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Confocal sensors are usually used in dimensional metrology applications, like roughness, form, thickness and surface profile measurements. With the progress of technologies, metrological applications require measurements with nanometer-level of accuracy by using ultra-high precision machines, which should present a minimum and stable metrology loop. The loop is equipped with sensors with nanometer-level of resolution and linear residual. The study presented here, is mainly focused on the characterization of Confocal sensors in order to identify their performance practically. Such information is useful to establish a correction model in the digital signal processing (DSP) software. In this context, LNE developed an ultra-high-precision machine, dedicated to the roughness measurement with an uncertainty of a few nanometres (< 30 nm) by using a tactile sensor. In order to match this machine to Confocal sensors, an experiment has been recently developed to characterize the behaviour of two commercial Confocal sensors with the measuring range of 20 μm and 350 μ m. The experiment permits the evaluation of the major error sources: axial and radial motion errors as-well-as the deviation/tilt of the sensors.

Chromatic confocal probes are increasingly used in high-precision dimensional metrology applications such as roughness, form, thickness and surface profile measurements; however, their measurement behaviour is not well understood and must be characterized at a nanometre level. This paper provides a calibration bench for the characterization of two chromatic confocal probes of 20 and 350 µm travel ranges. The metrology loop that includes the chromatic confocal probe is stable and enables measurement repeatability at the nanometer level. With the proposed system, the major error sources, such as the relative axial and radial motions of the probe with respect to the sample, the material, colour and roughness of the measured sample, the relative deviation/tilt of the probe and the scanning speed are identified. Experimental test results show that the chromatic confocal probes are sensitive to these errors and that their measurement behaviour is highly dependent on them.

Both optical and tactile probes are often used in dimensional metrology applications, especially for roughness, form, thickness and surface profile measurements. To perform such kinds of measurements with a nanometre-level of accuracy (~30 nm), Laboratoire National de Metrologie et d'Essais (LNE) has developed a new high-precision machine. The architecture of the machine contains a short and stable metrology frame dissociated from the supporting frame. It perfectly respects the Abbe principle. The metrology loop supports reference laser interferometers and is equipped either with an optical probe or a tactile probe of nanometric resolution and linear residuals. The machine allows in situ calibration of the measuring optical and tactile probes by comparison to the laser interferometer measurements, considered as a reference. In this paper, both architecture and operation of the LNE's high-precision profilometer are detailed. A brief comparison of the behaviour (linear residuals) of the confocal chromatic and tactile probes is presented. Optical and tactile scanning of V-grooves artefacts with 75, 24, 7.5, 2.4, 0.75 and 0.24 µm depths are illustrated and discussed. In addition, a comparison between optical, tactile and atomic force microscopy measurements on a VLSI SHS 880-QC is also performed. Finally, a comparison of an optical and tactile scanning of optical aspherical lens with a polymer coating is presented and discussed.