Modern differential confocal microscopy for closed-loop measurement of technical surfaces

Abstract Optical profilometry of microscopic workpieces are challenged by ever higher demands in terms of resolution, flexibility of use, and measuring speed. The differential confocal microscope (DCM) represents a nanometer-sensitive, fast, and flexibly integrable optical measuring principle. Here, three different implementation variants of this are presented, and their suitability for optical profilometry in the sub-micrometer range is demonstrated.