IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,736,331
Granted Patent B2
US 12,736,331 · App. 18/473,713 · Granted Sep 15, 2026

Measurement device for interferometric measurement of a surface shape

Inventors: Jochen Hetzler (Aalen, DE); Stefan Schulte (Stoedlen, DE); Matthias Dreher (Oberkochen, DE)
Assignee: CARL ZEISS SMT GMBH
G01B11/2441G01M11/005G01M11/025G01M11/0271
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,736,331
App. No.
18/473,713
Granted
Sep 15, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A measurement apparatus ( 10 ) for interferometrically measuring a shape of a surface ( 12 ) of a test object ( 14 ) in relation to a reference shape includes a diffractive optical element ( 30 ) generating a test wave ( 32 ) from measurement radiation ( 22 ), whereas a wavefront of the test wave is adapted to a target shape of the surface of the test object and the target shape is configured as a first non-spherical surface, and a reference element ( 38 ) with a reference surface ( 40 ) having the reference shape, the reference shape being configured as a further non-spherical surface and the reference element including a low thermal expansion material with a mean coefficient of thermal expansion having an absolute value of no more than 200×10 −6 K −1 in the temperature range from 5 °C to 35 °C.

Claims (57)

1 . A measurement apparatus for interferometrically measuring a shape of a surface of a test object in relation to a reference shape, comprising:

a diffractive optical element configured to generate a test wave from measurement radiation, a wavefront of the test wave being adapted to a target shape of the surface of the test object and the target shape being configured as a first non-spherical surface, and

a reference element with a reference surface having the reference shape, the reference shape being configured as a further non-spherical surface and the reference element comprising a low thermal expansion material with a mean coefficient of thermal expansion having an absolute value of no more than 200×10 −6 K −1 in a temperature range from 5 °C to 35 °C,

wherein the diffractive optical element comprises a diffraction pattern, a fill factor of which has a variation over a cross section of the emitted test wave, the variation being adapted to a variation in the thickness of the reference element over a cross section of the radiated-in test wave.

2 . The measurement apparatus as claimed in claim 1 ,

wherein the low thermal expansion material comprises a silicate glass.

3 . The measurement apparatus as claimed in claim 1 ,

wherein the low thermal expansion material comprises a ULE glass or Zerodur glass.

4 . The measurement apparatus as claimed in claim 1 ,

further comprising a first exchangeable module which is replaceable by a further first exchangeable module and a second exchangeable module which is replaceable by a further second exchangeable module, the diffractive optical element and the reference element being mounted in the first exchangeable module, and the second exchangeable module being configured to hold the test object.

5 . The measurement apparatus as claimed in claim 1 ,

wherein both the first non-spherical surface and the further non-spherical surface are configured as respective free-form surfaces.

6 . The measurement apparatus as claimed in claim 1 ,

wherein the test wave is directed at the reference element and the reference surface is configured to split off, in reflection, a reference wave from the radiated-in test wave.

7 . The measurement apparatus as claimed in claim 6 ,

wherein the reference surface is arranged on a side of the reference element which faces away from the test wave radiated onto the reference element.

8 . The measurement apparatus as claimed in claim 1 ,

wherein the diffractive optical element is configured such that the wavefront of the test wave is adapted to the reference surface.

9 . The measurement apparatus as claimed in claim 1 ,

comprising a holder configured to position the test object in the beam path of the test wave downstream of the reference element.

10 . The measurement apparatus as claimed in claim 1 ,

wherein the reference element is configured as an element which transmits the measurement radiation.

11 . The measurement apparatus as claimed in claim 1 ,

wherein a distance between the reference surface and the target shape of the surface of the test object varies by no more than 100 μm in a state in which the test object is arranged in the measurement apparatus.

12 . The measurement apparatus as claimed in claim 1 ,

wherein the diffractive optical element comprises diffractive alignment structures configured to generate, from the measurement radiation, a distance measuring wave focused on the surface of the test object and/or a distance measuring wave focused on a back side of the reference element facing away from the reference surface and, wherein the diffractive alignment structures are further configured to generate, from the measurement radiation, in Littrow reflection, an alignment reference wave.

13 . The measurement apparatus as claimed in claim 1 ,

configured to vary the wavelength of the measurement radiation and determine a working distance between the test object and the reference element from interference patterns recorded for at least two different wavelengths.

14 . The measurement apparatus as claimed in claim 1 ,

wherein a back side of the reference element facing away from the reference surface of the reference element has a spherical shape.

15 . The measurement apparatus as claimed in claim 1 ,

comprising a radiation source configured to generate the measurement radiation, wherein the measurement radiation radiated onto the diffractive optical element has a bandwidth of more than 10 pm.

16 . A method for interferometrically measuring a shape of a surface of a test object in relation to a reference shape, comprising:

radiating at least a portion of a test wave, generated with a diffractive optical element, onto the surface of the test object, the wavefront of the test wave being adapted to a target shape of the surface of the test object and the target shape being configured as a first non-spherical surface,

providing a reference element with a reference surface having the reference shape, the reference shape being configured as a further non-spherical surface and the reference element comprising a low thermal expansion material with a mean coefficient of thermal expansion having an absolute value of no more than 200×10 −6 K −1 in a temperature range from 5 °C to 35 °C, and

generating an interference pattern by superimposing the test wave after an interaction with the surface of the test object with a reference wave, whose radiation was exposed to an interaction with the reference surface,

wherein the diffractive optical element comprises a diffraction pattern, a fill factor of which has a variation over a cross section of the emitted test wave, the variation being adapted to a variation in the thickness of the reference element over a cross section of the radiated-in test wave.

17 . The method as claimed in claim 16 ,

wherein the diffractive optical element and the reference element are mounted in a first exchangeable module and the test object is mounted in a second exchangeable module, the measurement of the test object being followed by the second exchangeable module being replaced by a further second exchangeable module with a further test object mounted therein and the first exchangeable module being replaced by a further first exchangeable module, in which a further diffractive optical element and a further reference element are mounted.

18 . The method as claimed in claim 16 ,

wherein the reference wave is generated by partial reflection of the test wave at the reference surface.

19 . The method as claimed in claim 16 ,

wherein a portion of the test wave passing through the reference element is radiated onto the surface of the test object.

20 . The method as claimed in claim 16 ,

wherein the test object is surrounded by an atmosphere at a pressure of at least 10 −3 mbar while the test wave is radiated in.

21 . The method as claimed in claim 16 ,

wherein the reference element provided is produced in a manufacturing method in which the test wave is used interferometrically to measure an approximate shape of the reference surface in relation to a shape of a surface of a standardized test object.

22 . The method as claimed in claim 21 ,

wherein the measurement of the approximate shape of the reference surface in relation to the shape of the surface of the standardized test object is implemented by radiating the test wave, generated with the diffractive optical element, onto the surface of the standardized test object and superimposing the test wave, following the interaction with the surface of the standardized test object, with the reference wave.

23 . The method as claimed in claim 21 ,

wherein a measured deviation of the reference shape of the reference surface from a reference target shape defined by the shape of the surface of the standardized test object is taken into account as a calibration deviation during an evaluation of the interference pattern generated with the test wave radiated onto the test object to be measured.

24 . The method as claimed in claim 16 ,

wherein the reference element provided is produced in a manufacturing method in which:

a deviation of an approximated shape of the reference surface from a reference target shape defined by the target shape of the surface of the test object is determined by radiating a further test wave, which is generated with a further diffractive optical element and whose wavefront is adapted to the inverse of the target shape of the surface, onto the reference surface, and

the reference shape is produced by adapting the reference surface to the reference target shape with mechanical postprocessing based on the determined deviation.

25 . The method as claimed in claim 24 ,

wherein a calibration deviation of the reference shape of the reference surface from the reference target shape is measured interferometrically using the further diffractive optical element, and the calibration deviation is taken into account when evaluating the interference pattern.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 27, 2023
From: HETZLER, JOCHEN; SCHULTE, STEFAN; DREHER, MATTHIAS
To: CARL ZEISS SMT GMBH
Reel/Frame 065668/0831 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 10 2021 202 909.4 · Mar 25, 2021 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTEP2022057155 · Mar 18, 2022
Related Publication 20240077305A1 · Mar 7, 2024
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