Method of providing images of surfaces with a correlation microscope by transforming interference signals
AssigneeThe Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
InventorsGordon S. Kino, Stanley S. C. Chim
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Abstract
A method of processing the interference signals form a correlation microscope to provide images of a surface being examined. The interference signals for a plurality of x,y locations at a plurality of z positions are transformed to provide an intensity envelope of the signals along the z axis for each x,y location. The intensity envelope can then be processed to provide desired images.
Claims9
The method of providing images of a surface of a sample using a correlation microscope comprising the steps of
- at each of a plurality of x,y locations of said sample, focusing an illumination beam at a multiplicity of distinct z positions ranging from a position above the sample to a position below the sample;
- generating interference signals for each x,y,z location at which said illumination beam is focused by said focusing step;
- storing the interference signals for each of said x,y,z locations as the object is moved in the z plane, and
- transforming the stored interference signals at each x,y location in the z direction to obtain an intensity envelope of interfering signals in the z direction for each x,y location.
The method of providing images of a surface of a sample using a correlation microscope comprising the steps of
- at each of a plurality of x,y locations of said sample, focusing an illumination beam at a multiplicity of distinct z positions ranging from a position above the sample to a position below the sample;
- generating at an image plane interference signals for each x,y,z location at which said illumination beam is focused by said focusing step;
- digitizing the signals at each of said x,y,z locations and storing the digital signals,
- transforming the digital signals at each x,y location in the z direction to obtain an intensity envelope of the interfering signals in the z direction for each x,y location, and
- processing said intensity envelopes to provide a selected image of the surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.