The metrological basis for the inspection of microcomponents by Digital Holography

The characterization of the materials of microcomponents is a very importan t step for the introduction of new products of microsystems technology. Opt ical measurement techniques provide important advantages which make them at tractive for the investigation of microcomponents. These are the high measu rement sensitivity and accuracy, their non-tactile operation and short resp onse potential, the fieldwise working principle, and the high resolution of data. Especially Digital Holography and the related digital measurement te chniques (holographic interferometry and contouring) represent an elegant a pproach to the measurement of 3D-coordinates and displacements of small com ponents. The paper deals with the basics of Digital Holography and describe s the metrological requisites of a new generation of measurement systems fo r the characterization of the materials behavior of microcomponents.