Patent ID: 7385707
Filing Date: 2008-06-10
Classification: G01B

Abstract:
1. Surface profiling apparatus for obtaining surface profile data for a sample surface, the apparatus comprising: a light director operable to direct light along a sample path towards a region of a sample surface and along a reference path towards a reference surface such that light reflected by the region of the sample surface and light reflected by the reference surface interfere; a mover operable to effect relative movement between the sample surface and the reference surface along a measurement path; a sensor operable to sense light representing the interference fringes produced by a sample surface region during the relative movement; a controller operable to carry out a measurement operation by causing the mover to effect the relative movement while the sensor senses light intensity at intervals to provide a series of intensity values representing interference fringes produced by a region of a sample surface during the relative movement; and a data processor operable to process the intensity values, the data processor comprising: a receiver operable to receive intensity values from the sensor during a measurement operation; a first processor operable to carry out processing on intensity values as the intensity values are received by the receiver during a measurement operation to produce data indicating the position of a coherence peak; and a second processor operable to, after completion of a measurement operation, use the data produced by the first processor to obtain data indicative of a height of the surface region; wherein: