A Study of Key Optical Profiler Parameters for Form Error Measurement

Optical profiler is a typical modern device for precision form error measurement. In our use of the equipment, we found that the surface form profile after stitching is ambiguous if the lens magnification is changed. The error in terms of PV value can be up to 3200% when the lens magnification changes from 2.5 times to 30 times. This has been confirmed by the equipment supplier. It is worthwhile to offer a comprehensive study as many users may use the instrument of the kind straightforward without detailed investigation of the performance. We found that, among the 6 key parameters studied, 3 independent parameters are more important. For the 3 independent parameters, we recommend to set the magnification A=2.5 times, the resolution r=0.5, and the overlap p=20%. With the recommended settings, the measurement error can be less than 0.5%. Backscan and length for scanning in the vertical direction, and cut off frequency for delivering form profile are less critical compared with the three independent parameters.