JP2004205293A - Transmission type interferometer and coating thickness measuring system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To detect irregularities in the coating thickness of a light sensitive material precisely. <P>SOLUTION: Transmission type interferometers 5, 6 are installed before and after a coating process, and the thickness distribution of a film base 2 and the thickness distribution of a photograph film 4, where the film base 2 is coated with the sensitive material 3, are measured. The reflection optical system of the transmission type interferometers 5, 6 comprises erecting Poro prisms 12a, 12b; and corner cube mirror 13a, 13b. Inverted luminous flux that is deflected by 180 degrees while being reflected by the corner cube mirror is erected by the erecting Poro prism 12a, and interferes with reference light on half mirrors 11a, 11b for reference. Since both thickness information can be obtained from interference fringes including the thickness information of the film base 2 and the photograph film 4, irregularities in the thickness of the sensitive material 3 is detected from the difference. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a transmission interferometer in which the position of a reflection optical system can be easily adjusted, and a film thickness measurement system suitable for measuring thickness unevenness of a thin film.
[0002]
[Prior art]
As a non-contact type film thickness measurement apparatus using an interferometer, one that performs layer-by-layer thickness measurement using a Michelson interferometer is known (see Patent Document 1). In this film thickness measurement device, an object having a large refractive index difference between a sheet-like base material and a thin film material is measured, and transmitted light and reflected light at each boundary surface between the thin film layer and the base layer are used as reference light. And the intensity of interference fringes obtained from the optical path difference generated according to the thickness of each layer is analyzed, and the thickness of each layer is measured.
[0003]
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 55-29708
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, the above-described film thickness measurement apparatus is not suitable for general-purpose film thickness measurement because the detection sensitivity of interference fringes is low for a subject having no difference in refractive index between the base layer and the thin film layer. In addition, since the measurement light transmitted through the subject is reflected by the plane mirror, if the normal line of the plane mirror is tilted with respect to the interference optical axis, the pitch of the interference fringes changes and the measurement accuracy is lowered. In order to prevent this, it is troublesome to precisely adjust the position of the plane mirror and the interference optical axis. Furthermore, the equipment for preventing the optical axis shift due to the fine vibration or thermal deformation of the flat mirror is very expensive.
[0005]
Further, in the Michelson interferometer using low-coherent light, in order to form interference fringes from the measurement light transmitted or reflected from the layer boundary surface of the subject, the optical path between the reference light and the measurement light is moved finely. Since the difference is obtained, the time responsiveness is poor and the long sheet cannot be used for thickness measurement while being conveyed at high speed.
[0006]
The present invention has been made in consideration of the above problems, and is applicable to an interferometer in which the position of the reflection optical system and the interference optical system of the measurement light can be easily adjusted, and an object having no refractive index difference between the two layers. It is an object of the present invention to provide a film thickness measurement system that can determine the thickness of a thin film formed on a base sheet and can also measure the thickness of an object that is conveyed at high speed.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the present invention reflects a means for obtaining a reference wave and a measurement wave from a coherent electromagnetic wave, and a measurement wave transmitted through the measurement object in a direction parallel to the incident direction. A transmissive interferometer that forms interference fringes by superimposing the reference wave and the measurement wave that has again passed through the measurement object, the reflection means being a corner cube reflector and the corner cube It is characterized by comprising an optical system that erects an inverted measurement wave reflected by a reflector.
[0008]
The film thickness measurement system according to claim 2, wherein the measurement object is a first interferometer using a sheet base material as a measurement object, and a thin film sheet having a thin film formed on the sheet base material. And a means for taking in the interference fringes of the sheet base material obtained by the first interferometer and calculating thickness information of the sheet base material, and the sheet base material by the second interferometer Means for taking in the interference fringes of the thin film sheet obtained by measuring the same range as the measurement range, and calculating the thickness information of the thin film sheet, and the difference between the thickness information of the sheet base material and the thickness information of the thin film sheet And a means for determining the thickness information of the thin film, enabling high-precision thickness measurement while conveying a sheet body composed of a plurality of layers having no refractive index difference at high speed. Yes.
[0009]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
In FIG. 1, a film thickness measuring system 1 is provided in a photographic film manufacturing process. The film base 2 is conveyed from the left to the right in the figure, and the photographic film 4 is manufactured through the coating process of the photosensitive material 3. Before and after the coating process of the photosensitive material 3, transmission type interferometers 5 and 6 are respectively installed. Hereinafter, the film base 2 and the photographic film 3 may be collectively referred to as a subject.
[0010]
The transmissive interferometer 5 installed in the pre-application process of the photosensitive material 3 includes a laser light source 7a, a diverging lens 8a, an optical path changing half mirror 9a, a collimator lens 10a, a reference half mirror 11a, an upright porro prism 12a, a corner It is composed of a cube mirror 13a and a CCD camera 14a. The transmission interferometer 6 installed in the post-application process of the photosensitive material 3 has the same configuration. The reflecting surfaces of the reference half mirror 11a, the erecting porro prism 12a, and the corner cube mirror 13a are flat surfaces with extremely high accuracy compared to the surface of the subject.
[0011]
The laser light source 7a emits a laser beam having a wavelength at which the photographic film 3 is difficult to be exposed. The emitted laser light becomes parallel light having a large light beam diameter by the diverging lens 8a and the collimator lens 10a. The laser light transmitted through the collimator lens 10a is divided into measurement light traveling toward the film base 2 and reference light reflected by the reference half mirror 11a.
[0012]
In FIG. 2, the measurement light passes through the film base 2 and enters the corner cube mirror 13a. The corner cube mirror 13a is a 180 degree declination prism in which three reflective surfaces orthogonal to each other are provided with a metal film. As is well known, light reflected from the three reflective surfaces is emitted in a direction parallel to the incident direction. This is a retroreflective optical element. The measurement light reflected from the corner cube mirror 13a is incident on an upright poro prism 12a configured by combining four right-angle prisms.
[0013]
As shown in FIG. 3A, the corner cube mirror 13a has reflection surfaces 15a, 15b, and 15c with the vertex A1 as the center. In addition, what is shown with the dashed-two dotted line in the figure is the reflective image of the ridgeline of the cubic corner which appears within the effective diameter of retroreflection. Here, when the measurement light is incident on the reflecting surface 15a as a light beam having the shape of "F", this light beam passes through the reflecting surfaces 15b and 15c and is an inverted light beam deflected 180 degrees from a point-symmetrical position with respect to the vertex A1. To be emitted.
[0014]
As shown in FIG. 3B, the inverted light beam “F” is incident on the first right-angle prism 16a constituting the upright porro prism 12a. The inverted luminous flux incident on the first right-angle prism 16a is reflected by the second and third right-angle prisms 16b and 16c and is emitted from the fourth right-angle prism 16d. The inverted light beam “F” is deflected by 180 degrees in the process of being transmitted and reflected by the erecting Porro prism 12a, and erects as a light beam having the same declination as that incident on the corner cube mirror 13a.
[0015]
FIG. 3C shows how the measurement light is inverted and erected by the corner cube mirror 13a and the upright porro prism 12a. The incident optical path to the corner cube mirror 13a and the outgoing optical path from the erecting Porro prism 12a do not coincide with each other, travel along an optical path separated by a distance indicated by a terminal arrow, and the measurement light is different from the subject. Two positions will be transmitted.
[0016]
The measurement light emitted from the erecting Porro prism 12a passes through the film base 2 again and reaches the reference half mirror 11a. The measurement light that has reached the reference half mirror 11a is transmitted through the film base 2 so that its phase is delayed as compared with the reference light. The magnitude of this phase lag is determined according to the sum of the thicknesses of the two positions where the measurement light passes through the film base 2.
[0017]
On the reference half mirror 11a, the reference light and the measurement light interfere with each other due to the phase difference, and the thickness of the portion where the measurement light is transmitted through the first time and the thickness of the portion where the measurement light is transmitted through the second time are added. Interference fringes containing information are formed. The interference light of the measurement light and the reference light passes through the collimator lens 10a, and then the path is bent by the optical path changing half mirror 9a, and reaches the CCD camera 14a. The CCD camera 14a captures the interference fringes formed on the reference half mirror 11a.
[0018]
The advantage of using a reflection system in which an erecting Porro prism 12a and a corner cube mirror 13a are used in combination with a transmission interferometer will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5 in comparison with a case where a reflection system using only a corner cube mirror 13a is used. explain.
[0019]
In the reflection system having only the corner cube mirror 13a shown in FIG. 4, it is assumed that linear measurement light is incident between the points p1 and p2 in FIG. The light incident on the points p1 and p2 once passes through the subject having the thickness distribution shown in FIG. The measurement light incident on the optical path passing through the points p1 and p2 is emitted from the optical path passing through the point p4 and the point p3 that are symmetric with respect to the vertex A1, respectively. The measurement light emitted from the corner cube mirror 13a is transmitted again through the subject along the optical path passing through the points p3 and p4, and a phase delay corresponding to the total thickness of the subject at the two transmission positions occurs.
[0020]
As shown in FIG. 4C, the measurement light transmitted twice through the subject has a phase difference distribution (φ1 ′) depending on the thickness of the subject between p1 and p2, and between p3 and p4 with respect to the reference light. A phase difference represented by the sum (φ1 ′ + φ2) with the phase difference distribution (φ2) depending on the thickness is generated. At this time, since the measurement light is deflected 180 degrees by the corner cube mirror 13a, the phase difference distribution between p1 and p2 is a mirror image relationship with the actual phase difference distribution (φ1) between p1 and p2 (see FIG. 5). It is in. Therefore, in the reflection system using only the corner cube mirror 13a, the phase difference of the measurement light at a point symmetric position with respect to the vertex A1 is superimposed, so that a large error may occur depending on the thickness distribution of the subject as illustrated. Result.
[0021]
On the other hand, in the reflection system using the erecting Porro prism 12a and the corner cube mirror 13a shown in FIG. 5, the direction of the measurement light passing through the subject is aligned, and the phase difference distribution between p1-p2 and p5-p6 Interference fringes that more accurately reflect the thickness distribution of the object can be obtained. In FIG. 5, the thickness distribution between p5-p6 and the thickness distribution between p3-p4 are made the same for convenience of explanation.
[0022]
In FIG. 6, the interference fringe analyzer 20 outputs interference fringe still image signals from the CCD cameras 14a and 14b. The interference fringe analysis apparatus 20 is configured by a computer having the functions of interference fringe image storage units 21a and 21b, interference fringe image connection units 22a and 22b, thickness pattern conversion units 23a and 23b, and thickness unevenness distribution analysis unit 24.
[0023]
The interference fringe image accumulating units 21a and 21b capture the respective interference fringe images continuously photographed by the CCD cameras 14a and 14b and store them as a plurality of still image data. At this time, it is necessary to obtain a camera field of view that does not cause imaging leakage and an imaging speed that does not cause image blur as the subject is transported.
[0024]
The minimum required camera field of view D (mm) is calculated with respect to the direction in which the subject is transported so that the captured image is not lost due to the transport of the subject. The imaging speed of the CCD cameras 14a and 14b is f (frame / second), the transport speed of the subject is V (mm / second), and the overlap rate in the transport direction of the captured image necessary for image connection described later is K. (%), Where n (units) is the number of cameras arranged in the transport direction,
D = V / (1-K / 100) / f / n
It is expressed as For example, when using one progressive scan camera capable of continuous capture of full frame images at 30 frames per second, transporting the subject at 3000 mm per second, and ensuring a 20% image overlap rate, the camera field of view is Substituting each value results in D = 125 (mm). When using cameras with different imaging speeds or when the transport speed of the subject is different, the camera field of view is calculated from the above equation. In some cases, the number of cameras is increased to narrow the camera field of view per camera.
[0025]
In order to eliminate the occurrence of image blur due to the conveyance of the subject, it is necessary to increase the image capture speed or shorten the exposure time. Since the image capturing speed is f as described above, the exposure time per one shooting will be described here. An exposure time t (second) for suppressing the image blur to 1/10 pixel or less in order to obtain a clear still image is set to x (pixel) as the number of imaging pixels in the subject conveyance direction of the CCD camera.
t = 1 / f / x / 10
It becomes. For example, when a CCD camera having an imaging speed of 30 frames per second and a shooting pixel count of 512 pixels in the transport direction is used (the spatial resolution of one pixel is 0.24 mm when the camera field of view is 125 mm), t = 6.5 × 10 ⁻⁶ (seconds). In order to realize this instantaneous exposure time t, it is preferable to use a laser light source capable of emitting pulses. There is also a method of arranging an impeller as a shutter in front of the laser light source. Further, the CCD sensitivity, the laser light quantity, and the like are appropriately taken into consideration together with the sensitivity of the photosensitive material 3 so as not to hinder photographing even with an instantaneous exposure time.
[0026]
In FIG. 6, interference fringe image connection units 22a and 22b read a plurality of interference fringe still images taken every 1 / f second from the interference fringe image storage units 21a and 21b, and connect them in the transport direction of the subject. Here, in order to obtain a precise series of interference fringe images, an image connection process for matching the overlapping range of the two interference fringe images with a resolution of 1 pixel or less is performed. Specifically, a well-known normalized correlation search method is used, and one interference fringe registered image and another interference fringe image adjacent in time are connected so that they coincide within the range of the overlap pattern. It is processed. In this image connection process, a two-dimensional small pixel shift caused by meandering or flapping during the transportation of the subject is also corrected.
[0027]
The thickness pattern conversion units 23a and 23b use the Fourier transform fringe pattern analysis method (FTP method) based on the series of interference fringe images calculated by the interference fringe image connection units 22a and 22b. Information is determined. The FTP method does not require a scanning mechanism for a reference surface using a piezoelectric element to measure the fringe period change like the fringe scan method (the fringe scan method), and thickness information can be obtained from a single interference fringe image. Therefore, it is suitable for calculating the thickness of the subject that is transported at high speed as in this embodiment. From the interference fringe image, high spatial frequency components including noise are removed, and the thickness distribution of the subject is obtained through phase connection and inverse Fourier transform.
[0028]
The thickness unevenness distribution analysis unit 24 compares the thickness distribution of the film base 2 obtained by the thickness pattern conversion units 23a and 23b with the thickness distribution of the photographic film 4, and determines the coating thickness distribution of the photosensitive material 3 from the difference. Find out. The determined application thickness distribution of the photosensitive material 3 is compared with a normal application thickness distribution registered in advance, and a range where application abnormality is recognized is detected as application unevenness.
[0029]
For example, when the film base 2 is formed with a thickness of 200 μm and the photosensitive material 3 is applied on the film base 2 so as to have a thickness of 20 μm, it is statistical that the thickness varies within a range of ± 10%. Has been confirmed. That is, the thickness unevenness of the film base 2 is about ± 20 μm, and the thickness unevenness of the photosensitive material 3 is ± 2 μm. Since the thickness unevenness of the film base 2 is about 10 times the coating thickness unevenness of the photosensitive material 3, the thickness distribution of the film base 2 is not much different from the thickness distribution of the film base 2 only by measuring the thickness distribution of the photographic film 4. It is impossible to detect the thickness unevenness of the material 3. Therefore, by taking the difference between the thickness distribution of the film base 2 and the thickness distribution of the photographic film 4, the coating thickness distribution of the photosensitive material 3 can be measured, and the thickness unevenness can be detected effectively.
[0030]
In FIG. 7, a plurality of transmission interferometers 5 and 6 are arranged in the width direction and the transport direction of the subject in order to measure the entire surface of the wide and long subject before and after the coating process of the photosensitive material 3. The In addition, since the effective area of the reference surface where interference fringes are obtained is small relative to the size of the reflective optical system, each interferometer is arranged in a staggered manner to avoid physical interference of each interferometer. ing. A total of 12 interferometers are arranged in 6 rows in the transport direction and 2 rows in the width direction, and one interferometer covers the thickness distribution measurement in the subject transport direction.
[0031]
Based on the camera field of view D in the subject conveyance direction described above, the calculation formula for obtaining the number of interferometers A required in the direction of the subject width is M (%) for the camera field overlap ratio in the width direction and the width of the subject. W (mm), where J (mm) is the allowable meandering width associated with the transportation of the subject,
A = (W + J) / D / (1-M / 100)
(Rounded up). For example, if the stripe image overlap rate in the width direction is 20%, the camera field of view is 125 mm, and (W + J) is 1200 mm, A = 12 (units).
[0032]
The film thickness measuring system 1 having the above configuration can detect the coating thickness unevenness of the photosensitive material 3 coated on the wide and long film base 2 with high accuracy over the entire surface. Further, since a transmission type interferometer is used, a detection error due to the flickering of the subject accompanying the conveyance does not occur unlike the reflection type interferometer.
[0033]
In the above-described embodiment, the optical path mismatch type reflection optical system in which the incident optical path and the reflected optical path of the measurement light transmitted through the subject are different from each other, but as shown in FIG. A Porro prism 30 with a deflecting film provided with a deflecting film and a phase plate 31 may be provided in order to improve the uniformity of the light beam, and the transmission points of the measurement light passing through the subject may be matched. In this case, it is possible to measure the film thickness more accurately than in the optical path mismatch type reflection optical system. In addition, since the corner cube reflector is used, in order to prevent disturbance of interference fringes due to the measurement light regularly reflected from the subject, the subject may be tilted from the interferometer optical axis within a range of, for example, 10 degrees ± 5 degrees. It is valid.
[0034]
In addition, when a photosensitive material is used for the subject as in the above embodiment, a near infrared ray having an emission wavelength of 0.9 μm to 1.3 μm is emitted in addition to relying on short-time exposure that does not cause light fogging. A laser source may be used. As the laser source, the emission intensity, wavelength, and light source type can be appropriately selected according to the optical physical properties of the subject, such as a YAG laser, titanium / sapphire laser, excimer laser, carbon dioxide laser, and semiconductor laser.
[0035]
Further, as the reflecting optical system, a plate-like mirror combined with a cubic corner shape may be used as the corner cube reflector. In addition to using a Porro prism as an erecting optical system, a 180 ° declination optical system may be configured by combining four or more mirrors.
[0036]
The present invention is not limited to a stratification process such as a photographic film manufacturing process, but can also be used for measurement of film thickness unevenness of a deposited film or a sputtering film, a delamination process for peeling a thin film, or a processing depth measurement. .
[0037]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the transmission interferometer of the present invention, the optical axis of the interferometer can be easily adjusted by using the retroreflection of the corner cube reflector, and it is not necessary to increase the rigidity of the entire interferometer. . Further, since the inverted luminous flux due to the reflection of the corner cube reflector is erected, the thickness detection error can be reduced. Further, since the interference fringes are formed using the phase difference of the measurement wave transmitted through the subject, no measurement error due to the fluttering of the subject conveyed at high speed does not occur.
[0038]
Further, according to the film thickness measurement system of the present invention, since the thickness of the thin film is obtained from the difference between the thickness distribution of the sheet base material and the thickness distribution of the thin film sheet formed on the sheet base material, the sheet base The thickness unevenness of the material and the thickness unevenness of the thin film can be distinguished and detected. Furthermore, it is possible to detect the thickness unevenness of the subject with no difference in refractive index between two layers or a plurality of layers.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a film thickness measurement system.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a reflective optical system.
FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing inverted / upright conversion of measurement light.
FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the principle of film thickness measurement using only a corner cube mirror.
FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing the principle of film thickness measurement when a corner cube mirror and an erecting optical system are used in combination.
FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of the interference fringe analyzer.
FIG. 7 is a layout diagram of interferometers for measuring the thickness distribution over the entire width of the subject.
FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of the reflecting optical system.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Film thickness measurement system 5, 6 Transmission type interferometer 11a, 11b Reference half mirror 12a Erecting poro prism 13a Corner cube mirror 20 Interference fringe analyzer 21a, 21b Interference fringe image storage part 22a, 22b Interference fringe image analysis part 23a , 23b Thickness pattern conversion unit 24 Thickness unevenness distribution analysis unit

Claims (2)

A beam splitter for obtaining a reference wave and a measurement wave from a coherent electromagnetic wave, and a reflecting means for reflecting the measurement wave transmitted through the measurement object in a direction parallel to the incident direction; In a transmission interferometer that forms interference fringes by superimposing a transmitted measurement wave and the reference wave,
A transmissive interferometer, characterized in that the reflecting means is composed of a corner cube reflector and an optical system that erects an inverted measurement wave reflected from the corner cube reflector. A first interferometer having a sheet base material as a measurement object and a second interferometer having a thin film sheet having a thin film formed on the sheet base material as a measurement object;
Means for taking in interference fringes of the sheet base material obtained by the first interferometer and calculating thickness information of the sheet base material;
Means for taking in the interference fringes of the thin film sheet obtained by measuring the same range as the measurement range of the sheet base material by the second interferometer, and calculating the thickness information of the thin film sheet;
A film thickness measuring system comprising: means for obtaining a difference between thickness information of the sheet base material and thickness information of the thin film sheet, and determining the thickness information of the thin film.

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