Method and apparatus of using a two beam interference microscope for inspection of integrated circuits and the like

摘要

A specially adapted Linnik microscope is used in combination with a video camera, a wafer transport stage and data processing electronics to form a novel inspection apparatus based on the use of the two beam interference microscope. The apparatus can utilize either broad band or narrow band light to develop a plurality of interference images taken at different axial positions relative to the surface under investigation. The point-by-point brightness along scan lines across such images is then used to develop data which is proportional to the degree of coherence (or to the fringe amplitude, the variance of the fringes, or the amplitude of oscillation of the fringes) as the optical path difference is varied in a two beam optical or acoustic microscope.