Volume 3, Issue 4 - Optical metrology for precision engineering / Guest Editors: Wei Gao, Bernd Bodermann

Any axis of precision machines possesses six-degree-of-freedom (6-DOF) motion errors, also called the geometric errors, due to manufacturing tolerances and assembly errors, namely three linear and three angular errors. Conventional optical instruments allow measurement of only one or two errors at a time. In order to achieve fast measurement, many multi-degree-of-freedom measurement (MDFM) systems have been developed over the past 20 years, from three-degree-of-freedom (3-DOF) to 6-DOF. This article summarizes reports of optical measurement techniques of MDFM systems for precision linear, planar and XYZ stages. Comments are also given for the applicability to practical uses.

In order to improve safety, lifetime and energy efficiency of turbo machines, the behavior of the turbine blades has to be monitored during operation. This is a great challenge for metrology, since small, robust and non-contact position measurement techniques are required that offer both micrometer accuracy and microsecond temporal resolution. The Laser-Doppler-Distance (LDD) -Sensor proved to be an adequate technique to perform such measurements. However, the usage in turbo machines requires a miniaturized and temperature-stable sensor-head. In this paper we introduce a miniaturized design of the LDD-sensor that is based on common-path detection. First results indicated that the numerical aperture of the common-path detection is small in comparison to former implementations that used separate paths for illumination and detection. We find that decreasing the numerical aperture strongly increases the systematic measurement uncertainty. For this purpose a novel diffractive optical element containing a diffracting-lens was designed and used to increase the numerical aperture of the common-path detection without affecting the sensor size. Experiments prove that the new element reduces the relative systematic measurement uncertainty by a factor of ten. The mean systematic position measurement uncertainty amounts to Δ z mean ≈16 μm. The resulting sensor has dimensions of 25×25×60 mm 3 , offers temperature-stability and achieves micrometer resolution.

A wavelength-modulated heterodyne grating shearing interferometry using a birefringent crystal is proposed for two-dimensional displacement measurement. There is a difference in the optical path lengths of the p- and s- polarizations of the light beam in the birefringent crystal because of the double refraction caused by the birefringence. By passing through the unequal-path-length optical configuration, the wavelength-modulated light beam is converted into a heterodyne light beam having two frequencies. The modulated heterodyne light beam is further combined with grating-shearing interferometry based on the quasi-common-optical-path (QCOP) design concept. According to the working principle and the Jones calculation, the displacement information of a moving grating can be obtained by means of the optical phase variation resulting from the grating. Theoretical analysis shows that the measurement sensitivity of the proposed method is about 0.134°/nm. The experimental results indicate that the resolution is about 10 nm for the centimetric-level measurement range.

An interferometer capable of retrieving the phase information in a single shot was implemented, the system was made by taking into account the double interferogram output obtained in a Mach Zehnder interferometer and then retrieving the phase information using a two-step algorithm already encountered in the literature. By controlling the polarization properties of the system, a new polarization phase shifting technique was implemented based upon the rotation of two quarter wave retarders placed in each of the arms of the interferometer. We present the analytical model taking into account the necessary conditions presented by the demodulation method. The configuration presented does not require micro-polarizer arrays or diffraction gratings presenting the advantage of avoiding the use of conventional polarizing filters to control the phase shift. Experimental results are presented.

A Micro-electro-mechanical-system (MEMS) is a widely used component in many industries, including energy, biotechnology, medical, communications, and automotive industries. However, effective inspection systems are also needed to ensure the functional reliability of MEMS. This study developed a stroboscopic coherence scanning Interferometry (SCSI) technique for measuring key characteristics typically used as criteria in MEMS inspections. Surface profiles of MEMS both static and dynamic conditions were measured by means of coherence scanning Interferometry (CSI). Resonant frequencies of vibrating MEMS were measured by deformation of interferogram fringes for out-of-plane vibration and by image correlation for in-plane vibration. The measurement bandwidth of the developed system can be tuned up to three megahertz or higher for both in-plane and out-of-plane measurement of MEMS.

A surface imaging technique using a laser-trapped microsphere is proposed. The goal of this research is to image the surface texture, while simultaneously measuring the position of the engineered surfaces using the laser-trapping-based microprobe. This paper presents an investigation of imaging characteristics for the microsphere technique. Depending on the distance from the surface to the microsphere, the available images could be either real or virtual. Virtual images had a higher contrast than real images. Contrast and magnification varies depending on the positions of the focal point of the objective lens and surface.

Demand for higher efficiency in the semiconductor manufacturing industry is continually increasing. In particular, nano defects measurement on patterned or bare Si semiconductor wafer surfaces is an important quality control factor for realizing high productivity and reliability of semiconductor device fabrication. Optical methods and electron beam methods are conventionally used for the inspection of semiconductor wafers. Because they are nondestructive and suitable for high-throughput inspection, optical methods are preferable to electron beam methods such as scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and so on. However, optical methods generally have an essential disadvantage about lateral spatial resolution than electron beam methods, because of the diffraction limit depending on the optical wavelength. In this research, we aim to develop a novel laser-scanning imaging method that can be applied to nano-/micro manufacturing processes such as semiconductor wafer surface inspection to allow lateral spatial super-resolution imaging with resolution beyond the diffraction limit. In our proposed method, instead of detecting the light intensity value from the beam spot on the inspection surface, the light intensity distribution, which is formed with infinity corrected optical system, coming from the beam spot on the inspection surface is detected. In addition, nano scale shifts in the beam spot are applied for laser spot scanning using a conventional laser-scanning method in which the spots are shifted at about a 100 nm pitch. By detecting multiple light intensity distributions due to the nano scale shifts, a super-resolution image reconstruction with resolution beyond the diffraction limit can be expected. In order to verify the feasibility of the proposed method, several numerical simulations were carried out.

Three-axis vibration measurement of the linear air-bearing stage demonstrated by utilizing the method of the multi-axis laser interferometer is discussed. In order to detect the X-Y-Z directional vibration of the positioning stage table simultaneously, two-dimensional XY gratings are utilized as the scale grating and the reference grating of the interferometer. The X- and Y-directional positive and negative first-order diffracted beams are superimposed to generate the interference signals on the photodetectors. When the multi-axis vibration is applied to the scale grating, the intensities of the interference signals in X- and Y-directions varied corresponding to the vibration of the scale grating. Consequently, three-axis vibrations of the scale grating can be calculated by processing the X- and Y - directional positive and negative first-order interference signals. In this paper, a three-axis vibrometer based on the grating-interferometer has been developed for measurement of the positioning stage table vibration. The detection method of the vibration based on the Doppler frequency shift has been demonstrated. As an application of the multi-axis grating-interferometric vibrometer, multi-axis vibrations of the linear air-bearing stage are measured by using the developed vibrometer.

Phase measuring deflectometry (PMD) acquires the two components of the local surface gradient via a sequence of two orthogonal sinusoidal fringe patterns that have to be displayed and captured separately. We will demonstrate that the sequential process (different fringe directions, phase shifting) can be completely avoided by using a cross fringe pattern. With an optimized Fourier evaluation, high quality data of smooth optical surfaces can be acquired within one single shot. The cross fringe pattern allows for one more improvement of PMD: we will demonstrate a novel phase-shift technique, where a one-dimensional N -phase shift allows for the acquisition of the two orthogonal phases, with only N exposures instead of 2 N exposures. Therefore, PMD can be implemented by a one-dimensional translation of the fringe pattern, instead of the common two-dimensional translation, which is quite useful for certain applications.

The increasing fields of applications for modern optical fibers present great challenges to the material properties and the processing technology of fiber optics. This paper gives an overview of the capabilities and limitations of established vapor deposition fiber preform technologies, and discusses new techniques for improved and extended doping properties in fiber preparation. In addition, alternative fabrication technologies are discussed, such as a powder-based process (REPUSIL) and an optimized glass melting method to overcome the limits of conventional vapor deposition methods concerning the volume fabrication of rare earth (RE)-doped quartz and high silica glasses. The new preform technologies are complementary with respect to enhanced RE solubility, the adjustment of nonlinear fiber properties, and the possibility of hybrid fiber fabrication. The drawing technology is described based on the requirements of specialty fibers such as adjusted preform and fiber diameters, varying coating properties, and the microstructuring of fiber configurations as low as in the nanometer range.