METHOD FOR CONTROL OF SURFACE RELIEF Russian patent published in 2009 - IPC G01B11/24 

FIELD: instrument making.

SUBSTANCE: method for control of surface relief includes location of controlled item on sample stage, direction of light radiation at item surface at specified angle of illumination, reception of light radiation reflected from item surface, registration and measurement of characteristics of radiation reflected from surface. Item surface is illuminated by slantwise falling beam of light radiation serially at various azimuthal angles. Reception of diffusedly reflected light radiation is carried out along specified azimuths, and distribution of its intensity is registered with production of characteristic image of item surface. Superposition of all characteristic images of item surface produced at various azimuthal angles is carried out. Besides each characteristic image of item surface is shifted along appropriate azimuth in specified direction relative to source of falling light radiation at specified distance. Then intensities of diffusedly reflected light radiation are summed for all characteristic images in identical points of surface to produce resulting characteristic image, which is used to judge on surface relief.

EFFECT: expansion of functional resources due to higher sensitivity in detection of microrelief and identification of pressed images.

11 cl, 4 dwg