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The COmpton Spectrometer and Imager (COSI) is a space telescope that aims to study the soft gamma regime (0.2-5 MeV), capable of performing spectroscopy, imaging and polarimetry of cosmic gamma sources. COSI will use an active shield made of Bismuth Germanium Oxide (BGO), a known scintillator material, in order to reduce the instrumental background produced by primary and secondary particles. When a cosmic ray particle or gamma interacts with the active shield, they will produce scintillation photons. Thanks to the optical coupling of photomultipliers tubes (PMT) to the BGO walls, it is possible to detect these scintillation photons and remove the background events from the analysis with the Compton telescope. IRAP (Research Institute in Astrophysics and Planetology) is the organization responsible of providing the photodetector (PMT with its electronics and mechanics) design to the COSI mission. The main objective of my internship is to study the performance of the photodetector of the active shield, focusing on the development of simulations with Geant4. The first study investigates the propagation of optical photons inside a PMT, comparing an analytical method versus a Geant4 simulation. Geant4 perfectly simulates the transmission and reflection of photons. However, if some of the photons are absorbed by the materials, Geant4 starts to slightly differ. This happens because the absorption is computed with different physic processes in both models. The second study is focused on obtaining measurements from the PMTs at the laboratory. The pulse amplitude at the preamplifier level is analysed, as well as the transmission of the Si pad. The third and fourth studies are focused on the simulation, with Geant4, of the performance of a PMT optically coupled to two different scintillator materials, CsI(Tl) and BGO, respectively. The correct set-up of a simulation is always critical, especially for a space mission like COSI. Both studies aim to find the correct set-up in order to get the most precise simulation. The results are great, showing a really good correlation between the simulation and the real data. During the fifth study, I updated the photodetector engineering model, called DACS (Detector for the AntiCoincidence System), taking into consideration the new electronic board designs and the previous engineering models. The results obtained in this thesis help to understand the performance of the photodetectors that will be used on the COSI telescope, as well as to show the benefits of using a toolkit like Geant4 in projects with propagation of scintillation photons.

Le cancer du poumon chez la femme était une maladie rare au début du XXème siècle. Son incidence a fortement augmenté durant ces vingt dernières années dans les pays développés et particulièrement en France du fait de l’augmentation de la consommation de cigarettes dans la population féminine. L’étude des risques de cancer du poumon liés à la consommation de cigarettes des femmes a soulevé la question d’une éventuelle plus grande susceptibilité des femmes vis-à-vis du tabac dans la survenue du cancer du poumon par rapport aux hommes. Les résultats des études épidémiologiques sur le sujet sont divergents et l’hypothèse selon laquelle les hormones joueraient un rôle dans cette plus grande susceptibilité des femmes a été proposée pour expliquer ces différences. Objectifs : Les objectifs de cette thèse sont de donner des estimations récentes du risque de cancer du poumon chez la femme associé à la consommation de cigarettes en France, de comparer le risque de cancer du poumon chez les femmes et chez les hommes et d’étudier le rôle des hormones dans le risque de cancer du poumon.Matériel et méthodes : L’étude de la consommation de cigarettes chez les femmes et la comparaison des risques de cancer du poumon associé à cette consommation a été réalisée à partir des données de l’étude ICARE. Les cas de cancer du poumon ont été identifiés dans 10 départements incluant un registre général de cancer. Au total, 2276 cas de cancer du poumon chez les hommes et 2780 témoins ont été inclus ainsi que 650 cas de cancers du poumon féminins et 775 témoins. Les témoins étaient issus de la population générale, avec une distribution âge et sexe conforme à celle des cas et une répartition par statut socioéconomique conforme à celle des départements dont sont issus les cas. L’analyse du rôle des hormones et des facteurs reproductifs sur le risque du cancer du poumon a été menée par une analyse poolée, réunissant 9 études internationales. Cette étude a été réalisée dans le cadre du consortium ILCCO. Au total, 4547 cas et 4176 témoins ont été inclus dans l’analyse.Résultats : Notre étude a montré que le risque de cancer du poumon associé à la consommation de cigarettes est 8 fois plus élevé chez les femmes fumeuses par rapport aux non fumeuses en France. La quantité moyenne fumée, la durée totale de consommation et le délai depuis l’arrêt sont les 3 principales caractéristiques de consommation qui modulent le risque de cancer du poumon. La fraction de risque attribuable à la consommation de cigarettes est estimée à 55% [47 %-63 %]. La comparaison du risque de cancer du poumon entre les hommes et les femmes est très influencée par la présence des non fumeurs. . Bien que nous n’ayons pas trouvé de différence de risque de cancer du poumon entre les hommes et les femmes fumeurs lorsque l’on considère tous les types histologiques réunis, nous avons constaté que les femmes relativement aux hommes étaient plus à risque de cancer à petites cellules et de cancer épidermoïde, qui sont les types histologiques les plus liés à la consommation de cigarettes. Concernant l’étude sur le rôle des hormones dans la survenue de cancer du poumon, nos résultats montrent que plus l’âge à la ménopause est tardif et plus la durée des cycles menstruels est longue, moins le risque de cancer du poumon est important. Nous avons également montré que l’ovariectomie était associée positivement avec le risque de cancer du poumon. Conclusion : Nos résultats semblent indiquer que les femmes fumeuses sont peut-être plus à risque de développer un carcinome à petites cellules ou un cancer épidermoïde par rapport aux hommes fumeurs. L’étude sur les facteurs hormonaux a montré une association négative avec l’exposition prolongée aux hormones, qui n’est pas très cohérente avec un risque de cancer du poumon associé au tabac plus important chez les femmes que chez les hommes. / The incidence of female lung cancer in developed countries has been increasing since 1950 and particularly in France where the cigarettes consumption has also increased. Since 1980, a growing number of epidemiological surveys have pinpointed the risk of female lung cancer related to smoking. Consecutively, a debate on gender differences in lung cancer risk has appeared, but still in progress nowadays. The reproductive factors could explain these differences. In order to have recent and reliable data on the association between cigarettes smoking and the risk of lung cancer in women and to compare the lung cancer risk associated with smoking exposure between genders, we analyzed the data of a French population-based case-control study, ICARE. The role of the reproductive factors in lung cancer was analyzed pooling, 9 international epidemiological studies included in ILCCO consortium.The ICARE study included 2276 male and 650 female cases and 2780 male and 775 female controls. Lifetime smoking exposure was represented by the comprehensive smoking index (CSI) which combines total duration of smoking, the mean intensity and the time since cessation. The pooled analysis of the reproductive factors included a total of 4547 cases and 4176 controls were included.Among the ever smokers, the relative risk of lung cancer was similar among men and women after adjustments for age, département, education, BMI, occupational exposure and chronic bronchitis. However, we found that women have a 2-fold greater risk than men of developing either small cell carcinomas or squamous cell carcinomas. Alternatively, the association was similar between men and women for the adenocarcinomas. As regard the reproductive factors, we found that longer is the age at menopause, lower is the lung cancer risk. Moreover, longer is the duration of cycle, lower is the lung cancer risk. The ovariectomy is also associated with an increasing risk of lung cancer.Our findings suggest that women might be more susceptible than men to develop small cell carcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma in response to the carcinogenic effect of cigarettes smoking. The analysis on the reproductive factors showed an inverse association between hormonal exposure and lung cancer indicating a likely complex relationship between the two factors.

Für das CsI(Tl)-Kalorimeter des Babar-Detektors wurde ein Verfahren zur Kalibration entwickelt und implementiert. Es ist in der Lage, für alle 6580 Kristalle absolute Kalibrationskonstanten zu bestimmen und die zeitliche Änderung der Kristalleigenschaften zu monitorieren. Der Algorithmus basiert auf dem Vergleich von gemessener Energie und erwarteter deponierter Energie von Teilchen aus Ereignissen der Bhabha-Streuung. Die gemessene Energie wird aus einem Cluster von getroffenen Kristallen bestimmt, wobei die Kalibrierung der Einzelkristallenergien durch Multiplikation mit einer Kalibrationskonstante c erfolgt. Die erwartete Energie wird aus einer Monte-Carlo-Simulation extrahiert. Die Minimierung eines chi^2-Terms - in dem erwartete und gemessene Cluster-Energien verglichen werden - bezüglich der Kalibrationskonstanten c, führt zu einem linearen Gleichungssystem mit einer 6580*6580 Matrix, die numerisch invertiert werden kann. Die Methode kalibriert die Kristalle im Energiebereich von 2,5 bis 8 GeV. Bei einer Luminosität von 3*10^33 Ereignissen pro cm^2 und s erlaubt die hohe Rate an Bhabha-Ereignissen am PEP-II-Beschleuniger eine Kalibration mit einer statistischen Genauigkeit von 0,32 % innerhalb von 12 Stunden. Der Einfluss systematischer Unsicherheiten wurde untersucht und zu +0,81% -0,72% abgeschätzt. Durch die Kalibration konnten Energieauflösungen sigma_E / E von 1,8% bei Elektronen mit einer Energie von 7,5 GeV erreicht werden. Im Jahr 2000 wurde von Mitte Mai bis Ende Oktober ein Absinken der Lichtausbeute der Kristalle der Endkappe von etwa 2,8% beobachtet. / A technique to calibrate the CsI(Tl) calorimeter of the Babar experiment was developed and implemented. The method allows a calculation of absolute calibration constants for all 6580 crystals. With these constants, a monitoring of the change of the light yield of the crystals is possible. The algorithm is based on the comparison of the measured energy and the expected deposited energy of particles in Bhabha scattering events. The measured energy is calculated from a cluster of hit crystals. The individual crystal energies are calibrated by a multiplication with a calibration constant c. The expected energy is extracted from a Monte-Carlo-Simulation. Minimizing a chi^2 term - which compares the expected and the measured cluster energies - with respect to the constants c yields a system of linear equations with a 6580x6580 matrix, that can be inverted numerically. The crystals are calibrated in an energy range of 2.5 to 8 GeV. The large rate of Bhabha scattering events at the PEP-II accelerator allows a calibration with a statistical precision of 0.32% within 12 hours of data taking at a luminosity of 3*10^33 events per square centimeter and second. The influence of systematic uncertainties was studied and estimated to be +0.81% -0.72%. Due to the calibration an energy resolution sigma_E / E of 1.8% could be obtained for electrons with an energy of 7.5 GeV. With the calibration constants a decrease in the lightyield of the endcap crystals of 2.8% could be observed between May and October 2000.

A light pulser system for the Babar CsI(Tl) calorimeter, capable of monitoring the light yield of the 6580 crystals and of checking the function and linearity of the readout electronics, was developed in a collaboration with groups from Bochum and Edinburgh. The light pulser system is based on the coupling of light from Xenon flashlamps through optical fibers into the individual crystals. The absolute intensity is measured by two special reference systems whose stability is monitored using a radioactive source. During the construction phase the light pulser was used to check the electronics in order to ensure its functioning before the insertion of the calorimeter into the detector where the preamplifier electronics is inaccessable for repair. In monitoring the short term performance of the light pulser system, the stability over one week is better than 0.15 %. Over six months between February and August 2000 the crystal response, as measured by the light pulser, of the three rings of the endcap that are closest to the beam dropped by up to 2 % in comparison with the three outer rings of the endcap, due to radiation damage. Through linearity measurements with the light pulser a flaw in the ADC boards of the calorimeter electronics, which will be fixed in the near future, and cross-talk between channels was found. By a software correction of these effects implemented by members of the collaboration an improvement of the energy resolution of the calorimeter was achieved. / Fuer das CsI(Tl)-Kalorimeter des Babar-Detektors wurde in Zusammenarbeit mit Gruppen aus Bochum und Edinburgh ein Lichtpulsersystem entwickelt, das in der Lage ist, die Lichtausbeute der 6580 Kristalle zu monitorieren und die Funktionsfaehigkeit und Linearitaet der Kalorimeterelektronik zu ueberpruefen. Das Lichtpulsersystem basiert auf der Einkopplung des Lichts von Xenon-Blitzlampen ueber Lichtleitfasern in einzelne Kristalle. Die absolute Lichtmenge wird durch zwei spezielle Lichtnormale gemessen, deren Stabilitaet durch eine radioaktive Quelle monitoriert wird. In der Aufbauphase kam der Lichtpulser fuer die Ueberpruefung der Elektronik zum Einsatz, um deren Funktionsfaehigkeit sicherzustellen, bevor das Kalorimeter in den Detektor eingebaut wurde, weil danach die Vorverstaerkerelektronik fuer Reparaturen nicht mehr zugaenglich war. In der Monitorierung ist die Kurzzeitstabilitaet des Lichtpulsersystems ueber eine Woche besser als 0,15 %. Ueber sechs Monate zwischen Februar und August 2000 sank, bedingt durch Strahlenschaeden, die mit dem Lichtpulser gemessene Antwort der Kristalle fuer die strahlnaechsten drei Ringe der Endkappe um bis zu 2 % staerker als in den aeusseren drei Ringen der Endkappe. Durch die Linearitaetsmessungen mit dem Lichtpulser konnte ein Fehler in der Kalorimeterelektronik im Bereich der ADC-Karten, der in naher Zukunft behoben werden wird, sowie ein Uebersprechen zwischen den Kanaelen gefunden werden. Durch Softwarekorrekturen dieser Effekte von seiten der Kollaboration konnte eine Verbesserung der Energieaufloesung des Kalorimeters erreicht werden.

A light pulser system for the Babar CsI(Tl) calorimeter, capable of monitoring the light yield of the 6580 crystals and of checking the function and linearity of the readout electronics, was developed in a collaboration with groups from Bochum and Edinburgh. The light pulser system is based on the coupling of light from Xenon flashlamps through optical fibers into the individual crystals. The absolute intensity is measured by two special reference systems whose stability is monitored using a radioactive source. During the construction phase the light pulser was used to check the electronics in order to ensure its functioning before the insertion of the calorimeter into the detector where the preamplifier electronics is inaccessable for repair. In monitoring the short term performance of the light pulser system, the stability over one week is better than 0.15 %. Over six months between February and August 2000 the crystal response, as measured by the light pulser, of the three rings of the endcap that are closest to the beam dropped by up to 2 % in comparison with the three outer rings of the endcap, due to radiation damage. Through linearity measurements with the light pulser a flaw in the ADC boards of the calorimeter electronics, which will be fixed in the near future, and cross-talk between channels was found. By a software correction of these effects implemented by members of the collaboration an improvement of the energy resolution of the calorimeter was achieved. / Fuer das CsI(Tl)-Kalorimeter des Babar-Detektors wurde in Zusammenarbeit mit Gruppen aus Bochum und Edinburgh ein Lichtpulsersystem entwickelt, das in der Lage ist, die Lichtausbeute der 6580 Kristalle zu monitorieren und die Funktionsfaehigkeit und Linearitaet der Kalorimeterelektronik zu ueberpruefen. Das Lichtpulsersystem basiert auf der Einkopplung des Lichts von Xenon-Blitzlampen ueber Lichtleitfasern in einzelne Kristalle. Die absolute Lichtmenge wird durch zwei spezielle Lichtnormale gemessen, deren Stabilitaet durch eine radioaktive Quelle monitoriert wird. In der Aufbauphase kam der Lichtpulser fuer die Ueberpruefung der Elektronik zum Einsatz, um deren Funktionsfaehigkeit sicherzustellen, bevor das Kalorimeter in den Detektor eingebaut wurde, weil danach die Vorverstaerkerelektronik fuer Reparaturen nicht mehr zugaenglich war. In der Monitorierung ist die Kurzzeitstabilitaet des Lichtpulsersystems ueber eine Woche besser als 0,15 %. Ueber sechs Monate zwischen Februar und August 2000 sank, bedingt durch Strahlenschaeden, die mit dem Lichtpulser gemessene Antwort der Kristalle fuer die strahlnaechsten drei Ringe der Endkappe um bis zu 2 % staerker als in den aeusseren drei Ringen der Endkappe. Durch die Linearitaetsmessungen mit dem Lichtpulser konnte ein Fehler in der Kalorimeterelektronik im Bereich der ADC-Karten, der in naher Zukunft behoben werden wird, sowie ein Uebersprechen zwischen den Kanaelen gefunden werden. Durch Softwarekorrekturen dieser Effekte von seiten der Kollaboration konnte eine Verbesserung der Energieaufloesung des Kalorimeters erreicht werden.

Syfte: Intresset för företags sociala ansvarstagande har ökat markant sedan millennieskiftet och har sedan dess varit föremål för en intensiv debatt bland forskare, intressenter och företag. Det existerar en mängd forskning som undersöker förhållandet mellan företags sociala ansvarstagande (CSR) och finansiella prestation, medan företags sociala oansvarstagande (CSI) är ett i stort sett outforskat område. Samtidigt finns bevis för att intressenter och investerare tenderar att reagera starkare på negativ information kontra positiv information, där frågor som rör ESG-betygets sociala dimension är extra utmärkande. Syftet med denna studie är därför att undersöka förhållandet mellan sociala kontroverser och företags marknadsvärde.    Metod: Studien utgår från en positivistisk forskningsfilosofi, där en hypotetisk-deduktiv ansats med kvantitativ metod brukats. En longitudinell design har genomförts på 1152 företag över en tioårsperiod. Studien bygger på sekundärdata hämtat från Refintiv Eikon, vilken har analyserats med hjälp av statistikprogrammet SPSS.   Resultat & slutsats: Studiens resultat ger bevis för att sociala kontroverser leder till ett högre marknadsvärde, där synlighet har en modererande effekt på sambandet. Därmed gynnas högt synliga företag som är inblandade i sociala kontroverser, där den ökade uppmärksamheten som kontroverserna ger upphov till leder till ökad kännedom om företagets tidigare CSR- arbete vilket gynnar marknadsvärdet.   Examensarbetets bidrag: Genom studiens empiriska bevis bidrar denna uppsats till en ökad förståelse för effekterna av CSR-relaterade problem på marknadsvärdet, vilket givit såväl ett praktiskt som teoretiskt bidrag.    Förslag till fortsatt forskning: Ett förslag till vidare forskning är att studera sambandet mellan marknadsvärdet och dimensionen bolagsstyrning respektive miljödimensionen. Ytterligare något som skulle vara intressant att undersöka är vilken påverkan sociala kontroverser har på marknadsvärdet under en annan tidsperiod, exempelvis flera år efter att kontroversen uppdagats. / Aim: Interest in corporate social responsibility has increased significantly since the turn of the millennium and has since been the subject of intense debate among researchers, stakeholders and companies. There are numerous studies that examine the relation between Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and financial performance, while corporations’ lack of social responsibility is a largely unexplored area. Although this area remains unexplored, there is evidence that stakeholders and investors tend to react more strongly to negative information versus positive information, especially regarding questions concerning the social dimension of the ESG rating. The purpose of this study is therefore to examine the relationship between social controversies and companies' market value   Method: The study is based on a positivist research philosophy, where a hypothetical-deductive approach with a quantitative method has been used. A longitudinal model design has been implemented at 1152 companies over a ten year period. The study is based on data of secondary art collected from Refintiv Eikon. Thereafter, this data has been analyzed using the statistics program SPSS.   Result & Conclusion: The results of the study provide evidence that social controversies lead to a higher market value, where visibility has a governing effect on the relationship. This benefits companies with higher visibility that are involved in social controversies. The increased attention that the controversies give rise to, leads to increased knowledge of the companies’ previous CSR work, which benefit market value.   Contribution of the thesis: Through the empirical evidence of the study, the thesis contributes to an increased understanding of the effects of CSR-related problems on the market value. This results in a practical and theoretical contribution.   Suggestions for future research: Further research within the area that examines the relationship between the market value and the corporate governance dimension and the environmental dimension would be beneficial. Another aspect that would be interesting to investigate is the impact of social controversy on the market value during another period of time, for example several years after the controversy was discovered.

Für das CsI(Tl)-Kalorimeter des Babar-Detektors wurde ein Verfahren zur Kalibration entwickelt und implementiert. Es ist in der Lage, für alle 6580 Kristalle absolute Kalibrationskonstanten zu bestimmen und die zeitliche Änderung der Kristalleigenschaften zu monitorieren. Der Algorithmus basiert auf dem Vergleich von gemessener Energie und erwarteter deponierter Energie von Teilchen aus Ereignissen der Bhabha-Streuung. Die gemessene Energie wird aus einem Cluster von getroffenen Kristallen bestimmt, wobei die Kalibrierung der Einzelkristallenergien durch Multiplikation mit einer Kalibrationskonstante c erfolgt. Die erwartete Energie wird aus einer Monte-Carlo-Simulation extrahiert. Die Minimierung eines chi^2-Terms - in dem erwartete und gemessene Cluster-Energien verglichen werden - bezüglich der Kalibrationskonstanten c, führt zu einem linearen Gleichungssystem mit einer 6580*6580 Matrix, die numerisch invertiert werden kann. Die Methode kalibriert die Kristalle im Energiebereich von 2,5 bis 8 GeV. Bei einer Luminosität von 3*10^33 Ereignissen pro cm^2 und s erlaubt die hohe Rate an Bhabha-Ereignissen am PEP-II-Beschleuniger eine Kalibration mit einer statistischen Genauigkeit von 0,32 % innerhalb von 12 Stunden. Der Einfluss systematischer Unsicherheiten wurde untersucht und zu +0,81% -0,72% abgeschätzt. Durch die Kalibration konnten Energieauflösungen sigma_E / E von 1,8% bei Elektronen mit einer Energie von 7,5 GeV erreicht werden. Im Jahr 2000 wurde von Mitte Mai bis Ende Oktober ein Absinken der Lichtausbeute der Kristalle der Endkappe von etwa 2,8% beobachtet. / A technique to calibrate the CsI(Tl) calorimeter of the Babar experiment was developed and implemented. The method allows a calculation of absolute calibration constants for all 6580 crystals. With these constants, a monitoring of the change of the light yield of the crystals is possible. The algorithm is based on the comparison of the measured energy and the expected deposited energy of particles in Bhabha scattering events. The measured energy is calculated from a cluster of hit crystals. The individual crystal energies are calibrated by a multiplication with a calibration constant c. The expected energy is extracted from a Monte-Carlo-Simulation. Minimizing a chi^2 term - which compares the expected and the measured cluster energies - with respect to the constants c yields a system of linear equations with a 6580x6580 matrix, that can be inverted numerically. The crystals are calibrated in an energy range of 2.5 to 8 GeV. The large rate of Bhabha scattering events at the PEP-II accelerator allows a calibration with a statistical precision of 0.32% within 12 hours of data taking at a luminosity of 3*10^33 events per square centimeter and second. The influence of systematic uncertainties was studied and estimated to be +0.81% -0.72%. Due to the calibration an energy resolution sigma_E / E of 1.8% could be obtained for electrons with an energy of 7.5 GeV. With the calibration constants a decrease in the lightyield of the endcap crystals of 2.8% could be observed between May and October 2000.

Traditionally, surface topography measurement was in the domain of quality control of engineering parts. With the advancement of manufacturing technology and affordable computational costs, different types of surfaces are produced with varied shapes and surface textures. These pose significant measurement problems, therefore, surface topography research is gaining momentum to achieve a better control of the surface. Coherence scanning interferometry (CSI) is one of the most common techniques used for measurement of surface topography. It is preferred over tactile and other non-contact techniques since it provides fast and accurate measurement with high vertical (~ 1 nm) and lateral (~1 μm) resolutions over larger areas without any damage to the surface. Essentially, CSI is treated as one dimensional (1D) superposition of the light waves from an object and a reference that generates a three dimensional (3D) interferogram. Secondly, despite the advantages, there is no standard configuration of CSI that can provide absolute surface topography measurement of an engineering part with multiple materials. An effective solution to this problem will be particularly useful in the field of semiconductor and bio-related industries where chips and instruments are made of many materials. In this Thesis, first, the CSI technique is analysed in terms of a wider theoretical framework of 3D linear filtering technique which shows the similarities among other seemingly disparate techniques such as confocal and optical coherence tomography. Due consideration to the spectral characteristic of the source and the effect of numerical aperture are given and important parameters such as vertical and lateral resolutions are computed to compare this theory with standard analysis methods. Additionally, it is shown that the 3D fringe pattern can be considered to be a superposition of a reference field and the scattered field from the top foil-like layer on the top the object. The scattered field from this foil object is dependent on the normal Fresnel reflection coefficients. Therefore, it explains the phase offset and the proportional height offset introduced by different materials, especially, metals. In an object, where multiple materials are present, each material introduces different phase to the fringe pattern and therefore, the surface topography of the entire object is altered. To overcome this problem, the optical polarising properties of the material are exploited. A novel configuration of polarisation sensitive CSI is presented where interferograms with orthogonal circular polarisations are recorded and analysed. The configuration, initially, needs to be calibrated with a material and after that at each point on the object, the refractive index and height offset can be calculated. Therefore, it can be dually used to identify unknown materials present on the object and also to compensate for the height offset introduced by each material to produce absolute surface topography of the entire object. The configuration provides good agreement with ellipsometric results for metals. Additionally, it retains the advantages of high vertical and lateral resolution same as other standard coherence scanning interferometers.