Abstract: A measuring instrument for a wafer for measuring the thickness of a wafer held on a chuck table using a laser beam includes a condenser for condensing and irradiating the laser beam on the wafer held on the chuck table, a light reception unit for receiving reflected light of the laser beam irradiated upon the wafer, a convergence light point changing unit for changing the convergence light point of the laser beam, and a control unit for measuring the thickness of the wafer based on a change signal from the convergence light point changing unit and a light reception signal from the light reception unit. The control unit stores a thickness control map. The control unit controls an angle adjustment actuator, provided for adjusting the installation angle of a pair of mirrors, to change the installation angle and detects two peaks of the light amount based on the reception signal from the light reception unit.

Abstract: A method for implementing ellipsometry for an ultrathin film includes directing a polarized light beam incident upon a sample surface, receiving an initial reflected beam from the sample surface and redirecting the initial reflected beam back upon said sample surface one or more times so as to produce a final reflected beam. The final reflected beam is received through an analyzer and at a detector so as to determine characteristics of the ultrathin film.

Abstract: Fluid immersion technology can be utilized to increase the resolution and angular range of existing metrology systems. An immersion fluid placed between the metrology optics and the sample can reduce the refraction at the sample interface, thereby decreasing the spot size of the beam on a feature of the sample while simultaneously increasing the angular range of the system. The decreased spot size, in combination with an increased angular spread, allows an existing metrology system to measure parameters of a sample, such as a semiconductor or microelectronic device, with improved resolution and without expensive and/or complex changes to the mechanics of the metrology system.

Abstract: A real-time system adapted to a PVD apparatus for monitoring and controlling film uniformity is described. The system includes a shielding plate, a monitoring device, and a data processing program. The shielding plate is disposed on an inner wall of a reaction chamber above a wafer stage. An opening in the center of the shielding plate exposes the wafer. The monitoring device including a scanner and a sensor respectively disposed on opposite sidewalls of the reaction chamber between the shielding plate and the wafer stage is used for measuring the flux of the particles on every portion of the wafer to acquire real-time uniformity data including a function of the wafer position and the flux. The data processing program compares the real-time uniformity data and reference uniformity data, and a feedback signal is outputted to the PVD apparatus to adjust the process parameter thereof for controlling film uniformity.

Abstract: A method for correlating a structural parameter of a plurality of gratings acquires images from a plurality of gratings, which have different structural parameters. A focus metrics algorithm is then performed to find the off-focus offset of the orders of each grating from the intensity variation of these images, and the variation ratio of the off-focus offset to the order for each grating is calculated later. Consequently, the structural parameters of these gratings can be correlated based on the variation ratio of the off-focus offset to the order. The present method acquires images from an unknown grating at different off-focus offsets, and performs a focus metrics algorithm to find the off-focus offset of the orders of the unknown grating. The variation ratio is calculated and the structural parameter of the unknown grating is determined based on the variation ratio.

Abstract: A jet of water in a cylindrical form is supplied from a jet nozzle onto a measurement surface of a substrate to form a column of the water extending between the nozzle and the measurement surface. Light is emitted from an irradiation fiber and transmitted through the column of water to the measurement surface. The light reflected by the measurement surface is received by a light-receiving fiber through the column of water. A measurement calculation unit measures the thickness of a film formed on the substrate, based on the intensity of the reflected light.

Abstract: In a workpiece process end point detection system, light is diffused and then light intensity or color is sensed. Optical noise is greatly reduced and more accurate end point detection can be made. A light emitter and a light sensor may be located within a workpiece process chamber. A housing around the light emitter and the light sensor seals out process fluids and also diffuses light passing through. The diffused light may be optically filtered before reaching the light sensor.

Abstract: An interfacial position measuring method for a substrate internally having a plurality of interfaces parallel to one another. A light-convergent line which has converged in only a one-axis direction out of parallel light having an optical axis vertical to the substrate surface is formed so as to be inclined with respect to the substrate surface, and the light-convergent line is made to intersect with the substrate. Out of reflected light of the light-convergent line reflected by the substrate, a position having a light intensity peak is taken as an interface, by which a plurality of interfaces inside the substrate can be measured simultaneously and high-speed interfacial position measurement can be achieved.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for protecting an optical transmission measurement when sensing transparent materials. Sensing apparatus located in a housing directs a light beam at an upward angle to a sheet of transparent material and detects downward surface reflections of the beam from the transparent material. The light beam and the reflections pass through a transparent protective layer on the housing. A flow of clean air is passed between the protective layer and the transparent material to remove particles and liquid from the protective layer and from the space between the protective layer and the transparent material. Preferably, the protective layer is either made from a hydrophobic material or has a hydrophobic surface coating to facilitate blowing liquid and particles from the surface.

Abstract: The method measures the thickness of a hot glass body without direct contact with the glass body and is based on chromatic aberration. This method includes focusing a light beam from a light source on the hot glass body using a focusing device immediately after formation; conducting reflected light from the glass body into a spectrometer to obtain a reflected light spectrum; finding two wavelengths of the reflected light from the front side and the rear side of the glass body respectively at which reflected light intensities are maximum; determining the thickness of the glass body from the difference between the two wavelengths; maintaining the focusing device at a temperature below 120° C. during the measuring of the thickness and substantially preventing heat radiation from reaching the focusing device using at least one heat-blocking filter.

Abstract: The method for calibration of a single point laser system used in a measuring system for wood boards in a sawmill includes the steps of storing two orthogonal dimensions of a calibration bar, the values of the two dimensions being different from each other; placing the calibration bar within the scan zone of the measuring system, which is between two opposing lasers; measuring the distance to the calibration bar from each laser in a first dimension, and rotating the bar to its orthogonal dimension and again measuring the distance to the bar from each of the lasers. The distance information to the calibration bar and the known dimensional values of the bar in the two dimensions are then used to determine that a calibration bar is present rather than a wood board to be measured. If the presence of a calibration bar is confirmed, then the distance values and the dimension values are used to determine the actual distance between the two lasers.

Abstract: The invention relates to a measuring device for measuring the degree of transmission of a coating on a glass plate. The glass plate rests on a support relative to which it is shifted. The support is provided with a gap enabling a light beam to pass through the glass plate and to impinge on a light receiver. Thus, the degree of transmission of the coating can be determined. Further, the reflection and the electric resistance of the coating can be measured by the measuring device.

Abstract: An in-line, in-process or in-situ and non-destructive metrology system, apparatus and method provides composition, quality and/or thickness measurement of a thin film or multi-layer thin film formed on a substrate in a thin film processing system. Particularly, the subject invention provides a spectroscopic ellipsometer performing spectroscopic ellipsometry while the wafer is in a thin film processing system. In one form, the spectroscopic ellipsometer is associated with a wet bench system portion of the thin film processing system. The spectroscopic ellipsometer obtains characteristic data regarding the formed thin film to calculate penetration depth (Dp) for a thin film formed on the substrate. Particularly, the ellipsometer obtains an extinction coefficient (k) which is used to calculate penetration depth (Dp). Penetration depth (Dp), being a unique function of the extinction coefficient (k) provides the information for the composition, quality and/or thickness monitoring of the thin film.

Abstract: An optical measurement system having a spectrophotometer and a ellipsometer is calibrated, the spectrophotometer and the ellipsometer first being calibrated independently of one another. A spectrophotometer layer thickness (dphoto) of a specimen is then determined at an initial angle of incidence (?init) using the spectrophotometer. An ellipsometer layer thickness (delli) of the specimen is then determined using the layer thickness determined with the ellipsometer. The spectrophotometer and the ellipsometer are matched to one another by varying the initial angle of incidence (?init) until the absolute value of the difference between the spectrophotometer layer thickness (dphoto) and the ellipsometer layer thickness (delli) is less than a predefined absolute value.

Abstract: There is provided a substrate processing method and apparatus which can measure and monitor thickness and/or properties of a film formed on a substrate as needed, and quickly correct a deviation in process conditions, and which can therefore stably provide a product of constant quality. A substrate processing method for processing a substrate having a metal and an insulating material exposed on its surface in such a manner that a film thickness of the metal, with an exposed surface of the metal as a reference plane, is selectively or preferentially changed, including measuring a change in the film thickness and/or a film property of the metal during and/or immediately after processing, and monitoring processing and adjusting processing conditions based on results of this measurement.

Abstract: An optical method and system for measuring characteristics of a sample using a broadband metrology tool in a purge gas flow environment are disclosed. In the method a beam path for the metrology tool is purged with purge gas at a first flow rate. A surface of the sample is illuminated by a beam of source radiation having at least one wavelength component in a vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) range and/or at least one wavelength component in an ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) range. A flow rate of a purge gas is adjusted between the first flow rate for metrology measurements made when the source radiation is in the VUV spectral region and a second flow rate for metrology measurements made when the source radiation is in the UV-Vis spectral region. The system includes a light source, illumination optics, collection optics, detector, a purge gas source and a controller.

Abstract: A measuring instrument for a wafer for measuring the thickness of a wafer held on a chuck table using a laser beam includes a condenser for condensing and irradiating the laser beam on the wafer held on the chuck table, a light reception unit for receiving reflected light of the laser beam irradiated upon the wafer, a convergence light point changing unit for changing the convergence light point of the laser beam, and a control unit for measuring the thickness of the wafer based on a change signal from the convergence light point changing unit and a light reception signal from the light reception unit. The control unit stores a thickness control map. The control unit controls an angle adjustment actuator, provided for adjusting the installation angle of a pair of mirrors, to change the installation angle and detects two peaks of the light amount based on the reception signal from the light reception unit.

Abstract: A sample substrate adapted for use with fluorescence excitation light with a first wavelength. A reflector is disposed on a base. The reflector includes a reflecting multilayer interference coating with at least two layers. Not all of the layers L fulfill a quarterwave condition: dL·nL=(2N+1)·¼ wherein dL is a physical thickness of layer L, nL is an index of refraction of layer L at the first wavelength, N is an integer equal to or greater than zero and 1 is the first wavelength. Thicknesses of the layers ensure that any fluorescent sample material disposed on top of said multilayer interference coating would be located near an antinode of a standing wave formed by the excitation light with the first wavelength incident on said substrate.

Abstract: A reflectometer data reduction technique is provided that utilizes a ratio of an expected reflectance spectrum of the sample being measured to the actual reflectance spectrum of the sample being measured. The technique is particularly useful in spectral regions that contain sharp spectral features, for example such as the sharp features that thin films often exhibited in the VUV region. In this manner sharp spectral features, for example resulting from either interference or absorption effects are advantageously utilized to better determine a data minimum that is indicative of an actual measurement value. The derivative of this ratio may be utilized to accentuate sharp spectral features. The data reduction techniques may further utilize a two step approach first using a low resolution difference based technique and then a high resolution technique based on reflectance ratios in the region of interest initially identified by the low resolution technique.

Abstract: The thickness of a workpart (10) is measured to a high degree of accuracy by passing a coherent light beam (20) through an aperture (16) in the workpart (10). The aperture (16?) can alternatively be created between an edge of the workpart (10) and an external reference plate (30). The light is diffracted on the far side of the workpart (10) and its diffraction pattern captured by a CCD camera (22). The captured image is analyzed by a computer (24) which compares the captured diffraction pattern to a stored referenced value to determine whether the thickness of the workpart (10) is within an acceptable range. The method is capable of returning measurements with micron or submicron resolution, and is a robust process readily adaptable to high volume production quality control applications.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus of inspecting the surface of a wafer, where two or more kinds of laser are switched or mixed to make the laser incident on the film-coated wafer by a same incident angle, in which inspection data regarding an inspection apparatus and film parameters regarding a film are stored in storage means of the inspection apparatus in an associated state with each other so as to obtain predetermined inspection conditions. When performing each measurement, an operator sets the film parameters of the wafer to be measured by setting means of the inspection apparatus. Thus, desired inspection conditions are automatically set in the inspection apparatus. The film parameters that the operator sets at each measurement are a film thickness and a film refraction index.

Abstract: A method monitors a thickness of a subject film deposited on an underlying structure, the underlying structure contains at least one thin film formed on a substrate. The method includes determining thickness data of the underlying structure and storing the thickness data of the underlying structure in a thickness memory; measuring profile of optical spectrum of the subject film on the underlying structure; reading the thickness data of the underlying structure from the thickness memory; calculating theoretical profiles of the optical spectrum of the subject film based upon corresponding candidate film thicknesses of the subject film and the thickness data of the underlying structure; and searching a theoretical profile of the subject film, which is closest to the measured profile of optical spectrum of the subject film so as to determine a thickness of the subject film.

Abstract: A non-destructive evaluation system and method is provided for detecting flaws in an object. The system includes a lamp for impinging the object with optical pulses and a focal plane array camera configured to capture the images corresponding to evolution of heat due to an impact of the optical pulses in the object. The system also includes an image acquisition system for capturing data corresponding to the images from the focal plane array camera. Both transmission mode imaging and reflection mode imaging techniques are used in an exemplary embodiment. A time of flight analysis system is also provided for analyzing the data from both transmission mode imaging technique and reflection mode imaging technique. The data from transmission mode imaging is used to determine thickness values at different points in the data and for determining location of flaws using the thickness values. The data from reflection mode imaging is used for determining depth of these flaws.

Abstract: In order to be able to measure topographies on wafers or devices in a fashion free from destruction, the invention provides a method for measuring three-dimensional topographic structures (22) on wafers (2) or devices in which with the aid of a confocal microscope (1) at least one fluorescing topographic structure (22) is scanned with excitation light, and the fluorescence light emitted from the focal point (17) in the focal plane (19) of the objective (15) and excited by the excitation light is detected, and measured data are obtained from the position of the focal point (17) and the detected fluorescence signal.

Abstract: Monitoring of clearance gaps between a rotating component and a surrounding cowling surface is difficult in view of the general packaging constraints. Furthermore, when such operation occurs at high temperature there may be distortion in view of natural expansion and contraction over thermal gradients of the monitoring arrangement. By provision of a diffractive optical element with light guided for reflection against an aperture end and a part of a rotating component, it is possible through shift in the reflective wavelength frequencies to monitor and determine clearance gaps between that aperture end and incident parts of the rotating component.

Abstract: A method for determining a thickness of a phosphor layer of a device having the phosphor layer formed by dispersing phosphor particles in a transparent resin, comprising the steps of: applying laser light to the phosphor layer to determine the thickness of the phosphor layer based upon an area of a light emitting region or a light emission intensity of fluorescence excited from the phosphor particles by the laser light.

Abstract: An inspection system is provided to examine internal structures of a target material. This inspection system combines an ultrasonic inspection system and a thermographic inspection system. The thermographic inspection system is attached to ultrasonic inspection and modified to enable thermographic inspection of target materials at distances compatible with laser ultrasonic inspection. Quantitative information is obtained using depth infrared (IR) imaging on the target material. The IR imaging and laser-ultrasound results are combined and projected on a 3D projection of complex shape composites. The thermographic results complement the laser-ultrasound results and yield information about the target material's internal structure that is more complete and more reliable, especially when the target materials are thin composite parts.

Abstract: The probe comprises a light source (20), means for shaping (24, 25, 21) the beam emitted by said light source and the beam coming from a surface arranged close to a target distance, an optical detector unit (22), comprising a pinhole diaphragm (26) and a photoelectric detector (28), providing a voltage peak (31) when said surface is at said target distance and further comprising a diaphragm (27) with a hole larger than said pinhole and a photoelectric detector (29), providing a voltage greater than that produced by said detection sensor (28), except when said surface is a the target distance. The method uses the probe to measure the thickness of an optical lens.

Abstract: An apparatus for inspecting sidewall thickness of non-round transparent containers includes a conveyor for holding a container in stationary position and rotating the container around an axis. A light source directs light energy onto a sidewall of the container on the conveyor. An anamorphic lens system having a lens system axis directs onto a light sensor energy reflected from portions of the inside and outside surfaces of the container sidewall that are substantially parallel to the lens system axis. An information processor is responsive to the sensor for determining sidewall thickness at increments of container rotation as a function of separation at the sensor between light energies reflected from the inside and outside surfaces of the container sidewall.

Abstract: A spectroscopic sensor for measuring flat sheet product is disclosed. The disclosed sensor uses a combination of spectrometers and single-channel detectors and filters together with a broadband source of illumination to optimally measure multiple properties of a flat sheet product. A spectrometer is used to measure over a spectral range where an easily configurable set of wavelength channels is needed and where the signal-to-noise ratios and spectral resolutions of the channels are consistent with the spectral range and number of pixels of the spectrometer; while one or more single channel detector and filter combinations are used to measure, with high signal-to-noise ratio, at specific wavelengths within or outside the spectral range of the spectrometer(s).

Abstract: A method of measuring a mailpiece includes deflecting a laser beam through an arc, determining an angle at which the laser beam is currently directed, and calculating a dimension of the mailpiece based at least in part on the determined angle.

Abstract: A method of determining actual properties of layered media. An incident beam of light is directed towards the layered media, such that the incident beam of light is reflected from the layered media as a reflected beam of light. The actual properties of the reflected beam of light are measured, and properties of the layered media are estimated. A mathematical model of the layered media based on a modal function expansion is solved with the estimated properties of the layered media to yield theoretical properties of the reflected beam of light. The eigenvalues of the modal functions are computed recursively by recasting the eigenvalue equation in the following form: ?ni+1=F(?ni) where ?ni=the eigenvalue of the ith recursion and F is a function such that ?n=F(?n) is mathematically identical to the eigenvalue equation.

Abstract: A method of measuring a circular wafer in which the surface (A) of the wafer is divided into a plurality (N) of concentric rings of constant surface area (A/N), and at least one measurement point (Pn) is positioned on each ring. The outside radius (Rn) of each ring is calculated using the following formula: Rn=RN(n/N)1/2 in which n varies from 1 to N. In this manner, rings are obtained that become narrower with increasing distance from the center of the wafer, thereby providing measurement points that become closer together towards the edge of the wafer, and covering only the useful zone of the wafer to be measured, guaranteeing that no measurement is made in an annular exclusion zone.

Abstract: A method for inspecting an insulator with a library of optic images is disclosed. The method for inspecting an insulating layer according to the present invention, comprises the steps of collecting standard data for thickness of the insulating layer; collecting standard data for an optic image of the insulating layer; making a library by matching standard data for the thickness and the optic image; and inspecting the insulating layer with the library. Thus, the method of inspecting an insulating layer by using the thickness and the library of optic images in the present invention can considerably improve the conventional methods that depend only on the thickness or the optic images by making the thickness and the optic image for the part or whole of the wafer into a form of data, matching them, and making a library of them.

Abstract: A measurement system for measuring aspects of a wafer combines an apparatus for performing a conductivity measurement, such as a four-point probe system, with apparatus for performing an optical measurement, such as a photoacoustic measurement system. Results are obtained and combined to provide comprehensive data sets describing the characteristics of the thin film substrate therein.

Abstract: Method for measuring thicknesses of a film, a foil or a material layer with a measuring head which is spaced away from the film and with which a capacitive thickness measurement is performed, in which an optical distance measurement is performed with a distance measuring device and a distance determined by the optical distance measurement is used in determining the film thickness in the capacitive thickness measurement.

Abstract: A system for measuring dimension of photomasks comprises a light source emitting measuring light having a wavelength, a transmission detector for receiving the measuring light, a stage on which a photomask having circuit patterns is placed, the stage being disposed between the light source and the transmission detector, and a controller having a dimension-deciding algorithm to determine a dimension of the circuit patterns from a spectroscopic characteristic of the received measuring light, the controller being connected to the transmission detector.

Abstract: A method for the characterization of a film arranged in a plurality of regions on a substrate forms a respective optical measurement at each of a multiplicity of measurement sites in order to determine a respective measurement result, the measurement result being correlated with a film thickness on the substrate. Measurement results that satisfy a predetermined condition, which is satisfied for a measurement result that has been determined at a measurement site within one of the plurality of regions are selected. The film is characterized on the basis of the selected measurement results.

Abstract: A method for measuring the thickness of a thin film disk overcoat layer includes radiating x-rays on a thin film disk comprising at least one base layer and an overcoat layer, collecting fluorescence data on electromagnetic radiation fluoresced from the thin film disk, reflecting polarized light from a surface of the thin film disk corresponding to the overcoat layer, collecting ellipsometry data from the polarized light, and estimating the thickness of the overcoat layer using both the fluorescence data and the ellipsometry data. The method may further include providing a statistical model to determine optimal deposition and manufacturing parameters. A system to conduct the described method may include a data analyzer, an ellipsometry measurement device, and an x-ray fluorescence measurement device.

Abstract: A method of determining a starting value for thickness of the most influential layer in a mathematical model of a sample for use in a data fitting routine, supplemented by the use of ordinary or B-spline polynomials to represent at least one of the real and imaginary parts of optical constants in the mathematical model.

Abstract: A system and method of determining a height and/or position of at least one element on an area array device. A laser beam scans the area array device using at least two different laser light intensities. Reflected light is sampled, and the height and/or position of the element is determined using, e.g., optical triangulation.

Abstract: The main sensor 15 measures the distance Lm to the surface of the pad 2a, and the sub-sensor 16 measures the distance Ls to the surface of the reference block 12. What is actually taken as the measured value is the value of (Lm+Ls). The reference block 12 is used in order to give a reference position for measuring the surface position of the pad 2a. Accordingly, correct measurements can be performed even if the position of the movable element 9 should fluctuate, for example, as a result of deformation of the guiding and holding plate 7 or guide 8. When the motor 11 is caused to rotate, the ball screw 10 rotates, so that the movable element 9 moves leftward and rightward, and the distance to the pad 2a is measured. From the measured data of this distance, the circular-conical vertical angle, groove depth, thickness, and the like of the pad 2a are determined.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of measuring the thickness of a substrate. A first light is reflected from a standard sample having a known thickness. The light is concentrated through the light-focusing lens. The first light is converted into a first electrical signal by a detector responding to a light intensity of the concentrated first light. A second light is reflected from a substrate, and then is concentrated through the light-focusing lens. The second light is converted into a second electrical signal by the detector responding to a light intensity of the concentrated second light. An operating unit determines first and second peak values from the first and second electrical signals, respectively. The operating unit calculates the thickness of the substrate by using a standard distance corresponding to the first peak value, a moving distance of the substrate corresponding to the second peak value, and the known thickness of the standard sample.

Abstract: A method for monitoring consumption of a component, including the steps of emitting a radiation beam onto a first area of the component and detecting a portion of the radiation beam that is refracted by the component. A radiation level signal is generated based at least on a strength of the detected portion of the radiation beam, and a thickness of the component is determined based on the radiation level signal. The thickness of the component is compared to a predetermined thickness value, and a status signal is generated when the comparing step determines that the thickness of the component is substantially equal to or below the predetermined thickness value. When the comparing step determines that the thickness of the component is greater than the predetermined thickness value, the component is exposed to a process that can erode at least a portion of the component.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and system to correct for angular spread within an HDR used to determine IR optical constants. An algorithm simulates the transmission and polarized reflection actually observed. This is achieved by averaging power scattering over an angular spread corresponding to the size of the HDR mirror. Such an algorithm may incorporate corrections for angular spread that may be used to determine the thickness of a film (coating) as well as the optical constants of the film or coating on low loss ranges.

Abstract: An apparatus (1) and a method for thin-layer metrology of semiconductor substrates (16) are disclosed. The semiconductor substrates (16) are delivered or transported to the apparatus (1) by means of at least one cassette element. A measurement unit (5) for thin-layer micrometrology is provided in the apparatus (1), the semiconductor substrates being conveyed by means of a transport mechanism (7) from the cassette element (3) to the measurement unit (5) for thin-layer micrometrology. A measurement unit (9) for thin-layer macrometrology is provided in the region of the transport mechanism (7) after the cassette element (3). By means of the measurement unit (9) for thin-layer macrometrology, measurement locations (22) on the semiconductor substrate that require more detailed examination in the measurement unit (5) for thin-layer micrometrology can rapidly be identified.

Abstract: A method of determining actual properties of layered media. An incident beam of light is directed towards the layered media, such that the incident beam of light is reflected from the layered media as a reflected beam of light. The actual properties of the reflected beam of light are measured, and properties of the layered media are estimated. A mathematical model of the layered media is solved with the estimated properties of the layered media to yield theoretical properties of the reflected beam of light. The mathematical model is solved using at least one of a modified T matrix algorithm and a Z matrix algorithm. The theoretical properties of the reflected beam of light are compared to the actual properties of the reflected beam of light to yield a cost function. The estimated properties of the layered media are iteratively adjusted and the mathematical model is iteratively solved until the cost function is within a desired tolerance.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for characterizing a sample having a structure disposed on or within the sample, comprising the steps of applying a first pulse of light to a surface of the sample for creating a propagating strain pulse in the sample, applying a second pulse of light to the surface so that the second pulse of light interacts with the propagating strain pulse in the sample, sensing from a reflection of the second pulse a change in optical response of the sample, and relating a time of occurrence of the change in optical response to at least one dimension of the structure.

Abstract: A sputtering apparatus includes paired targets 31 disposed in a vacuum chamber 30, substrate holder 33 disposed at a position nearly perpendicular to the paired target 31 and apart from a space formed by the paired targets 31, a plasma source 37 for generating reaction plasma by after-glow plasma in the vicinity of the substrate holder 33, and a lead-in pipe 38 which connects the plasma source 37 to the vacuum chamber 30. Since reaction plasma of after-glow plasma can be produced in the vicinity of the substrate holder 33, it is possible to form a thin film of compound close to bulk characteristics at a low substrate temperature without the film being damaged by plasma.

Abstract: A two dimensional beam deflector is disclosed which deflects beams from multiple optical assemblies. The input of beams of the multiple optical assemblies follow parallel optical paths until deflection to a wafer. An ellipsometer using a two-dimensional beam deflector is also disclosed.