Sample thickness measuring arrangement and method for measuring a thickness of a sample at cryogenic temperature by interferometry using a cryostat

Abstract

A sample thickness measuring arrangement and method for measuring a thickness of a sample are proposed. The sample thickness measuring arrangement comprises a sample thickness measuring unit for measuring the thickness of a sample based on interferometry. Furthermore, it comprises a cryostat comprising a coolant reservoir and a sample observation unit for observing characteristics of a sample. The sample observation unit comprises a tube enclosing an observation volume, a thermal tube insulation layer and a window arrangement. The tube is open at a distal end and at a proximal end. The distal end of the tube is arranged. within a storage volume of the coolant reservoir. The tube has two lateral openings in its tube walls at opposing sides with regards to the observation volume. The tube walls are covered at their external side with the thermal tube insulation layer having two openings adjacent to the openings in the tube walls. The window arrangement comprises two opposing panes, each pane being arranged at one of the openings in the thermal insulation layer. The panes are transparent to light of a laser beam. The proposed approach enable precise and stable sample thickness measurements at cryogenic temperatures.