Patent ID: 7209858
Filing Date: 2007-04-24
Classification: B23K,B81C

Abstract:
1. A method for locating a point on a surface of a microstructure comprising the steps of: (a) obtaining a surface profile of the microstructure the microstructure having a top surface and at least two side surfaces; (b) processing the profile to determine respective positions of the at least two side surfaces and an approximate center point of the profiled surface; (c) fitting line segments of points on the determined profile to a straight line centered at the approximate center point and having a predetermined segment length greater than a distance between the at least two side surfaces; (d) measuring a standard deviation of the fitted line segments of points from the straight line; (e) storing the fitted line segment and the standard deviation of the fitted line segment of points from the straight line; (f) varying the line segment in position while repeating steps (d) and (e) until a minimum standard deviation is determined and recording the minimum standard deviation as the standard deviation for the segment length and the line segment having the minimum standard deviation as the centered line segment for the segment length; (g) selecting a line segment having a shorter length and repeating steps (c) through (f) until the minimum standard deviation converges; and (h) selecting a longest one of the stored centered line segments having a standard deviation approximately equal to the converged minimum standard deviation as the segment defining a line extending across the top surface of the microstructure; whereby the point on the microstructure is defined relative to the defined line.