Pulsed source scanning interferometer
US6556305B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 17, 2000 |
| Grant date | Apr 29, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 17, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01B9/0209
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A pulsed light source in used conjunction with a ramping scanning mechanism for phase-shift and vertical-scanning interferometry. The pulse length and the scanning velocity are selected such that a minimal change in OPD occurs during the pulse. As long as the duration of the pulse is shorter than the detector's integration time, the effective integration time and the corresponding phase shift are determined by the length of the pulse, rather than the detector's characteristics. The resulting minimal phase shift produces negligible loss of fringe modulation, thereby greatly improving signal utilization during phase-shifting and vertical-scanning interferometry.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.