/or transmitted-light illumination device, and an imaging optical system with a vertical optical axis, has a fine positioning apparatus of this kind with a vertically arranged double parallel spring element. Mounted on its center bar is an objective holder, and thereon the objective with an objective axis parallel to the movement direction of the center bar.

Abstract: A measuring instrument and a method for measuring patterns on substrates of various thicknesses are described. The measuring instrument comprises an X-Y carriage in which an opening is defined by a peripheral rim. An illumination optical system and multiple optical compensation elements serve to illuminate the measurement region. Multiple storage compartments for the optical compensation elements are shaped on the peripheral rim of the opening of the X-Y carriage. The optical compensation element needed in each case can be removed by the illumination optical system from the associated storage compartment.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for loading substrates of various sizes into a substrate holder. The apparatus for this purpose comprises a base plate with peripheral rim and at least three support means arranged on the base plate, each of which has configured on it different support surfaces for the various substrates. The support surfaces are arranged in stepped fashion on the support means. In addition, receiving elements for the substrate holder are arranged on the base plate in such a way that the substrate holder that is set in place surrounds the support means and is aligned and oriented in terms of its position. At least one sensor element is housed in at least one of the support surfaces of a support means for one substrate size, so as thereby to detect the size of the substrate.

Abstract: The invention discloses a contact sensor having a movably arranged impact detection element spaced away from a stationary housing part; and having a detection system that contains a light source with an emission surface as well as a receiving element, defining a receiving surface, arranged opposite the emission surface of the light source wherein the receiving surface and emission surface are of substantially the same size. Furthermore a a high-precision measurement machine and an apparatus for protecting a protruding component are disclosed.

Abstract: A device and method for delivering various substrates into a high-precision measuring instrument. The device comprises a magazine in which are configured several compartments in which substrate holders for different substrates can be deposited. Also provided is a loading station in which the substrate holders can be loaded with the substrate that matches the substrate holder. An automatic transfer device removes substrate holders from the magazine and introduces them into the loading station, or removes the substrate holders together with the introduced substrate from the loading station. The automatic transport device is configured as a robot arm at whose front end sits a fork.

Abstract: A displaceable X/Y coordinate measurement table having two orthogonally arranged measurement mirrors for interferometric position determination is described. The displaceable measurement table, a mirror body carrying the measurement mirrors, and the receptacle for the substrate are embodied as separate components. The mirror body has a number of support points on its upper side and lower side for supporting a substrate or a receptacle above the upper side and for supporting the mirror body on the lower points above the measurement table. The mirror geometry is therefore unaffected by the weight of various substrates. The two measurement mirrors are integrated into a one-piece mirror body made of a material having an extremely low coefficient of thermal expansion. The described embodiments have frame-shaped openings in the X/Y coordinate measurement table and mirror body, which makes the measurement table suitable for both reflected and transmitted applications.

Abstract: A measuring device for measuring structures on a transparent substrate includes an incident-light illuminating device, an imaging device, and a detector device for the imaged structures and a measuring stage for receiving the substrate. The stage is displaceable in an interferometrically measurable fashion perpendicularly to and relative to an optical axis of the imaging device. The measuring stage is designed as an open frame with a receiving edge for the substrate. A transmitted-light illuminating device is provided beneath the measuring stage. The optical axis of the transmitted light illuminating device is aligned with that of the incident-light illuminating device.

Abstract: The invention relates to an inspection microscope for the semiconductor industry. The microscope stand consists of a foot (1), a pillar (4) and a crosshead (5). In order to facilitate unobstructed feeding of samples from the back part of the microscope stand, the pillar (4) is mounted laterally next to the back end of the foot (1) and the crosshead (5) arranged thereon when seen from the front. This makes it possible to save space and avoid adaptations when integrating the microscope stand into the clusters in the test area of the semiconductor industry and to feed test objects directly from the back of the microscope stage (3). In an especially advantageous construction of the stand, the inspection microscope is particularly suitable for examining large-surface objects (e.g. flat screens or 400 nm wafers).

Abstract: A limit switching apparatus with defined overtravel for specimen-objective protection on microscopes having a motorized focusing drive. A stored focus position or position of the specimen stage can be overtraveled by a fixed amount. The maximum travel path of the specimen stage is additionally limited by a switching rod and a short-circuiting switch, in order to ensure reliable specimen-objective protection even in the event of a fault in the control electronics.

Abstract: An automatic handling apparatus for plate-shaped objects, including a height-adjustable magazine having compartments lying horizontally, one above the other, and a manipulator which can be moved in a linear manner and is swivelable. The manipulator is equipped with interchangeable gripping arms. The gripping arms and the plate-shaped objects are deposited in compartments of the magazine. The compartments include a coding for the size and shape of the plate-shaped objected and the associated gripping arms. A control device controls the manipulator as a function of the coding of the plate-shaped object or gripping arm to be handled.