Method and apparatus for a line based, two-dimensional characterization of a three-dimensional surface
US6427345B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 10, 1998 |
| Grant date | Aug 6, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 10, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S977/852
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Surface characteristics of a surface of a three-dimensional object, such as surface area, surface area enhancement (i.e., the ratio of the actual surface area to an area of that surface projected onto an X-Y plane), and surface roughness parameters can be calculated based solely on line-based measurements and without performing the calculations required to actually create a three-dimensional image of that surface. Because a true three-dimensional image is not created, interline registration and low frequency noise limitations are eliminated from the measurement, and data can be acquired by scanning bidirectionally without adversely affecting the results. Likewise, the analysis time required to determine surface parameters is a fraction of that required by image-based techniques. This technique, being line-based rather than image-based, can be performed by any probe-based instrument, optical-based instrument, or any other instrument capable of measuring a sample surface in either digital or analog fashion.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.