High-accuracy simultaneous measurement of surface profile and film thickness using line-field white-light dispersive interferometer

White-light dispersive interferometry (WLDI) is an instantaneous, high-resolution optical metrological technique for measuring precise and complicated surfaces. This method enables nondestructive inspection of transparent-film-structure devices that are widely used in semiconductor packaging. We propose in this paper to use a home-built WLDI system with line-by-line spectral calibration, phase-shifting algorithm, and single-wave-number method for high-accuracy, simultaneous measurements of surface profiles and film thickness. By calibrating the relationship between wave-number and pixel position on each line of a two-dimensional detector, the line-byline calibration method improves the measurement accuracy by correcting the spectral distortion caused by the optical system. Moreover, the spectral signal phase is obtained by the phase-shifting algorithm instead of by the Fourier transform method. The single-wave-number method is applied to the computation process by introducing the fringe order, and the measurement result indicates that it enhances the system immunity to environmental noise. A 1.806-mu m-high standard step and a 1052.2-nm-thick standard film are measured to verify the system performance and show that the system is highly accurate and reliable.

Automated summary

White-light dispersive interferometry is an optical metrological technique for measuring precise and complicated surfaces, enabling nondestructive inspection of transparent-film-structure devices. The method uses line-by-line spectral calibration and phase-shifting algorithm for high-accuracy, simultaneous measurements of surface profiles and film thickness. The single-wave-number method improves system immunity to environmental noise and ensures high accuracy and reliability.