Patents by Inventor Xavier Colonna De Lega
Xavier Colonna De Lega has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 7978337Abstract: In one aspect, the disclosure features methods that include using a microscope to direct light to a test object and to direct the light reflected from the test object to a detector, where the light includes components having orthogonal polarization states, varying an optical path length difference (OPD) between the components of the light, acquiring an interference signal from the detector while varying the OPD between the components, and determining information about the test object based on the acquired interference signal.Type: GrantFiled: November 7, 2008Date of Patent: July 12, 2011Assignee: Zygo CorporationInventors: Peter De Groot, Xavier Colonna De Lega
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Interferometer with multiple modes of operation for determining characteristics of an object surface
Patent number: 7952724Abstract: 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 electromagnetic radiation being derived from a common source; (ii) a multi-element detector; and (iii) one or more optics configured to image the interference pattern onto the detector so that different elements of the detector correspond to different illumination angles of the test surface by the test electromagnetic radiation.Type: GrantFiled: October 15, 2009Date of Patent: May 31, 2011Assignee: Zygo CorporationInventors: Xavier Colonna De Lega, Peter De Groot -
Patent number: 7948636Abstract: 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 models are parametrized by a series of characteristics that relate to one or more under-resolved lateral features of the test object; and outputting information about the under-resolved surface feature based on the comparison.Type: GrantFiled: February 8, 2010Date of Patent: May 24, 2011Assignee: Zygo CorporationInventors: Peter De Groot, Michael J Darwin, Robert Stoner, Gregg M. Gallatin, Xavier Colonna De Lega
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Patent number: 7924435Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed which includes an interferometry system configured to operate in a first mode to produce a first set of multiple interferometry signals corresponding to different illumination angles of a test object by test light and in a second mode produce a second set of multiple interferometry signals corresponding to different surface locations of a test object. An electronic processor coupled to the interferometry system is configured to receive the first set of interferometry signals and programmed to compare information derivable from the first set of multiple interferometry signals to information corresponding to multiple models of the test object to determine information related to one or features of the test object, and output the information. In some embodiments, the features include an under-resolved feature.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2007Date of Patent: April 12, 2011Assignee: Zygo CorporationInventors: Xavier Colonna De Lega, Peter De Groot
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Patent number: 7889355Abstract: A method is disclosed which includes: using a scanning interferometry system, generating a sequence of phase-shifted interferometry images at different scan positions of an object comprising a buried surface, identifying a scan position corresponding to a position of best focus for the buried surface based on the sequence of phase-shifted interferometry images of the object, and generating a final image based on the phase-shifted interferometry images and the scan position, where the interferometric fringes in the final image are reduced relative to the interferometric fringes in the phase-shifted interferometry images.Type: GrantFiled: June 4, 2007Date of Patent: February 15, 2011Assignee: Zygo CorporationInventors: Xavier Colonna De Lega, Robert Stoner, Peter De Groot
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Publication number: 20110032535Abstract: Systems are disclosed that include an interferometer configured to direct test light to an overlay test pad and subsequently combine it with reference light, the test and reference light being derived from a common source, one or more optics configured to direct at least a portion of the combined light to a multi-element detector so that different regions of the detector correspond to different illumination angles of the overlay test pad by the test light, the detector being configured to produce an interference signal based on the combined light, and an electronic processor in communication with the multi-element detector. The overlay test pad comprises a first patterned structure and a second patterned structure and the electronic processor is configured to determine information about the relative alignment between the first and second patterned structures based on the interference signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 4, 2009Publication date: February 10, 2011Applicant: Zygo CorporationInventors: Jan Liesener, Xavier Colonna de Lega, Peter de Groot
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Patent number: 7884947Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus which includes: an interferometer configured to direct broadband spatially coherent test light to a test surface of a test object over a range of illumination angles and subsequently combine it with reference light to form an interference pattern, the test and reference light being derived from a common source; and multi-element detector; and one or more optics configured to direct at least a portion of the combined light to the detector so that different elements of the detector correspond to different illumination angles of a region of the test surface illuminated by the test light.Type: GrantFiled: June 5, 2007Date of Patent: February 8, 2011Assignee: Zygo CorporationInventors: Xavier Colonna De Lega, Peter De Groot
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Publication number: 20100265516Abstract: 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 models are parametrized by a series of characteristics that relate to one or more under-resolved lateral features of the test object; and outputting information about the under-resolved surface feature based on the comparison.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 8, 2010Publication date: October 21, 2010Inventors: Peter De Groot, Michael J. Darwin, Robert Stoner, Gregg M. Gallatin, Xavier Colonna De Lega
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INTERFEROMETER WITH MULTIPLE MODES OF OPERATION FOR DETERMINING CHARACTERISTICS OF AN OBJECT SURFACE
Publication number: 20100134786Abstract: 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 electromagnetic radiation being derived from a common source; (ii) a multi-element detector; and (iii) one or more optics configured to image the interference pattern onto the detector so that different elements of the detector correspond to different illumination angles of the test surface by the test electromagnetic radiation.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 15, 2009Publication date: June 3, 2010Inventors: Xavier Colonna De Lega, Peter De Groot -
Publication number: 20100128280Abstract: In general, in one aspect, the invention features apparatus that includes a broadband scanning interferometry system including interferometer optics for combining test light from a test object with reference light from a reference object to form an interference pattern on a detector, wherein the test and reference light are derived from a common light source. The interferometry system further includes a scanning stage configured to scan an optical path difference (OPD) between the test and reference light from the common source to the detector and a detector system including the detector for recording the interference pattern for each of a series of OPD increments, wherein the frequency of each OPD increment defines a frame rate. The interferometer optics are configured to produce at least two monitor interferometry signals each indicative of changes in the OPD as the OPD is scanned, wherein the detector system is further configured to record the monitor interferometry signals.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 24, 2009Publication date: May 27, 2010Applicant: ZYGO CORPORATIONInventors: Mark Davidson, Jan Liesener, Peter de Groot, Xavier Colonna de Lega, Leslie L. Deck
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Publication number: 20100128276Abstract: Interferometry system are disclosed that include a detector sub-system including a monitor detector, interferometer optics for combining test light from a test object with primary reference light from a first reference interface and secondary reference light from a second reference interface to form a monitor interference pattern on a monitor detector, wherein the first and second reference interfaces are mechanically fixed with respect to each other and the test light, a scanning stage configured to scan an optical path difference (OPD) between the test light and the primary and secondary reference light to the monitor detector while the detector sub-system records the monitor interference pattern for each of a series of OPD increments, and an electronic processor electronically coupled to the detector sub-system and the scanning stage, the electronic processor being configured to determine information about the OPD increments based on the detected monitor interference pattern.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 14, 2009Publication date: May 27, 2010Applicant: Zygo CorporationInventors: Peter De Groot, Mark Davidson, Jan Liesener, Xavier Colonna de Lega, Leslie L. Deck
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Publication number: 20100128283Abstract: In certain aspects, interferometry methods are disclosed that include providing one or more interferometry signals for a test object, wherein the interferometry signals correspond to a sequence of optical path difference (OPD) values which are not all equally spaced from one another because of noise, providing information about the unequal spacing of the sequence of OPD values, decomposing each of the interferometry signals into a contribution from a plurality of basis functions each corresponding to a different frequency and sampled at the unequally spaced OPD values, and using information about the contribution from each of the multiple basis functions to each of the interferometry signals to determine information about the test object.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 24, 2009Publication date: May 27, 2010Applicant: ZYGO CORPORATIONInventors: Jan Liesener, Mark Davidson, Peter J. De Groot, Xavier Colonna De Lega, Leslie L. Deck
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Publication number: 20100128278Abstract: Apparatus include a microscope including an objective and a stage for positioning a test object relative to the objective, the stage being moveable with respect to the objective, and a sensor system, that includes a sensor light source, an interferometric sensor configured to receive light from the sensor light source, to introduce an optical path difference (OPD) between a first portion and a second portion of the light, the OPD being related to a distance between the objective lens and the stage, and to combine the first and second portions of the light to provide output light, a detector configured to detect the output light from the interferometric sensor, a fiber waveguide configured to direct light between the sensor light source, the interferometric sensor and the detector, a tunable optical cavity in a path of the light from the sensor light source and the interferometric sensor, and an electronic controller in communication with the detector, the electronic controller being configured to determine inType: ApplicationFiled: August 31, 2009Publication date: May 27, 2010Applicant: Zygo CorporationInventors: Leslie L. Deck, Peter De Groot, Mark Davidson, Jan Liesener, Xavier Colonna De Lega
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Patent number: 7684049Abstract: 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 models are parameterized by a series of characteristics that relate to one or more under-resolved lateral features of the test object; and outputting information about the under-resolved surface feature based on the comparison.Type: GrantFiled: January 22, 2008Date of Patent: March 23, 2010Assignee: Zygo CorporationInventors: Peter De Groot, Michael J. Darwin, Robert Stoner, Gregg M. Gallatin, Xavier Colonna De Lega
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Patent number: 7636168Abstract: In general, in one aspect, the disclosure features a method that includes directing measurement light to reflect from a measurement surface and combining the reflected measurement light with reference light, where the measurement light and reference light are derived from a common source, and there is a non-zero optical path length difference between the measurement light and reference light that is greater than a coherence length of the measurement light. The method further includes spectrally dispersing the combined light onto a multi-element detector to detect a spatially-varying intensity pattern, determining spatial information about the measurement surface based on the spatially-varying intensity pattern, and outputting the spatial information.Type: GrantFiled: October 11, 2006Date of Patent: December 22, 2009Assignee: Zygo CorporationInventors: Xavier Colonna De Lega, Peter De Groot
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Publication number: 20090303493Abstract: A method is disclosed which includes: using a scanning interferometry system, generating a sequence of phase-shifted interferometry images at different scan positions of an object comprising a buried surface, identifying a scan position corresponding to a position of best focus for the buried surface based on the sequence of phase-shifted interferometry images of the object, and generating a final image based on the phase-shifted interferometry images and the scan position, where the interferometric fringes in the final image are reduced relative to the interferometric fringes in the phase-shifted interferometry images.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 13, 2009Publication date: December 10, 2009Applicant: ZYGO CORPORATIONInventors: Xavier Colonna de Lega, Robert Stoner, Peter de Groot
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Patent number: 7619746Abstract: 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 of angles and wavelengths; using the same interferometry-system to measure the test surface in a second mode of operation that interferometrically profiles a topography of the test surface over a range including at least some of the multiple areas; and correcting the profile based on the information about the reflectivity of the multiple areas to reduce errors.Type: GrantFiled: July 19, 2007Date of Patent: November 17, 2009Assignee: Zygo CorporationInventor: Xavier Colonna De Lega
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Interferometer with multiple modes of operation for determining characteristics of an object surface
Patent number: 7616323Abstract: 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 electromagnetic radiation being derived from a common source; (ii) a multi-element detector; and (iii) one or more optics configured to image the interference pattern onto the detector so that different elements of the detector correspond to different illumination angles of the test surface by the test electromagnetic radiation.Type: GrantFiled: January 19, 2006Date of Patent: November 10, 2009Assignee: Zygo CorporationInventors: Xavier Colonna De Lega, Peter De Groot -
Publication number: 20090262362Abstract: In general, in a first aspect, the invention features a system including an interferometer configured to direct test light to an overlay target and subsequently combine it with reference light to form an interference pattern, the test and reference light being derived from a common source, a multi-element detector, one or more optics to image the overlay target on the multi-element detector; and an electronic processor in communication with the multi-element detector. The overlay target includes a first pattern and a second pattern and the electronic processor is configured to determine information about the relative alignment between the first and second patterns.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 21, 2009Publication date: October 22, 2009Applicant: ZYGO CORPORATIONInventors: Peter de Groot, Jan Liesener, Xavier Colonna de Lega
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Publication number: 20090182528Abstract: A method includes comparing a scanning interferometry signal obtained for a location of a test object to each of multiple model signals corresponding to different model parameters for modeling the test object, wherein for each model signal the comparing comprises calculating a correlation function between the scanning interferometry signal and the model signal to identify a surface-height offset between the scanning interferometry signal and the model signal and, based on the identified surface-height offset, calculating a height-offset compensated merit value indicative of a similarity between the scanning interferometry signal and the model signal for a common surface height. The method further includes, based on the respective merit values for the different model signals, determining a test object parameter at the location of the test object.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 11, 2008Publication date: July 16, 2009Inventors: Peter De Groot, Xavier Colonna De Lega