Patent · US Expired

Scanning interferometry

US7102761B2 · kind B2 · utility

35Cited by
7References
35Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 27, 2004
Grant dateSep 5, 2006
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 13, 2025

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01B11/0675
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An interferometry method includes: imaging test light reflected from at least a first portion of a test surface to interfere with reference light on a camera and form an interference pattern, wherein the imaging defines a depth of focus for the light reflected from the test surface, and wherein the test light and reference light are derived from a common source; varying an optical path length difference between the test light and reference light over a range larger than the depth of focus, wherein the optical path length difference corresponds to a difference between a first optical path between the common source and the camera for the test light and a second optical path between the common source and the camera for the reference light; and maintaining the first portion of the test surface within the depth of focus as the optical path length difference is varied.

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