Variable-wavelength illumination system for interferometry
US7654685B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 6, 2007 |
| Grant date | Feb 2, 2010 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 18, 2028 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01B9/02007
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An illumination system for an interferometer combines a white-light source and a green source with a reflective green dichroic filter. When the green source alone is energized for PSI measurements, the output of the illumination system is green only. When a white-light output is desired for VSI measurements, both sources are energized and the intensity of the green light is judiciously calibrated to match the spectral band filtered out by the dichroic mirror. Therefore, the system can switch between green and white light simply by changing the selection of energized sources, without any mechanical switching and attendant delays and vibrations. Multiple narrowband sources may be combined with white light in a similar manner.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.