# US 12,000,699 B2 · Optical interference measuring apparatus and optical interference measuring method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,000,699 B2 - Document ID: US12000699B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/614,880 - Filed: 2020-05-25 - Published: 2022-07-21 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2019-05-30 - Assignees: Topcon Corporation; Riken - Applicants: Topcon Corporation; Riken - Inventors: Homare Momiyama; Yoshiaki Sasaki; Isao Yoshimine; Chiko Otani; Tetsuya Yuasa - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12000699B2 ## CPC - G01B 9/02084: {Processing in the Fourier or frequency domain when not imaged in the frequency domain} - G01B 9/02004: using frequency scans - G01B 9/02091: Tomographic interferometers, e.g. based on optical coherence - G01N 21/01: Arrangements or apparatus for facilitating the optical investigation - G01N 21/45: using interferometric methods; using Schlieren methods - G01N 21/4795: {spatially resolved investigating of object in scattering medium (in vivo A61B)} - G01B: MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) ## Abstract Provided is an optical interference measuring apparatus including a measuring unit for acquiring an interferogram of an interference wave obtained by irradiating a measuring target and a reference surface with electromagnetic waves and causing reflected waves from a reflecting surface of the measurement target and reflected waves from the reference surface to interfere and a signal processing unit for configuring an intensity profile in the depth direction by performing Fourier transform of the interferogram. The signal processing unit is configured to estimate a parameter for a model formula for an assumed surface count, based on the model formula of an interferogram when it is assumed that the measurement target has a predetermined structure, to select an optimal model by a statistical technique from the model formula to which a parameter estimated for the assumed surface count is applied, and to reconfigure an intensity profile based on the optimal model. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An optical interference measuring apparatus comprising: a measuring unit including a light source for emitting an electromagnetic beam, a beam splitter for splitting a the electromagnetic beam into measurement light and reference light, a reference surface for reflecting the reference light, and a detector for acquiring an interferogram of an interference wave by detecting an interference signal between reflected light of the reference light with which the reference surface is irradiated and reflected light of the measurement light with which a measurement target is irradiated; and an electrical circuit configured to configure an intensity profile in a depth direction by performing Fourier transform of the interferogram, the electrical circuit configured to estimate, based on a model formula of an interferogram when it is assumed that a measurement target is a layered structure having at least one reflecting surface, a parameter for the model formula for each assumed surface count in a predetermined assumed surface count range, reconfigure an interferogram by using the model formula to which a parameter estimated for each of the assumed surface count is applied, calculate a likelihood between the reconfigured interferogram and an original interferogram, and select an optimal model formula based on an information amount criterion obtained by setting the assumed reflecting surface count as the degree of freedom, and reconfigure an intensity profile in the depth direction based on the optimal model formula. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The optical interference measuring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the electric circuit is configured to estimate, based on a model formula of an interferogram when it is assumed that a measurement target is a layered structure having at least one reflecting surface count, with a refractive index in each layer being constant, a parameter for the model formula. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The optical interference measuring apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the assumed surface count range is determined based on a structure characteristic of a measurement target. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The optical interference measuring apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the assumed surface count range is determined based on a peak count of an intensity profile in the depth direction which is configured by the original interferogram. ### Claim 5 An optical interference measuring method comprising: configuring an intensity profile in a depth direction by irradiating a measurement target and a reference surface with electromagnetic waves and performing Fourier transform of an interferogram of an interference wave obtained by causing a reflected wave from a reflecting surface of the measurement target to interfere with a reflected wave from the reference surface; estimating, based on a model formula of an interferogram when it is assumed that a measurement target is a layered structure having at least one reflecting surface count, a parameter for the model formula for each assumed surface count in a predetermined assumed surface count range; selecting an optimal model formula by a statistical technique from the model formula to which a parameter estimated for each of the assumed surface count is applied; and reconfiguring an intensity profile based on the optimal model formula, wherein the step of selecting the optimal model formula includes reconfiguring an interferogram by using the model formula to which a parameter estimated for each of the assumed surface count is applied, calculating a likelihood between the reconfigured interferogram and an original interferogram, and selecting the optimal model formula based on an information amount criterion obtained by setting the assumed reflecting surface count as the degree of freedom.