Digital detector data communication in an optical metrology tool

摘要

A detector network for an optical metrology system includes an analog to digital converter for each photodetector or detector array. Each analog to digital converter is connected to provide digitally encoded output from its associated detector. Each analog to digital converter is also connected to a hub. The hub receives commands from a processor and distributes them to the analog to digital converters. The converters sample the output of their associated detectors and return the digitized results to the hub. In turn, the hub passes the digitized results to the processor for analysis.