Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft Zur Foerderung Der Angewandten Forschung E.V.

Ralf Schnupp

Reinhold Waller

Jochen Thomas

The present invention is to a method for measuring the thickness of a layer on an object during a layer-depositing process, and a device by which the method can be realized. In the method, a diffraction object having at least two opposing diffracting limits at a known spacing, is positioned in such a way that a layer is deposited or absorbed at the diffracting limits of the diffraction object, whose thickness of layer has a known relationship with the thickness of the layer on the object. The diffracting limits of the diffraction object are projected by a coherent light pencil on a detection surface. The local intensity distribution, which is induced by diffraction on the detection surface, is detected and computed from the intensity distribution of the thickness of the layer. The method permits the detection of the thickness of thin layers during the layer-depositing process independently of the parameters of the material and with a high precision.

Method and device for measuring the thickness of a layer

An actuator component for a piezoelectrically-driven microatomizer comprises a diaphragm formed in a semiconductor substrate, a piezoelectric actuator which is arranged on a surface of the diaphragm and by means of which the diaphragm can be caused to vibrate, and a passage formed in the semiconductor substrate and used for supplying a liquid to be atomized from an inlet end to the diaphragm surface located opposite the piezoelectric actuator.

Growing community of inventors

Herzogenaurach, Germany

Ralf Schnupp