Step Height Measurement

Updated on 11/6/2014

Contents

1 Load Application

2 Select Objective Lens

3 Load Sample

4 Set Z Stop

5 Find and Null Fringe

6 Set Light Level

7 Set Test and Reference Masks

7.1 Open Mask Editor

7.2 Set Test Mask

7.3 Set Reference Mask

8 Measure

1. Load Application

1. Click the "StepHt7k.app" for step height measurement.

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2. The application is opened.

2. Select Objective Lens

• Refer to NewView_7000_Objective_Chart.

1. Click the "Objective" button to change an objective lens.

• The objective lens is automatically changed.
• The objective lenses of x5, x20, x50 are available.

3. Load Sample

1. Place the sample on the stage.

2. Move the stage for the sample to be beneath the objective lens using the joy stick.

• The green light spot from the objective is seen on the stage.
• Joystick
  • X-direction: place down on the left or right side.
  • Y-direction: place down on the top or bottom side.
  • Z-direction: rotate clockwise (up) or counter-clockwise (down).
  • The moving speed can be changed by pressing the "Fast", "Medium", or "Slow" button.

4. Set Z Stop

1. Move the objective lens down to the following working distance using the joystick.

• NOTE: When the lens is close to the sample, the moving speed should be changed to "Slow". Otherwise, the objective might crash the sample, meaning that both of the lens and the sample are damaged.

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2. Adjust the light intensity of the CCD image on the "LiveDisplay", and focus the image.

2-1. The CCD image on the "Live Display" shows a red screen because of saturated light.

2-2. If you press "F5", then the light intensity is adjusted automatically. Focus the image on the "LiveDisplay" using the joystick.

2-3. If you press "F4", then the "Light Level" dialog box appears. Adjust the intensity manually, and click the "Set" button. Then, focus the image on the "LiveDisplay" using the joystick.

• "/": coarse down
• "*": coarse up
• "-": fine down
• "+": fine up

3. Move the objective lens slightly down, and press the "Z-Stop" button on the joystick to set the z-stop position up, so that the objective lens will not go down beyond the z-stop position.

• If the z-stop position is not set up, then the LED is blinking in red.
• If the z-stop position is set up, the blinking of LED stops.
• If the objective is moved above the z-stop position, the LED turns into green.

5. Find and Null Fringe

1. Find interference fringes on the CCD image.

• When you focus the image, you may find the fringes.

• If you cannot find fringes, then tilt the stage using the tilting knobs.

2. Adjust the position of the fringes by moving the objective lens in the z-direction.

• The red fringes means the saturated intensity. Press "F5" if necessary.

3. Tilt the stage using the tiling knobs to expand the distance between the fringes, until the distance reaches the maximum and the fringes start rotating.

4. The fringes are null now.

6. Set Light Level

1. Press "F4" to set the final light intensity manually.

• Use numeric keypad to set peak intensity to 90-99 %.
• Ensure that there is no saturation (red)

2. Click the "Set" button after adjusting the intensity.

7. Set Test and Reference Masks

7.1 Open Mask Editor

1. Click the "Mask Data" button.

2. The "Mask Editor" window appears.

3. Click the "BG Incl" button to change the label to "BG Excl". All area is unfilled for analysis.

7.2 Set Test Mask

1. Click the "Rectangle" button, and draw the rectangle on the high step area.

2. Ensure that the inside of the rectangle is colored.

• If not, click the "Fill" button.

3. Click the "Test" button.

4. Click the "Define" button.

5. Ensure that the "Test" button is blue-highlighted.

6. Click on unfill to unfill the test mask.

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• If you draw multiple rectangles, then

1. Click on Pick then unfill to unfill each mask
2. Click on Pick and select the test mask.
3. Click on Fill
4. Click on Test then define then pick show to verify it was selected as the test mask.
5. Click on unfill to unfill the test mask

7.3 Set Reference Mask

1. Click the "Copy" button.

2. Move the copied rectangle to the low step area.

3. Ensure that the inside of the rectangle ONLY in the low step area is colored.

• If not, click the "Pick Next" button to activate the particular rectangle, and click the "Fill" or "Unfill" button.

4. Click the "Ref" button.

5. Click the "Define" button.

6. Ensure that the "Ref" button is blue-highlighted.

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• If you have multiple rectangles, then

1. Click on Pick (make sure Pick All isn't active)
2. Select the reference mask
3. Click on Ref, then Define
4. The click show to verify the reference mask was set.

8. Measure

1. Click the "Measure" button.

2. The result is shown on the screen.