Chromatic confocal system
AssigneeAlign Technology, Inc.
InventorsYossef Atiya, Tal Verker
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system for determining surface topography of a three-dimensional structure is provided. The system can include an illumination unit configured to output a two-dimensional array of light beams each comprising a plurality of wavelengths. An optical assembly can focus the plurality of wavelengths of each light beam to a plurality of focal lengths so as to simultaneously illuminate the structure over a two-dimensional field of view. A detector and a processor are used to generate data representative of the surface topography of the three-dimensional structure based on the measured characteristics of the light reflected from the structure.
Claims26
A system for measuring surface topography of a three-dimensional structure, the system comprising:
- an illumination unit configured to output a two-dimensional array of light beams each comprising a plurality of wavelengths;
- an optical assembly operatively coupled to the illumination unit and configured to focus the plurality of wavelengths of each light beam to a plurality of focal lengths relative to the optical assembly so as to simultaneously illuminate the structure over a two-dimensional field of view;
- wherein the plurality of focal lengths is fixed relative to the optical assembly during the measuring of the surface topography;
- a detector configured to measure a characteristic of light reflected from the structure for each of a plurality of locations distributed in two dimensions over the field of view;
- and,
- a processor coupled with the detector and configured to generate data representative of the surface topography of the structure based on the measured characteristics of the light reflected from the structure.
A method for measuring surface topography of a three-dimensional structure, the method comprising:
- generating a two-dimensional array of light beams each comprising a plurality of wavelengths;
- focusing the plurality of wavelengths of each light beam to a plurality of focal lengths relative to the structure so as to simultaneously illuminate the structure over a two-dimensional field of view;
- wherein the plurality of focal lengths is fixed relative to the optical assembly during the measuring of the surface topography;
- measuring a characteristic of light reflected from the structure for each of a plurality of locations distributed in two dimensions over the field of view;
- and,
- generating data representative of the surface topography of the structure based on the measured characteristics of the light reflected from the structure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.