This dissertation investigates a method for extending the measurement range of an optical surface profiling instrument. The instrument examined in these experiments is a computer-controlled phase-modulated interference microscope. Because of its ability to measure surfaces with a high degree of vertical resolution as well as excellent lateral resolution, this instrument is one of the most favorable candidates for determining the microtopography of optical surfaces. However, the data acquired by the instrument are restricted to a finite lateral and vertical range. To overcome this restriction, the feasibility of a new testing technique is explored. By overlapping a series of collinear profiles the limited field of view of this instrument can be increased and profiles that contain longer surface wavelengths can be examined. This dissertation also presents a method to augment both the vertical and horizontal dynamic range of the surface profiler by combining multiple subapertures and two-wavelength techniques. The theory, algorithms, error sources, and limitations encountered when concatenating a number of profiles are presented. In particular, the effects of accumulated piston and tilt errors on a measurement are explored. Some practical considerations for implementation and integration into an existing system are presented. Experimental findings and results of Monte Carlo simulations are also studied to explain the effects of random noise, lateral position errors, and defocus across the CCD array on measurement results. These results indicate the extent to which the field of view of the profiler may be augmented. A review of current methods of measuring surface topography is included, to provide for a more coherent text, along with a summary of pertinent measurement parameters for surface characterization. This work concludes with recommendations for future work that would make subaperture-testing techniques more reliable for measuring the microsurface structure of a material over an extended region.

Interconnect lines, which connect components on a chip, can exhibit transmission line properties. Several factors like decrease in size of components, and decrease in spacing between interconnect lines, have contributed to the increase in importance of interconnect lines. A circuit-analysis approach that does not include the effect of these lines may be useless for highly dense chips. The presence of an active line does not require the analysis of all the other lines in a transmission-line system. In this thesis, a numerical experimental approach based on several industry-typical geometries is used to discuss analysis domain truncation of parallel conductors lying on a horizontal plane. It is found that "The maximum analysis domain between parallel conductors lying on a horizontal plane can be deduced from the analysis of the case of several similar, and parallel conductors of smallest possible width lying on a horizontal plane." UAC (University of Arizona Capacitance Calculator) is used as the TEM parameter extractor, while UACSL (University of Arizona Coupled Line Simulator With Linear Terminations) is used to calculate the voltages on the transmission lines.

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