Real-time reflectivity and topography imagery of depth-resolved microscopic surfaces.

We have constructed an interference microscope that produces, in real time, reflectivity and topography images of surfaces with depth discrimination better than 1>mu;m . Intensity and phase images are obtained at the rate of 50 per second by use of a multiplexed lock-in detection and MMX assembler-optimized calculation routines. With a wavelength of 0.84microm , depth discrimination of 0.7microm and lateral resolution of 0.3microm were demonstrated, in good agreement with theory. Two-dimensional cross-sectional reflectivity and topography images taken at different depths in an integrated circuit are presented.