Photocharge microscope

US6198097A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army · US

Inventors

• Agostino Abbate · Clifton Park, US
• Julius Frankel · Rensselaer, US
• Pankaj K. Das · Cohoes, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Apr 15, 1998
• Grant date: Mar 6, 2001
• Expiry date: Apr 15, 2018

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10S977/868
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

An apparatus and/or system is described which uses the photocharge voltage concept in lieu of optical scattering techniques to measure surface topology and properties of materials. The system is based on the measurement of a small electrical potential difference which appears on any solid body when subjected to illumination by a modulated laser light. This voltage is proportional to the induced change in the surface electrical charge and is capacitively measured on various materials. The characterization of coatings to be used inside the base of guns is just one possible application for use by the U. S. Army.