APODIZING FILTER SYSTEM USEFUL FOR REDUCING SPOT SIZE IN OPTICAL MEASUREMENTS AND FOR OTHER APPLICATIONS

摘要

Because of diffraction effects caused by slits or apertures (2) in optical measurement systems, the radiation energy which is directed towards a particular region on a sample will be spread over a large area than desirable. By employing an apodizing filter (50) in the radiation path in such system, diffraction tails of the system will be reduced. The apodizing filter preferable has a pattern of alternating high transmittance areas and substantially opaque areas where the locally averaged transmittance function is an apodizing function. In the preferred embodiment, the locally averaged transmittance function varies smoothly and monotonically from the periphery (206) to the center (205) of the filter.