Patent · US Expired

Phase modulation of grazing incidence interferometer

US4325637A · kind A · utility

21Cited by
2References
8Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJun 2, 1980
Grant dateApr 20, 1982
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 2, 2000

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01B2290/35
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

Phase is modulated in a grazing incidence interferometer by modulating the incidence angle and spacing the test surface far enough from the reference surface so that the incidence angle modulation changes the phase relationship between the interferring beam reflected from the test surface and the reference beam reflected from the reference surface substantially more than it changes the sensitivity of the interferometer to surface variations between the reference and test surfaces. The preferred way of accomplishing this is with tiltable mirror 15 modulating the incidence angle slightly relative to prism 11 with its reference surface 12 and test surface 13 spaced from reference surface 12 in interferometer 10. An electromagnetic element 16 such as a galvanometer is preferred for tilting mirror 15.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.