Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for determining the layer thickness and the refractive index of a sample. It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for determining the layer thickness of a sample (layer) having high light scattering characteristics that allows a fast (real-time process) and cost-effective measurement having a high accuracy.

Abstract: In a scatterometric method, a roughness value can be obtained by using a model including a surface layer having a variable parameter relating to its refractive index.

Abstract: An optical information medium measurement method measures a degree of modulation in an optical information medium of a multilayered structure having a plurality of information layers. The method includes measuring the modulation degree of each layer of the optical information medium, obtaining a thickness between layers of the optical information medium, obtaining a reflectance of each layer of the optical information medium, and converting the modulation degree of each layer. The modulation degree is measured based on a value indicative of the thickness between layers, and a value indicative of the reflectance of each layer.

Abstract: Optical systems and methods are described that provide greater solving power for thin-film measurements in general, and provide a unique model-free solution for single-layer films in particular.

Abstract: An optical information medium measurement method, for measuring a degree of modulation in an optical information medium of a multilayered structure having a plurality of information layers, includes a first step of measuring a modulation degree of each layer of the optical information medium, and a second step of obtaining a thickness between layers of the optical information medium. Further, the method includes a third step of obtaining a reflectance of each layer of the optical information medium, and a fourth step of converting the modulation degree of each layer, as measured in the first step, into a modulation degree at a reference optical system differing from the measurement optical system, based on a value indicative of the thickness between layers, the thickness being obtained in the second step, and a value indicative of the reflectance of each layer, as obtained in the third step.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device (1) for measuring the width (B) and/or the position of a metal strip (2) or a slab, which has at least two measuring systems (3, 4), with each located on a side (5, 6) of the metal strip (2) or the slab, wherein each measuring system (3, 4) has a sensor (7) designed to detect the lateral end (8, 9) of the metal strip (2). To make the measuring device robust and to enable dynamic measurement, according to the invention the sensor (7) is located on a moving element (10) with which it can be moved in a straight line in a direction (Q) at right angles to the longitudinal direction (L) of the metal strip (2).

Abstract: A method for the contactless determination of the thickness of a web of material, for example a web of fibrous material using a sensor array including at least two optical measurement units between which the web can be guided. Each of the optical measurement units includes a measurement plate on the side facing the web. The optical measurement units, which are arranged on opposite sides of the web, are used to measure the distance of the measurement units from the web, and an evaluation unit is used to determine the thickness of the web from the determined distances between the optical measurement units and the web and the distance between the optical measurement units arranged on opposite sides of the web.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for determining the amount of light scattered in an object in a machine vision system comprising: a light source illuminating said object with incident light having a limited extension in at least one direction; and, an imaging sensor detecting light emanating from said object, wherein said emanated light is reflected light (R) on the surface of said object and light scattered (S) in said object, said detected light is resulting in at least one intensity distribution curve on said imaging sensor having a peak where said reflected light (R) is detected on said imaging sensor. A width (w) of said at least one intensity distribution curve around said peak is measured, whereby said measured width (w) indicates the amount of light scattered (S) in said object.

Abstract: A spectrometer having substantially increased spectral and spatial fields.

Abstract: A thickness measurement apparatus includes a beam splitter for reflecting or transmitting a ray irradiated from an optical source or a ray reflected by a measurement object; a first lens part which condenses a ray to the measurement object and generates a reference ray; a second lens part for condensing a ray to the object to be measured; an interference light detector for detecting an interference signal generated by the reflected ray and reference ray; a spectroscopic detector corresponding to the second lens part to form a light path different from the path formed by the interference light detector and splits the ray reflected by the measurement object to detect an intensity and wavelength of each split ray; and a light path converter for selectively transmitting a ray to the interference light detector or spectroscopic detector, wherein position exchanging is performed between the first second lens parts.

Abstract: An optical measurement apparatus includes: a storage processing part storing into a storage part a plurality of main reference positions where measurement is to be performed and at least one movement value relative to each main reference position; a main measuring part moving a measurement position to one of the main reference positions stored in the storage part, then irradiating light, and then measuring a change in a state of reflected light; an auxiliary measuring part moving the measurement position to an auxiliary reference position based on the movement value relative to one of the main reference positions stored in the storage part, then irradiating light, and then measuring a change in a state of reflected light; a main calculating part performing analysis and calculating a film thickness or an optical constant; and an auxiliary calculating part performing analysis and calculating a film thickness or an optical constant.

Abstract: A method of inspecting a substrate is disclosed. The method of inspecting a substrate, comprises: obtaining phase data per projecting part with regard to a substrate, by projecting pattern beam onto the substrate having a target object formed thereon through a plurality of projecting parts in sequence; obtaining height data per projecting part with regard to the substrate by using the phase data per the projecting part; compensating tilt of the height data by using the height data per projecting part; modifying the tilt-compensated height data per projecting part; and obtaining integrated height data by using the modified height data.

Abstract: Objects are to reduce the burden on an operator and to improve fabrication efficiency. A transparent conductive film or a transparent optical film formed on a substrate W is irradiated with line illumination light by means of a line illumination device 3, line reflected light reflected at the transparent conductive film or the transparent optical film is detected with a camera, a color evaluation value of the detected reflected light is measured, and a film thickness corresponding to the measured color evaluation value is obtained using a film-thickness characteristic in which the color evaluation value is associated with the film thickness.

Abstract: The invention concerns a measuring system for optical monitoring of coating processes in a vacuum chamber, in which the light source is arranged inside the vacuum chamber between the substrate carrier and a shutter is arranged beneath the substrate carrier and the light-receiving unit is arranged outside the vacuum chamber in the optical path of the light source. The substrate carrier is designed to accept at least one substrate, and it can move across the coasting source in the vacuum chamber, preferably revolving about an axis, whereby the substrate or substrates cross(es) the optical path between the light source and the light-receiving unit for transmission measurement, and the shutter shades a measurement area across the coating source.

Abstract: The penetration depth of surface acoustic wave scales with wavelength. To measure thinner films using impulse stimulated thermal scattering (ISTS) it is advantageous to reduce the measurement wavelength to on the order of 1 micron. One way to reduce the measurement wavelength is to employ a high numerical aperture lens to converge an excitation and probe laser beam in an optical system at wider angles. While doing this, the increased optical/mechanical tolerances can be reduced by fine-tuning the phase between an excitation laser pattern and a probe laser pattern by adjusting either a neutral-density filter or matching plate for a particular wavelength. Blocking unwanted diffraction order beams generated by the optical system with a specialized design beam block plate is needed to retain the long wavelength capability.

Abstract: Methods and systems for monitoring semiconductor fabrication processes are provided. A system may include a stage configured to support a specimen and coupled to a measurement device. The measurement device may include an illumination system and a detection system. The illumination system and the detection system may be configured such that the system may be configured to determine multiple properties of the specimen. For example, the system may be configured to determine multiple properties of a specimen including: but not limited to, critical dimension and overlay misregistration; defects and thin film characteristics; critical dimension and defects; critical dimension and thin film characteristics; critical dimension, thin film characteristics and defects; macro defects and micro defects; flatness, thin film characteristics and defects; overlay misregistration and flatness; an implant characteristic and defects; and adhesion and thickness.

Abstract: The invention relates to a carrier for a thin layer and a method for the analysis of molecular interactions on and/or in such a thin layer. A thin layer disposed on a carrier is illuminated with electromagnetic radiation from at least one radiation source and a reflected radiation part on boundary surfaces of the thin layer is detected by means of an optoelectronic converter that converts the detected radiation into a frequency- and intensity-dependant photocurrent. A reading voltage is applied to the optoelectronic converter. By changing the reading voltage, the spectral sensitivity of the optoelectronic converter is varied such that a substantially constant photocurrent is obtained. Alternatively or in addition to varying the spectral sensitivity by changing the reading voltage, the reflected radiation part is detected with an optoelectronic converter that is designed as a sensor layer in the carrier.

Abstract: An optical film thickness meter capable of measurement of an optical film thickness and spectroscopic characteristics with high accuracy and a thin film forming apparatus provided with the optical film thickness meter are provided. The optical film thickness meter includes a light projector (11), a reflection mirror (17), a light receiver (19), and a monochromator (20), and the reflection mirror (17) has a reflection surface disposed substantially perpendicularly to the optical axis of measurement light on the side opposite to an actual substrate (S) with respect to an incident direction of the measurement light. Also, the actual substrate (9) is disposed having a predetermined inclination angle (?) with respect to the optical axis of the measurement light. The measurement light (outgoing light and reflection light) passes through the actual substrate (S) twice, whereby a change amount in transmissivity (light amount) can be increased, and control accuracy of film thickness measurement can be improved.

Abstract: An optical system includes a light sending section that sends light to an object having a scattering medium and a lower medium positioned below the scattering medium, where the scattering medium scatters light and the lower medium feeds back polarized light in response to light incident thereon, a light receiving section that receives (i) light that is sent from the light sending section and then scattered by the scattering medium and (ii) light from the lower medium, and a thickness calculating section that calculates a thickness of the scattering medium, by referring to at least one of a non-polarization component and a polarization component of the light received by the light receiving section.

Abstract: A method and system for interrogating a thickness of a carbon layer are described. The carbon layer resides on at least one of a magnetic recording head and a magnetic recording disk. The method and system include providing an enhancement film on the carbon layer. The enhancement film is continuous across a portion of the carbon layer. The method and system also include exposing the enhancement film to light from a light source and detecting scattered light from the carbon layer to provide a surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) spectrum. The enhancement film resides between the light source and the carbon layer. The method and system also include determining the thickness of the carbon layer based on the SERS spectrum.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for ascertaining a gap between a stationary member and a rotating member are disclosed. At least a reference beam and a signal beam, which have different focal lengths or which diverge/converge at different rates, are fixed to the stationary member and proximate to each other. The beams are projected across a gap between the stationary member and the rotating member toward the rotating member. The reference and signal beams are reflected by the translating member when it intersects the reference and signal beam, and the reflected reference and signal pulses are obtained. One or more features of the reflected reference pulse and the reflected signal pulse, such as a rise time of the pulses, a fall time of the pulses, a width of the pulses and a delay between the reflected reference pulse and the reflected signal pulse, among other factors, are obtained. The width of the gap is obtained using at least one of these factors.

Abstract: A method for determining the thickness of a film on a substrate is described. The substrate has a first major surface opposite a second major surface, and the film covers a portion of the first major surface. During a first measurement step, a first measuring beam is used to determine the distance from a first reference point to a portion of the first major surface of the substrate that is not covered with the film, and a second measuring beam is used to determine the distance from a second reference point to a portion of the second major surface of the substrate that is not covered with film. During a second measurement step the first measuring beam is used to determine the distance from the first reference point to the film, and the second measuring beam is used to determine the distance from the second reference point to a portion of the second major surface of the substrate that is not covered with film.

Abstract: To inspect a substrate such as a semiconductor substrate for surface roughness at high precision. The surface roughness of the substrate is measured in each frequency band of the surface roughness by applying a light to the substrate surface and detecting a scattered light or reflected light at a plurality of azimuth or elevation angles.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for patterning workpieces are provided. The methods and apparatuses described herein improve overlay between subsequently patterned layers on a workpiece by introducing an improved alignment method that compensates for workpiece distortions.

Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatus are provided for determining a substrate polishing endpoint. The invention includes a light source adapted to transmit light to an edge of a substrate; one or more detectors adapted to detect an arrangement of light reflected from the substrate edge; and a controller adapted to determine a polishing endpoint for the substrate edge based on the arrangement of reflected light. Numerous other aspects are provided.

Abstract: A method and system are provided for controlling processing of a structure. First measured data is provided being indicative of at least one of: a thickness (d2) of at least one layer (L2) of the structure W in at least selected sites of the structure prior to processing of the structure, and a surface profile of the structure prior to processing. An optical measurement is applied to at least the selected sites of the structure after processing and second measured data is generated being indicative of at least one of: a thickness of the processed structure (d?) and a surface profile of the processed structure. The second measured data is analyzed by interpreting it using the first measured data to determine a thickness (d?1 or d?2) of at least one layer of the processed structure. This determined thickness is indicative of the quality of processing.

Abstract: The attenuation and other optical properties of a medium are exploited to measure a thickness of the medium between a sensor and a target surface. Disclosed herein are various mediums, arrangements of hardware, and processing techniques that can be used to capture these thickness measurements and obtain three-dimensional images of the target surface in a variety of imaging contexts. This includes general techniques for imaging interior/concave surfaces as well as exterior/convex surfaces, as well as specific adaptations of these techniques to imaging ear canals, human dentition, and so forth.

Abstract: A system for measuring the thickness of substrates in a vacuum chamber is provided. The system includes a sender adapted to emit electromagnetic radiation and a receiver including a multi-zone sensor for detecting the electromagnetic radiation. The multi-zone sensor includes a first detection zone for measuring the thickness of the substrates and a second detection zone adapted to generate a signal indicative of an alignment between the sender and the receiver. The system further includes an adjustment system adapted to automatically adjust the sender and the receiver with respect to each other based on the signal. Further, a method for adjustment of a sender and a receiver relative to each other is provided.

Abstract: The attenuation and other optical properties of a medium are exploited to measure a thickness of the medium between a sensor and a target surface. Disclosed herein are various mediums, arrangements of hardware, and processing techniques that can be used to capture these thickness measurements and obtain three-dimensional images of the target surface in a variety of imaging contexts. This includes general techniques for imaging interior/concave surfaces as well as exterior/convex surfaces, as well as specific adaptations of these techniques to imaging ear canals, human dentition, and so forth.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for detecting residue on a glass substrate and method of use are disclosed. The apparatus comprises a substrate support, a sensor, a controller and a peripheral device in communication with the controller. The apparatus measures the height or thickness of a main surface and an edge delete surface of a substrate to determine if film residue is present on the edge delete surface.

Abstract: A technique for optical measurement of a thickness of a layer on a surface uses diffuse reflections at opposite boundaries of the layer, operates on transparent, or translucent layers. The thickness is determined by computing a separation between the centers of the two diffuse reflections, and using the index of refraction of the layer, and geometric properties of a beam and detector with respect to the surface. The technique is useful for quantifying thickness of a layer of rime ice, glaze ice, frosted ice, or water, for example.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for measurement of the stress in and thickness of flat glass or curved glass segments is disclosed that uses fluorescence to quickly and accurately ascertain both the thickness of the stress layers and the wall thickness in addition to the stress curve in flat glass or curved glass segments. The apparatus and method may be used to quickly and accurately measure both the stress in and the thickness of flat glass or curved glass segments at a plurality of various locations therein. The apparatus and method are adapted for large scale flat glass or curved glass segment manufacturing, and are capable of high speed measurement of the stress in and the thickness of the flat glass or curved glass segments.

Abstract: A film thickness measurement apparatus 1A includes a measurement light source 28 that supplies measurement light containing a measurement light component with a first wavelength ?1 and a measurement light component with a second wavelength ?2 to a measuring object 15, a spectroscopic optical system 30 that decomposes interfering light of reflected light from the upper surface and reflected light from the lower surface of the measuring object 15 into an interfering light component with the first wavelength ?1 and an interfering light component with the second wavelength ?2, photodetectors 31 and 32 that detect intensities of the first and second interfering light components at each time point, and a film thickness analysis section 40.

Abstract: A system and method for measuring coating thickness upon a substrate containing directionally oriented elements is disclosed. A near infrared light is directed upon the coating and reflected near infrared light is collected to determine the coating thickness. A pair of stacked and crossed diffuser elements is placed between the light source and the sample, and between the sample and the reflected near infrared light collector to improve the accuracy of the measurement, especially for coating thickness of less than about 2 mils and for coatings on substrates containing directionally oriented components. Each diffuser element is formed of a polytetrafluoroethylene fluoropolymer (PTFE) film.

Abstract: The material strength of extensive objects can be determined efficiently by using two distance measures, wherein a first distance measurer determines the distance to a first main surface of the object and a second distance measurer determines the distance to a second main surface object opposing the first main surface. If potential measurement errors due to the extensive geometry are avoided by determining a reference distance between the first distance measurer and the second distance measurer by a reference object, the thickness of the object between the first main surface and the second main surface can be determined with high accuracy and velocity.

Abstract: There are provided an inspection device and an inspection method for boiler furnace water wall tubes, which can inspect reduced wall thickness conditions of multiple water wall tubes, extending in an up-down direction along inner wall surfaces of a boiler furnace and arranged adjacent to each other, accurately and efficiently over a wide range based on surface shapes of the water wall tubes measured by a laser displacement sensor. A scanner 14 including columns 20 placed upright and fixed by magnets onto the surfaces of multiple water wall tubes 4 extending the up-down direction on the inner wall surfaces of the boiler furnace, a support frame 28 fixed to the columns 20 to support a displacement sensor 12 producing laser light to be irradiated onto the surface of a water wall tube 4, and a moving mechanism 31 for moving the displacement sensor 12 in the axial direction of the water wall tube 4 relative to the support frame 28.

Abstract: A reflective film thickness measurement method includes reading an original spectral image of a thin film measured by a broadband light source passing through a measurement system, transforming the original spectral image into a broadband reflectance wavelength function and then into a broadband frequency-domain function, dividing the broadband frequency-domain function by a single-wavelength frequency-domain function to obtain an ideal frequency-domain function, inverse-transforming the ideal frequency-domain function into an ideal reflectance wavelength function, and performing a curve fitting on the ideal reflectance wavelength function and a reflectance wavelength thickness general expression, so as to obtain a thickness of the thin film. A spectral image spatial axis direction processing method is performed to eliminate optical aberration in a deconvolution manner, so as to obtain spectral images of high spatial resolution.

Abstract: In an examining apparatus or method, values of thickness and characteristic of an object, or distributions thereof can be simultaneously acquired. The examining apparatus includes a portion 9 for irradiating an object 2 with radiation, a portion 10 for detecting the radiation from the object, an acquiring portion 26, a storing portion 21 and a calculating portion 20. The acquiring portion acquires transmission time associated with detection time of radiation, and amplitude of the radiation. The storing portion beforehand stores relationship data between the transmission time and amplitude, and representative values of characteristic of the object. The calculating portion obtains values of thickness and characteristic of the object based on the transmission time, amplitude and relationship data.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for measurement of the stress in and thickness of flat glass or curved glass segments is disclosed that uses fluorescence to quickly and accurately ascertain both the thickness of the stress layers and the wall thickness in addition to the stress curve in flat glass or curved glass segments. The apparatus and method may be used to quickly and accurately measure both the stress in and the thickness of flat glass or curved glass segments at a plurality of various locations therein. The apparatus and method are adapted for large scale flat glass or curved glass segment manufacturing, and are capable of high speed measurement of the stress in and the thickness of the flat glass or curved glass segments.

Abstract: Apparatus for monitoring a thickness of a silicon wafer with a highly-doped layer at least at a backside of the silicon wafer is provided. The apparatus has a source configured to emit coherent light of multiple, wavelengths. Moreover, the apparatus comprises a measuring head configured to be contactlessly positioned adjacent the silicon wafer and configured to illuminate at least a portion of the silicon wafer with the coherent light and to receive at least a portion of radiation reflected by the silicon wafer. Additionally, the apparatus comprises a spectrometer, a beam splitter and an evaluation device. The evaluation device is configured to determine a thickness of the silicon wafer by analyzing the radiation reflected by the silicon wafer by an optical coherence tomography process. The coherent light is emitted multiple wavelengths in a bandwidth b around a central wavelength wc.

Abstract: A method and system are presented for use in controlling the processing of a structure. First measured data is provided being indicative of at least one of the following: a thickness (d2) of at least one layer (L2) of the structure W in at least selected sites of the structure prior to the processing of the structure, and a surface profile of the structure prior to processing. An optical measurement is applied to at least the selected sites of the structure after processing and second measured data is generated being indicative of at least one of the following: a thickness of the process structure (d?) and a surface profile of the processed structure. The second measured data is analyzed by interpreting it using the first measured data to thereby determine a thickness (d?1 or d?2) of at least one layer of the process structure. This determined thickness is thus indicative of the quality of the processing.

Abstract: The method for inspecting the width of a coated film in accordance with the present invention is a method for detecting a width W1 of a coated film 20 that is formed on an elongated sheet-like substrate 10 along the longitudinal direction, the width W1 being detected in a transverse direction intersecting this longitudinal direction, the method including: a step of measuring a thickness profile in the transverse direction of the coated film 20; a step of creating approximating curves L1, L2 of a function of a distance X and a thickness Y in end-proximal regions 24a, 24b of both ends of the coated film 20 in the transverse direction, on the basis of the measured thickness profile; and a step of taking, as the both ends in the transverse direction, a distance Xe1 corresponding to a thickness threshold Yt determined from the approximating curve L1 of one end-proximal region 24a and a distance Xe2 corresponding to a thickness threshold Yt determined from the approximating curve L2 of the other end-proximal region

Abstract: A system for determining a thickness of a photovoltaic module may include a first displacement sensor and a second displacement sensor along a shared axis. The system may also include a support structure that supports the first and second displacement sensors and locates the sensors on either side of the photovoltaic module.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a mobile apparatus and/or system that measures the thickness at one or more locations of a surface on at least a part of a substrate and methods of using the apparatus and/or system. The mobile apparatus and/or system in one embodiment includes an apparatus and/or system having a coating thickness monitor and, optionally, an apparatus and/or system for simultaneously regulating the coating thickness applied on a substrate. Under certain conditions, the apparatus and system has the ability to measure coating thickness subsequent to the coating's formation.

Abstract: A wear rate measurement method includes thermally coupling a focus ring having a top surface and a bottom surface with a reference piece having a bottom surface facing a susceptor and a top surface facing the focus ring; measuring a first optical path length of a low-coherence light beam that travels forward and backward within the focus ring by irradiating the low-coherence light beam to the focus ring orthogonally to the top surface and the bottom surface thereof; measuring a second optical path length of a low-coherence light beam that travels forward and backward within the reference piece by irradiating the low-coherence light beam to the reference piece orthogonally to the top surface and the bottom surface thereof; and calculating a wear rate of the focus ring based on a ratio between the first optical path length and the second optical path length.

Abstract: A method is provided for measurement of the thickness of any deposit of material on the inner wall of a pipeline at least partly filled with a medium including hydrocarbons, the medium being for instance oil or natural gas, wherein the method includes: projecting infrared light onto the inner wall of the pipeline along a line corresponding to the intersection between the inner wall of the pipeline and a cross-sectional plane of the pipeline; registering an image of the infrared light projected on the inner wall of the pipeline; and determining the thickness of any deposit of material on the inner wall of the pipeline based on the registered image.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an inspection apparatus and method which include projecting a measurement radiation beam onto a target on a substrate in order to measure the radiation reflected from the target and obtain information related to properties of the substrate. In the present embodiments, the measurement spot, which is the focused beam on the substrate, is larger than the target. Information regarding the radiation reflected from the target is kept and information regarding the radiation reflected from the surface around the target is eliminated. This is done either by having no reflecting (or no specularly reflecting) surfaces around the target or by having known structures around the target, the information from which may be recognized and removed from the total reflected beam.

Abstract: A method to generate an optical signature of a coin is disclosed. A plurality of parameters are generated and recorded related to rotational positions around the circumference of a coin. The data from these parameters are combined to produce a searchable value.

Abstract: An inkjet printing system includes; a stage configured for mounting a substrate thereon, an inkjet head which drips an ink droplet on the substrate, a conveying device which moves the inkjet head, and a measuring device which measures a height of the ink droplet on the substrate.

Abstract: A method capable of accurately monitoring progress of polishing and capable of detecting an accurate polishing end point is provided. The method includes: directing light to the substrate during polishing of the substrate; receiving reflected light from the substrate; measuring intensity of the reflected light at each wavelength; producing spectrum indicating relationship between intensity and wavelength from measured values of the intensity; calculating an amount of change in the spectrum per predetermined time; integrating the amount of change in the spectrum with respect to polishing time to obtain an amount of cumulative change in the spectrum; and monitoring the progress of polishing of the substrate based on the amount of cumulative change in the spectrum.