Patent · US Expired

Focus tracking system

US4626103A · kind A · utility

12Cited by
6References
16Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 29, 1984
Grant dateDec 2, 1986
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 29, 2004

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG03F9/7026
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A method and apparatus are disclosed for tracking the position of surfaces during certain processing such as optical projection printing. Light from a line or point source is made incident on the surface at a small angle to produce interference fringes between the reflected light and a reference beam. Any movement of the surface causes a shifting of the fringe pattern which can be detected by appropriate means such as a slit or grating and photodiode combination.

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