Patent · US Expired

Optical probe calibration apparatus and method

US6075601A · kind A · utility

18Cited by
3References
4Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 11, 1999
Grant dateJun 13, 2000
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 11, 2019

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01B11/026
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An apparatus and method for calibrating an optical probe assembly, wherein the optical probe assembly includes a probe mounting surface and an optically transparent material spaced from the probe mounting surface. The method includes providing a calibration apparatus, wherein the calibration apparatus includes a calibration mount having an axis and a reference surface on an exterior surface of the calibration mount. A calibration target is mounted substantially perpendicular to the calibration mount axis at a predetermined distance from the calibration mount reference surface, and a distance LR from the calibration target to the calibration mount reference surface is determined. The optical probe assembly is then removably mounted and lockably secured to the calibration apparatus such that the calibration mount reference surface is in a predetermined orientation relative to the probe mounting surface on the optical probe assembly. Non-coherent light interferometry is used to determine a distance PR from the optically transparent material to the calibration target, and a distance LP from the probe mounting surface to the optically transparent material using the values of LR and PR i…

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