Improved vertical scanning interferometry.

摘要

Vertical scanning interferometers are routinely used for the measurement of optical fiber connectors. There are increasing needs for measurements of such items as machined surfaces, contact lenses, paint texture, cell structure, and integrated circuit devices, to name a few. These structures have too much depth, or are too rough, to measure with standard interferometry methods. Phase-measurement interferometry methods are limited to surfaces that do not have any discontinuities larger than one quarter of the operating wavelength. On the other hand, vertical scanning interferometers can be very effective, even though they have low height resolution compared to that of phase-measurement interferometers. Improving the height resolution of vertical scanning interferometers from the point of hardware improvement and signal processing has been one of the major research interests in the surface metrology area. This work provides a new algorithm, which called here “PSI on the Fly” technique, as a solution for improving height resolution of vertical scanning interferometers.; This dissertation begins with a review of white-light interference microscopes. The height and lateral resolutions are derived based on scalar diffraction theory. Next, various well-established. algorithms for finding a topographic map of the small object surface are discussed.; The work proceeds with a discussion of the phase change upon reflection and its influence on the coherence envelope. Then phase measurement interferometry methods are reviewed. The emphasis is in errors in phase measurement resulting from using a white light source instead of a monochromatic light source as in the usual case.; The following chapter describes and examines an often-observed artifact of vertical-scanning interferometry when applied to step heights. The artifact is called “bat wings” because of its appearance. The physical cause of the “bat wings” artifact is discussed through a diffraction model.; The next chapter proposes an improved vertical-scanning interferometry algorithm. The method, called here “PSI on the Fly” technique, has been developed by combining regular vertical-scanning interferometry and a monochromatic phase-shifting interferometry technique. The PSI on the Fly technique improves the surface height resolution of vertical scanning interferometry to that of a phase-shifting interferometry measurement. In addition to the resolution improvement, the algorithm also successfully removes the “bat wings” artifact.