US2006192972A1PendingUtilityA1

Spatial-heterodyne interferometry for transmission (SHIFT) measurements

42
Assignee: BINGHAM PHILIP RPriority: Aug 26, 2003Filed: Feb 27, 2006Published: Aug 31, 2006
Est. expiryAug 26, 2023(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Philip R. BinghamGregory R. HansonKen W. Tobin
G03F 1/84G03H 2001/0471G03H 1/0866G01B 11/0675G03F 1/26G03H 2210/12G03H 2001/0456
42
PatentIndex Score
0
Cited by
0
References
0
Claims

Abstract

Systems and methods are described for spatial-heterodyne interferometry for transmission (SHIFT) measurements. An apparatus, includes: a source of coherent light energy; a reference beam subassembly optically coupled to the source of coherent light; an object beam subassembly optically coupled to the source of coherent light; a beamsplitter optically coupled to both the reference beam subassembly and the object beam subassembly; and a pixilated detection device optically coupled to the beamsplitter. The object beam subassembly includes an object that is at least partially translucent, the object transmissively optically coupled between the source of coherent light energy and the beamsplitter.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . An apparatus, comprising: 
 a source of coherent light energy;    a reference beam subassembly optically coupled to the source of coherent light;    an object beam subassembly optically coupled to the source of coherent light;    a beamsplitter optically coupled to both the reference beam subassembly and the object beam subassembly; and    a pixilated detection device optically coupled to the beamsplitter,    wherein the object beam subassembly includes an object that is at least partially translucent, the object transmissively optically coupled between the source of coherent light energy and the beamsplitter.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising another beamsplitter i) optically coupled between the source of coherent light energy and the reference beam subassembly and ii) optically coupled between the source of coherent light energy and the object beam subassembly.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the reference beam subassembly includes an illumination lens.  
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the reference beam subassembly includes a mirror.  
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the object beam subassembly includes an imaging lens.  
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the object beam subassembly includes a mirror.  
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the object beam subassembly includes a relay lens.  
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the object beam subassembly includes an illumination lens.  
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the pixilated detection device includes a charge coupled device camera or a CMOS imager.  
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the source of coherent light energy includes a laser operated in pulse mode.  
   
   
       11 . A photolithographic mask inspection instrument comprising the apparatus of  claim 1 .  
   
   
       12 . A metrology instrument comprising the apparatus of  claim 1.

Cited by (0)

No later patents cite this yet.

References (0)

No backward citations on record.