Radiation-based thickness gauge

A method for measuring a thickness of a material layer using electromagnetic radiation, comprising:

• directing first radiation from a radiation source towards a first surface of a layer of material comprising a thickness between the first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, wherein the first radiation received at the first surface causes the material layer to emit second radiation;
• attenuating a portion of the second radiation associated with fluorescence of the material layer to emit third radiation;
• detecting the third radiation at a radiation detector;
• and
• providing a measurement corresponding to the thickness of the material layer based on the detected third radiation, wherein the radiation source and the radiation detector are disposed on opposite sides of the material layer.

A system for measuring a thickness of a material layer using electromagnetic radiation, comprising:

• a radiation source configured to direct first radiation towards a first surface of a layer of material comprising a thickness between the first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, wherein the first radiation causes the material layer to emit second radiation,
• a filter positioned between the material layer and a radiation detector and configured to attenuate a portion of the second radiation associated with fluorescence of the material to emit third radiation,
• wherein the radiation detector is configured to detect the third radiation;
• and
• a controller is configured to provide a measurement corresponding to the thickness of the material layer based on the detected third radiation, wherein the first radiation comprises a predetermined energy level and wherein to provide the measurement, the controller is configured to:
• measure an intensity of the third radiation;
• and
• calculate the measurement corresponding to the thickness of the material layer based on the measured intensity and a default intensity associated with no material layer.

A method for measuring a thickness of a material layer using electromagnetic radiation, comprising:

• directing first radiation from a radiation source towards a first surface of a layer of material comprising a thickness between the first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, wherein the first radiation received at the first surface causes the material layer to emit second radiation;
• attenuating a portion of the second radiation associated with fluorescence of the material layer to emit third radiation;
• detecting the third radiation at a radiation detector;
• and
• providing a measurement corresponding to the thickness of the material layer based on the detected third radiation, wherein the first radiation comprises a predetermined energy level and wherein providing the measurement comprises:
• measuring an intensity of the third radiation;
• and
• calculating the measurement corresponding to the thickness of the material layer based on the measured intensity and a default intensity associated with no material layer.