Combined workpiece holder and calibration profile configuration for precision surface profile measurement

A method for using a combined workpiece holder and calibration profile configuration for integration into a contact or non-contact surface profile measurement system configured to measure a surface z height coordinate for at least a front surface of a workpiece along a z height direction at a corresponding location coordinate along a profile scan path that is transverse to the z height direction, the method comprising:

• providing the combined workpiece holder and calibration profile configuration integrated into the surface profile measurement system, the combined workpiece holder and calibration profile configuration comprising:
• at least a first calibration profile portion and a workpiece holding portion, wherein:
• the first calibration profile portion is located on a first side of the workpiece holding portion along a scan path direction of the profile scan path, the first calibration profile portion comprising a plurality of reference surface regions that have known reference surface z heights or z height differences relative to one another;
• the workpiece holding portion is configured to hold the workpiece in a stable position during operation of the surface profile measurement system;
• and
• the first calibration profile portion and the workpiece holding portion are configured to fit within a profile scan path range of the surface profile measurement system, such that the surface profile measurement system is configured to acquire measured surface profile data for the first calibration profile portion and the workpiece during a single pass along the profile scan path;
• and
• operating the surface profile measurement system to acquire measured surface profile data for the first calibration profile portion and the workpiece during the single pass along the profile scan path.