Patent ID: 6453263
Filing Date: 2002-09-17
Classification: G01B

Abstract:
A method for analyzing the characteristics of a surface coated by a contaminant film, the method comprising the steps of:calculating, for a plurality of predetermined values of surface roughness &phgr; and for a plurality of predetermined thickness T of contaminant film, the expected values of the ratio &psgr; between the amplitudes on the two polarization planes of a beam bi incident on said surface multiplied by the ratio of the amplitudes of the reflected beam br on the two polarization planes, and the value of the difference &Dgr; between the phases on the two polarization planes of the incident beam bi and the reflected beam br, said expected values being organized in a plurality of tables each relating to a predetermined value of surface roughness &phgr; and further relating to a predetermined value of thickness T of contaminant film; measuring the value of &psgr; and &Dgr; of a surface; determining the value of &phgr; and T for that surface by comparison with the plurality of expected values.