Patent ID: 7102758
Filing Date: 2006-09-05
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
1. A method of obtaining depth-resolved spectra of a sample for determining size and depth characteristics of scatterers within the sample, comprising the steps of: emitting a beam onto a splitter, wherein the splitter is fixed with respect to the sample, and wherein the splitter splits light from the bean to produce a reference beam, which is reflected to produce a reflected reference beam, and an input beam to the sample comprised of a substrate having a first surface and a second surface; cross-correlating the reflected reference beam with a reflected sample beam scattered from the sample as a result of the input beam by mixing the reflected reference beam and the reflected sample beam; spectrally dispersing the mixed reflected reference beam and the reflected sample beam to yield a single spectrally resolved, cross-correlated reflection profile having depth-resolved information about the reflected sample beam; and generating a spectroscopic depth-resolved reflection profile, by processing the single spectrally-resolved cross-correlated reflection profile by: