Patent · US Expired

Test head for optically inspecting workpieces comprising a lens for elongating a laser spot on the workpieces

US7292329B2 · kind B2 · utility

70Cited by
15References
18Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 23, 2005
Grant dateNov 6, 2007
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 24, 2025

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01N21/8806
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An optical test head comprises a laser source for providing a laser beam. The laser beam passes through a cylindrical lens for modifying the shape of the beam and a spherical lens for concentrating the beam onto a workpiece (typically a magnetic disk platter). The cylindrical lens both a) elongates the laser beam along the radial direction of the platter (by reducing the effective numerical aperture in the radial direction); and b) causes the beam to be out of focus in the radial direction (although the beam is typically in focus in the circumferential direction). The size of the beam in the radial direction is substantially insensitive to the position of the cylindrical lens.

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