3-D micro surface profilometry employing novel Mirau-based lateral scanning interferometry

Abstract

An innovative 3-D surface imaging methodology for reconstructing micro surface profiles with a long depth measuring range and a nano-scale resolution was developed using the newly developed Mirau-based lateral scanning interferometry (LSI). The current measuring field of view (FOV) of conventional white light interferometers is limited by microscopic views of the existing interferometric objectives, such as those in Michelson, Mirau or Linnik designs. Moreover, the vertical scanning operation required for acquiring volumetric interferometric data is extremely time-consuming and makes white light vertical scanning interferometry (VSI) infeasible for automatic optical inspection (AOI) of micro 3-D structures. To resolve this, a newly developed white light LSI method based on Mirau's optical configuration was developed by controlling the tilting angle of the reference mirror in the Mirau interferometric objective. With the proposed optical configuration, the surface is inspected at a tilting angle with respect to the maximum coherence plane of the interferometric system along its lateral scanning direction when the objective lies perpendicular to the tested surface.