Patent ID: 8064055

Claim:
A method of aligning a sample comprising the steps of: a) providing a system comprising: a source of a beam of electromagnetic radiation; in either order: a collimating lens; and a cylindrical lens or curved mirror; and: a beam splitter; a focusing lens; a sample, on a stage support that allows rotation about at least one axes parallel to a plane of a surface of said sample, and translation adjustment of the position of said stage along a locus substantially normal to said plane of said sample surface; and a camera and monitor means for producing an image; said source of a beam of electromagnetic radiation being positioned to direct a beam of electromagnetic radiation to, in either order: pass through said collimating lens; and interact with a selection from the group consisting of: pass through a cylindrical lens; and reflect from a curved mirror; and then impinge on said beam splitter; which beam splitter serves to effect a selection from the group consisting of: reflectively direct; and transmissively pass; at least a portion of said beam incident thereonto onto said sample, which beam splitter further serves to effect, respectively, a selection from the group consisting of: transmissively pass; and reflectively direct; electromagnetic radiation which reflects from said sample and passes back through said focusing lens, therethrough, and into said camera and monitor means; and b) defining a criteria for what constitutes sample alignment; said method further comprising the step of: c) while: monitoring the location of, and geometric attributes of an image pattern of a beam of electromagnetic resulting from reflection of a beam directed onto said sample from said beam splitter and focusing lens, after it reflects from said sample then passes back through said focusing lens, and via said beam splitter enters into said camera and monitor means, wherein said observed pattern is formed, adjusting said stage orientation by changing at least one selection from the group consisting of: rotation of said stage about at least one of said rotational axis in a plane parallel to said sample surface; and translation of said stage along said locus which is substantially normal to said plane of said sample; until the location of, and geometric attributes of said observed beam image pattern formed by said camera and monitor means meet said predetermined criteria for what constitutes sample alignment.