1. A method for removing residue from a surface comprising:
(a) contacting the surface with a composition comprising at least one unsaturated fluorinated hydrocarbon selected from the group consisting of compounds having the formula E- or Z-R1CH\u2550CHR2, wherein R1 and R2 are, independently, C1 to C6 perfluoroalkyl groups, or C1 to C6 hydrofluoroalkyl groups.
(b) recovering the surface from the composition.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein R1 and R2 are, independently, CF3, C2F5, CF2CF2CF3, CF(CF3)2, CF2CF2CF2CF3, CF(CF3)CF2CF3, CF2CF(CF3)2, C(CF3)3, CF2CF2CF2CF2CF3, CF2CF2CF(CF3)2, C(CF3)2C2F5, CF2CF2CF2CF2CF2CF3, CF(CF3) CF2CF2C2F5, C(CF3)2CF2C2F5, CHF2, CH2F, C2HF4, C2H2F3, C2H3F2, C3HF6, i-C3HF6, C3H2F5, C3H3F4, C4HF8, C4H3F6, C5HF10, C5H3F8, or C6HF12.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one unsaturated fluorinated hydrocarbon is at least one of CF3CH\u2550CHCF3, CF3CH\u2550CHC2F5, CF3CH\u2550CHCF2C2F5, CF3CH\u2550CHCF(CF3)2, C2F5CH\u2550CHC2F5, CF3CH\u2550CH(CF2)3CF3, CF3CH\u2550CHCF2CF(CF3)2, CF3CH\u2550CHCF(CF3)C2F5, CF3CH\u2550CHC(CF3)3, C2F5CH\u2550CHCF2C2F5, C2F5CH\u2550CHCF(CF3)2, CF3CH\u2550CH(CF2)4CF3, CF3CH\u2550CHCF2CF2CF(CF3)2, CF3CH\u2550CHC(CF3)2C2F5, C2F5CH\u2550CH(CF2)3CF3, C2F5CH\u2550CHCF2CF(CF3)2, C2F5CH\u2550CHCF(CF3)C2F5, C2F5CH\u2550CHC(CF3)3, C2F5CF2CH\u2550CHCF2C2F5, (CF3)2CFCH\u2550CHCF(CF3)2, C2F5CF2CH\u2550CHCF(CF3)2, CF3CH\u2550CH(CF2)5CF3, CF3CH\u2550CHCF(CF3)(CF2)2C2F5, CF3CH\u2550CHC(CF3)2CF2C2F5, C2F5CH\u2550CH(CF2)4CF3, C2F5CH\u2550CHCF2CF2CF(CF3)2, C2F5CH\u2550CHC(CF3)2C2F5, C2F5CF2CH\u2550CH(CF2)3CF3, C2F5CF2CH\u2550CHCF2CF(CF3)2, C2F5CF2CH\u2550CHCF(CF3)C2F5, C2F5CF2CH\u2550CHC(CF3)3, (CF3)2CFCH\u2550CH(CF2)3CF3, (CF3)2CFCH\u2550CHCF2CF(CF3)2, (CF3)2CFCH\u2550CHCF(CF3)C2F5, (CF3)2CFCH\u2550CHC(CF3)3, C2F5CH\u2550CH(CF2)5CF3, C2F5CH\u2550CHCF(CF3)(CF2)2C2F5, C2F5CH\u2550CHC(CF3)2CF2C2F5, C2F5CF2CH\u2550CH(CF2)4CF3, C2F5CF2CH\u2550CHCF2CF2CF(CF3)2, C2F5CF2CH\u2550CHC(CF3)2C2F5, (CF3)2CFCH\u2550CH(CF2)4CF3, (CF3)2CFCH\u2550CHCF2CF2CF(CF3)2, (CF3)2CFCH\u2550CHC(CF3)2C2F5, CF3(CF2)3CH\u2550CH(CF2)3CF3, CF3(CF2)3CH\u2550CHCF2CF(CF3)2, CF3(CF2)3CH\u2550CHCF(CF3)C2F5, CF3(CF2)3CH\u2550CHC(CF3)3, (CF3)2CFCF2CH\u2550CHCF2CF(CF3)2, (CF3)2CFCF2CH\u2550CHCF(CF3)C2F5, (CF3)2CFCF2CH\u2550CHC(CF3)3, C2F5CF(CF3)CH\u2550CHCF(CF3)C2F5, C2F5CF(CF3)CH\u2550CHC(CF3)3, or (CF3)3CCH\u2550CHC(CF3)3.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein said unsaturated fluorinated hydrocarbon further comprises at least one unsaturated fluorinated hydrocarbon is selected from the group consisting of: (CF3)2CFCH\u2550CH2, CF3CF2CF2CH\u2550CH2, CH2\u2550CFCF2CF2CHF2, CF2\u2550CHCF2CH2CF3, CF3CF\u2550C(CF3)(CH3), CH2\u2550CFCH(CF3)2, CHF\u2550CHCH(CF3)2, CH2FCH\u2550C(CF3)2, CH3CF\u2550C(CF3)2, (CF3)2C\u2550CHCH3, CHF2CF2CF\u2550CFCH3, C2F5CF\u2550CHCH3, CF3C(CH3)\u2550CHCF3, CH2\u2550CHCF2CHFCF3, CH2\u2550C(CF3)CH2CF3, CF3CH\u2550CFCH2CH3, CF3CH\u2550C(CH3)2, CF3(CF2)3CF\u2550CF2, CF3CF2CF\u2550CFCF2CF3, (CF3)2C\u2550C(CF3)2, (CF3)2CFCF\u2550CFCF3, (CF3)2C\u2550CHC2F5, (CF3)2CFCF\u2550CHCF3, CF3CF2CF2CF2CH\u2550CH2, CH2\u2550CHC(CF3)3, (CF3)2C\u2550C(CH3)(CF3), CH2\u2550CFCF2CH(CF3)2, CF3CF\u2550C(CH3)CF2CF3, CF3CH\u2550CHCH(CF3)2, (CF3)2CFCF\u2550CHCH3, CF3CF2CF2CF\u2550CHCH3, CH2\u2550CHCF2CF2CF2CHF2, (CF3)2C\u2550CHCF2CH3, CH2\u2550C(CF3)CH2C2F5, CF3CF2CF2C(CH3)\u2550CH2, CF3CF2CF2CH\u2550CHCH3, CH2\u2550CHCH2CF2C2F5, CF3CF2CF\u2550CFC2H5, CH2\u2550CHCH2CF(CF3)2, CF3CF\u2550CHCH(CF3)(CH3), (CF3)2C\u2550CFC2H5, (CH3)2C\u2550CFCF2CF3, (CF3)2C\u2550C(CH3)2, CF3CF\u2550CFCF2CF2C2F5, CF3CF2CF\u2550CFCF2C2F5, CF3CH\u2550CFCF2CF2C2F5, CF3CF\u2550CHCF2CF2C2F5, CF3CF2CH\u2550CFCF2C2F5, CF3CF2CF\u2550CHCF2C2F5, CF3CF2CF2CF2CF\u2550CHCH3, CF3CF2CF2CF\u2550CHCH2CH3, (CH3)2C\u2550CFCF2CF2CF3, cyclo-CF2CH\u2550CHCF2CF2CF2\u2014, cyclo-CF2CF\u2550CFCF2CF2CF2\u2014, CF2\u2550CHCF2Br, CF2\u2550CFCBrH2, CHF\u2550CBrCF3, CHF\u2550CHCBrF2, CHF\u2550CBrCHF2, CHBr\u2550CFCF3, CHBr\u2550CHCF3, CH2\u2550CBrCF3, CH2CFCBrF2, CFBr\u2550CHCF3, CFBr\u2550CFCF3, CH2\u2550CBrCF2CF3, CHBr\u2550CHCF2CF3, CH2\u2550CHCF2CF2Br, CH2\u2550CHCBrFCF3, CF3CBr\u2550CFCF3, CH3CBr\u2550CHCF3, CF3CBr\u2550CHCH3, (CF3)2C\u2550CHBr, CF3CF\u2550CBrCF2CF3, CHF2CBr\u2550CFC2F5, CF2\u2550CBrCHFC2F5, CHBr\u2550CF(CF2)2CHF2, CH2\u2550CBrCF2C2F5, CF2\u2550CHCF2CH2CBrF2, (CF3)2CFCBr\u2550CH2, CF2\u2550C(CH2Br)CF3, CH2\u2550C(CBrF2)CF3, (CF3)2CHCH\u2550CHBr, (CF3)2C\u2550CHCH2Br, CH2\u2550CHCF(CF3)CBrF2, CF3CF2CF2CBr\u2550CH2, CF3(CF2)3CBr\u2550CH2, CHCl\u2550CFCClF2, CHCl\u2550CClCF3, CHCl\u2550CHCH2F, CHCl\u2550CFCH3, CH2\u2550CClCH2F, CHF\u2550CClCH3, CH2\u2550CClCClF2, CH2\u2550CFCCl2F, CHCl\u2550CClCHF2, CHCl\u2550CHCClF2, CHF\u2550CClCHClF, CCl2\u2550CFCH3, CH2\u2550CClCHClF, CH2\u2550C(CHF2)CClF2, CH2\u2550CHCF2CHClF, CHCl\u2550C(CH3)CF3, CH2\u2550CHCHClCF3, CH3CF\u2550CHCClF2, CH2\u2550CClCF2CF3, CHCl\u2550CHCF2CF3, CH2\u2550CHCF2CF2Cl, CH2\u2550CHCClFCF3, CH3CCl\u2550CHCF3, CF3CCl\u2550CHCH3, CH2\u2550CHCClFCHCl2, CH2\u2550CClCClFCClF2, CH2\u2550CClCH2CClF2, CH2\u2550CHCF2CHCl2, CH2\u2550CHCClFCClF2, CCl2\u2550C(CH3)CF3, CCl2\u2550CHCH2CF3, CH2\u2550CFCClFCClF2, CClF\u2550CHC2H5, CHCl\u2550CHCF2CH3, CH2\u2550CClCF2CH3, CH3CH\u2550CHCClF2, (CF3)2C\u2550CHCl, CF3CH\u2550C(CClF2)CF3, CHCl\u2550CHCF2CClFCF3, CHCl\u2550CHCF(CClF2)CF3, CF3CF\u2550CClCF2CF3, CHCl\u2550CF(CF2)2CHF2, CH2\u2550CClCF2C2F5, CF2\u2550CHCF2CH2CClF2, (CF3)2CFCCl\u2550CH2, (CF3)2CHCH\u2550CHCl, (CF3)2C\u2550CHCH2Cl, CH2\u2550CHCF(CF3)CClF2, CH2\u2550CClCF2CF2C2F5, and CHCl\u2550CHCF2CF2C2F5.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein said composition further comprises an aerosol propellant.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein said composition further comprises a surfactant.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein said composition further comprises a co-solvent.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the contacting is accomplished by vapor degreasing.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein the vapor degreasing is performed by:
(i) boiling the composition; and
(ii) exposing the article to vapors of the boiling cleaning composition.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein the contacting is accomplished by immersing the article in said composition, wherein the composition is at a temperature greater than ambient or room temperature.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein the composition is at a temperature of about the boiling point of the composition.
12. The method of claim 10 comprising, after immersing the article in the composition, the further step of immersing the article in the composition, wherein the composition is at a temperature lower than that of the first immersing step.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein the composition in the second immersing step is at ambient or room temperature.
14. The method of claim 12 comprising, after the second immersing step, the further steps of boiling the composition and exposing the article to vapors of the boiling composition.
15. The method of claim 1, wherein the composition is at ambient or room temperature.
16. The method of claim 1, wherein the contacting is accomplished by wiping the article with an object soaked in the composition.
17. A method for depositing a fluorolubricant on a surface comprising:
(a) combining a fluorolubricant and a solvent, said solvent comprising an unsaturated fluorinated hydrocarbon selected from the group consisting of unsaturated fluorinated hydrocarbons having the formula E- or Z-R1CH\u2550CHR2, wherein R1 and R2 are, independently, C1 to C6 perfluoroalkyl groups, or C1 to C6 hydrofluoroalkyl groups to form a lubricant-solvent combination;
(b) contacting the combination of lubricant-solvent with the surface; and
(c) evaporating the solvent from the surface to form a fluorolubricant coating on the surface.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein the surface is that of a semiconductor material, metal, metal oxide, vapor deposited carbon, or glass.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein the surface is that of a magnetic medium.
20. The method of claim 19, wherein the magnetic medium is a computer disk.
21. The method of claim 17, wherein the contacting step is accomplished by dipping or immersing the surface in a bath comprising the fluorolubricant.
22. The method of claim 17, wherein the contacting step is accomplished by spraying or spin coating the surface with the fluorolubricant.
23. The method of claim 17, wherein the fluorolubricant concentration in the lubricant-solvent combination is from about 0.02 weight percent to about 0.5 weight percent.
24. The method of claim 17, wherein the evaporating step is accomplished at a temperature of from about 10\xb0 C. to about 40\xb0 C.
25. The method of claim 17, wherein the fluorolubricant comprises a perfluoropolyether.
26. The method of claim 17, wherein the fluorolubricant is selected from the group consisting of perfluoropolyethers and mixtures thereof.
27. A process for removing at least a portion of water from the surface of a wetted substrate, said process comprising:
a) contacting the substrate with the composition of claim 1, wherein the composition further comprises a surfactant, and then
b) removing the substrate from contact with said composition.
28. A solvent composition consisting essentially of unsaturated fluorinated hydrocarbon having the formula R1CH\u2550CHR2, wherein R1 and R2 are, independently, C1 to C6 perfluoroalkyl groups, or C1 to C6 hydrofluoroalkyl groups.
29. The solvent composition of claim 28 wherein R1 and R2 are, independently, CF3, C2F5, CF2CF2CF3, CF(CF3)2, CF2CF2CF2CF3, CF(CF3)CF2CF3, CF2CF(CF3)2, C(CF3)3, CF2CF2CF2CF2CF3, CF2CF2CF(CF3)2, C(CF3)2C2F5, CF2CF2CF2CF2CF2CF3, CF(CF3) CF2CF2C2F5, C(CF3)2CF2C2F5, CHF2, CH2F, C2HF4, C2H2F3, C2H3F2, C3HF6, i-C3HF6, C3H2F5, C3H3F4, C4HF8, C4H3F6, C5HF10, C5H3F8, or C6HF12.
30. The solvent composition of claim 28 wherein the unsaturated fluorinated hydrocarbon is at least one of CF3CH\u2550CHCF3, CF3CH\u2550CHC2F5, CF3CH\u2550CHCF2C2F5, CF3CH\u2550CHCF(CF3)2, C2F5CH\u2550CHC2F5, CF3CH\u2550CH(CF2)3CF3, CF3CH\u2550CHCF2CF(CF3)2, CF3CH\u2550CHCF(CF3)C2F5, CF3CH\u2550CHC(CF3)3, C2F5CH\u2550CHCF2C2F5, C2F5CH\u2550CHCF(CF3)2, CF3CH\u2550CH(CF2)4CF3, CF3CH\u2550CHCF2CF2CF(CF3)2, CF3CH\u2550CHC(CF3)2C2F5, C2F5CH\u2550CH(CF2)3CF3, C2F5CH\u2550CHCF2CF(CF3)2, C2F5CH\u2550CHCF(CF3)C2F5, C2F5CH\u2550CHC(CF3)3, C2F5CF2CH\u2550CHCF2C2F5, (CF3)2CFCH\u2550CHCF(CF3)2, C2F5CF2CH\u2550CHCF(CF3)2, CF3CH\u2550CH(CF2)5CF3, CF3CH\u2550CHCF(CF3)(CF2)2C2F5, CF3CH\u2550CHC(CF3)2CF2C2F5, C2F5CH\u2550CH(CF2)4CF3, C2F5CH\u2550CHCF2CF2CF(CF3)2, C2F5CH\u2550CHC(CF3)2C2F5, C2F5CF2CH\u2550CH(CF2)3CF3, C2F5CF2CH\u2550CHCF2CF(CF3)2, C2F5CF2CH\u2550CHCF(CF3)C2F5, C2F5CF2CH\u2550CHC(CF3)3, (CF3)2CFCH\u2550CH(CF2)3CF3, (CF3)2CFCH\u2550CHCF2CF(CF3)2, (CF3)2CFCH\u2550CHCF(CF3)C2F5, (CF3)2CFCH\u2550CHC(CF3)3, C2F5CH\u2550CH(CF2)5CF3, C2F5CH\u2550CHCF(CF3)(CF2)2C2F5, C2F5CH\u2550CHC(CF3)2CF2C2F5, C2F5CF2CH\u2550CH(CF2)4CF3, C2F5CF2CH\u2550CHCF2CF2CF(CF3)2, C2F5CF2CH\u2550CHC(CF3)2C2F5, (CF3)2CFCH\u2550CH(CF2)4CF3, (CF3)2CFCH\u2550CHCF2CF2CF(CF3)2, (CF3)2CFCH\u2550CHC(CF3)2C2F5, CF3(CF2)3CH\u2550CH(CF2)3CF3, CF3(CF2)3CH\u2550CHCF2CF(CF3)2, CF3(CF2)3CH\u2550CHCF(CF3)C2F5, CF3(CF2)3CH\u2550CHC(CF3)3, (CF3)2CFCF2CH\u2550CHCF2CF(CF3)2, (CF3)2CFCF2CH\u2550CHCF(CF3)C2F5, (CF3)2CFCF2CH\u2550CHC(CF3)3, C2F5CF(CF3)CH\u2550CHCF(CF3)C2F5, C2F5CF(CF3)CH\u2550CHC(CF3)3, or (CF3)3CCH\u2550CHC(CF3)3.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An interferometry system for examining a surface of an object, said system comprising:
a source assembly that generates a measurement beam;
a detector assembly that includes a detector element;
an interferometer that includes a source imaging system that focuses the measurement beam onto a spot on the surface of the object and an object imaging system that images the spot onto the detector element as an interference beam to generate an interference signal therefrom, said object imaging system combining a return measurement beam coming from the spot with a reference beam to produce the interference beam, wherein the measurement beam upon interaction with the surface of the object produces a backscattered component and a forward-scattered component; and
a processor programmed to determine oblique angle-of-incidence information about a feature or defect on the surface of the object by using the backscattered component but not the forward scattered component.
2. The interferometry system of claim 1, wherein the object imaging system is configured to collect the backscattered component but not the forward scattered component to generate the return measurement beam.
3. The interferometry system of claim 1, wherein the source imaging system generates the measurement beam such that it has an angle of incidence relative to the surface of the object that ranges between \u03b81 and \u03b82, wherein \u03b81 and \u03b82 are angles that are less than 90\xb0 and wherein \u03b81<\u03b82.
4. The interferometry system of claim 1, wherein the interferometer is a linear displacement interferometer.
5. The interferometry system of claim 1, wherein the interferometer is a scanning, linear displacement interferometer.
6. The interferometry system of claim 1, further comprising a catadioptric imaging system that implements at least part of both the source imaging system and the object imaging system.
7. An interferometry system for examining a surface of an object, said system comprising:
a source assembly that generates a measurement beam;
a detector assembly that includes a detector element; and
an interferometer that includes a source imaging system that focuses the measurement beam onto a spot on the surface of the object and an object imaging system that images the spot onto the detector element as an interference beam to generate an interference signal therefrom, said object imaging system combining a return measurement beam coming from the spot with a reference beam to produce the interference beam,
wherein the source imaging system causes the measurement beam that arrives at the surface of the object to have an average angle of incidence that is oblique to the surface of object,
wherein the measurement beam upon interaction with the surface of the object produces a backscattered component and a forward-scattered component, and
wherein the object imaging system is configured to collect the backscattered component but not the forward scattered component to generate the return measurement beam.
8. The interferometry system of claim 7, wherein the source imaging system generates the measurement beam such that it has an angle of incidence relative to the surface of the object that ranges between \u03b81 and \u03b82, wherein \u03b81 and \u03b82 are angles that are less than 90\xb0 and wherein \u03b81<\u03b82.
9. The interferometry system of claim 7, wherein the interferometer is a linear displacement interferometer.
10. The interferometry system of claim 9, wherein the interferometer is a scanning, linear displacement interferometer.
11. The interferometry system of claim 7, further comprising a catadioptric imaging system that implements at least part of both the source imaging system and the object imaging system.
12. An interferometry system for examining a surface of an object, said system comprising:
a source assembly that generates an array of measurement beams;
a detector assembly that includes an array of detector elements;
an interferometer that includes a source imaging system that focuses the array of measurement beams onto an array of spots on the object and an object imaging system that images the array of spots onto the array of detector elements as an array of interference beams, said object imaging system combining an array of return measurement beams coming from the array of spots with an array of reference beams to produce the array of interference beams, wherein the array of measurement beams upon interaction with the surface of the object produces an array of backscattered components and an array of forward-scattered components; and
a processor programmed to determine oblique angle-of-incidence information about features or defects on the surface of the object by using the array of backscattered components but not the array of forward scattered components.
13. The interferometry system of claim 12, wherein the source imaging system generates the measurement beam array such that it has an angle of incidence relative to the surface of the object that ranges between \u03b81 and \u03b82, wherein \u03b81 and \u03b82 are angles that are less than 90\xb0 and wherein \u03b81<\u03b82.
14. The interferometry system of claim 12, wherein the interferometer is a linear displacement interferometer.
15. The interferometry system of claim 14, wherein the interferometer is a scanning, linear displacement interferometer.
16. The interferometry system of claim 12, further comprising a catadioptric imaging system that implements at least part of both the source imaging system and the object imaging system.
17. The interferometry system of claim 12, wherein the source assembly includes an optical component that simultaneously generates a first, a second, and a third array of measurement beams, wherein the first array of measurement beams is said first-mentioned array of measurement beams and said source imaging system causes the first array of measurement beams to arrive at the surface along a first range of directions that is characterized by an average angle of incidence that is oblique to the surface of the object, wherein the source imaging system focuses the second array of measurement beams onto the surface along a second range of directions characterized by an average angle of incidence that is oblique to the surface of the object, said second direction being different from the first direction, and wherein the source imaging system focuses the third array of measurement beams onto the surface so that the third array of measurement beams arrives at the surface of the object with an average angle of incidence that is non-oblique relative to the surface of the object.
18. The interferometry system of claim 17, wherein the source imaging system images the second array of measurement beams onto a second array of spots on the object and images the third array of measurement beams onto a third array of spots on the object, wherein the first, second, and third arrays of spots are distinct from each other.
19. The interferometry system of claim 17, wherein the first and second directions are complimentary to each other.
20. The interferometry system of claim 17, wherein the optical component comprises a pinhole array beam splitter and a spatial filter.
21. An interferometry system for examining a surface of an object, said system comprising:
a source assembly that generates an array of measurement beams;
a detector assembly that includes an array of detector elements; and
an interferometer that includes a source imaging system that focuses the array of measurement beams onto an array of spots on the object and an object imaging system that images the array of spots onto the array of detector elements as an array of interference beams, said object imaging system combining an array of return measurement beams coming from the array of spots with an array of reference beams to produce the array of interference beams,
wherein the source imaging system causes the array of measurement beams to arrive at the surface along a range of directions that is characterized by an average angle of incidence that is oblique to the surface of the object, wherein the array of measurement beams upon interaction with the surface of the object produces an array of backscattered components and an array of forward-scattered components and wherein the object imaging system uses the array of backscattered components but not the array of forward scattered components to generate the array of return measurement beams.
22. The interferometry system of claim 21, wherein the source imaging system generates the measurement beam array such that it has an angle of incidence relative to the surface of the object that ranges between \u03b81 and \u03b82, wherein \u03b81 and \u03b82 are angles that are less than 90\xb0 and wherein \u03b81<\u03b82.
23. The interferometry system of claim 21, wherein the interferometer is a linear displacement interferometer.
24. The interferometry system of claim 23, wherein the interferometer is a scanning, linear displacement interferometer.
25. The interferometry system of claim 21, further comprising a catadioptric imaging system that implements at least part of both the source imaging system and the object imaging system.
26. The interferometry system of claim 21, wherein the source assembly includes an optical component that simultaneously generates a first, a second, and a third array of measurement beams, wherein the first array of measurement beams is said first-mentioned array of measurement beams, wherein the source imaging system focuses the second array of measurement beams onto the surface along a second range of directions characterized by an average angle of incidence that is oblique to the surface of the object, said second direction being different from the first-mentioned direction, and wherein the source imaging system focuses the third array of measurement beams onto the surface so that the third array of measurement beams arrives at the surface of the object with an average angle of incidence that is non-oblique relative to the surface of the object.
27. The interferometry system of claim 26, wherein the source imaging system images the second array of measurement beams onto a second array of spots on the object and images the third array of measurement beams onto a third array of spots on the object, wherein the first, second, and third arrays of spots are distinct from each other.
28. The interferometry system of claim 26, wherein the first and second directions are complimentary to each other.
29. The interferometry system of claim 26, wherein the optical component comprises a pinhole array beam splitter and a spatial filter.
30. A method of interferometrically examining a surface of an object, said method comprising:
generating a measurement beam;
focusing the measurement beam onto a spot on the surface of the object wherein upon interaction with the surface of the object the measurement beam produces a backscattered component and a forward-scattered component;
combining a return measurement beam from the object with a reference beam to generate an interference beam;
generating an interference signal from the interference beam; and
from the interference signal, determining oblique angle-of-incidence information about a feature or defect on the surface of the object, wherein determining involves using the backscattered component but not the forward scattered component.
31. The method of claim 30, further comprising collecting the backscattered component from the surface of the object but not the forward scattered component to generate the return measurement beam.
32. The method of claim 30, further comprising interferometrically determining height profile information about the surface of the object.
33. The method of claim 32, further comprising using both the height profile information and the oblique angle-of-incidence information to determine locations of features on the surface of the object.
34. A method of interferometrically examining a surface of an object, said method comprising:
generating an array of measurement beams;
focusing the array of measurement beams onto an array of spots on the object, wherein upon interacting with the surface of the object the array of measurement beams produces an array of backscattered components and an array of forward-scattered components;
combining an array of return measurement beams from the object with an array of reference beams to generate an array of interference beams;
generating an array of interference signals form the array of interference beams;
from the array of interference signals, determining oblique angle-of-incidence information about a feature or defect on the surface of the object, wherein determining involves using the array of backscattered components but not the array forward scattered components.
35. The method of claim 34, wherein focusing the first-mentioned array of measurement beams onto the object involves delivering the first-mentioned array of measurement beams onto the object along a first range of directions characterized by an average angle of incidence that is oblique to the surface of the object, said method further comprising:
generating a second array of measurement beams;
focusing the second array of measurement beams onto the object so that the second array of measurement beams arrives at the surface along a second range of directions characterized by an average angle of incidence that is non-oblique to the surface of the object.
36. The method of claim 35, wherein upon interacting with the surface of the object the second array of measurement beams produces a second array of return measurement beams, said method further comprising:
combining the second array of return measurement beams from the object with a second array of reference beams to generate a second array of interference beams; and
from the second array of interference signals, determining height profile information about the surface of the object.
37. The method of claim 36, further comprising using both the height profile information and the oblique angle-of-incidence information to determine locations of features on the surface of the object.
38. The method of claim 37, wherein generating and focusing of the first and second arrays of measurement beams takes place concurrently.
39. The method of claim 38, further comprising scanning the first and second arrays of measurement beams across the surface of the object.