Surface inspection and characterization system and process
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A system for characterizing a rough, metallic surface, comprising:
- a light source capable of generating an incident beam of light;
means for directing the incident beam of light onto the surface to produce reflected light;
an optical filter arrangement configured to separate light into at least a first set of wavelengths which includes a target wavelength band, a second set of wavelengths which includes a first reference wavelength band outside the target band and a third set of wavelengths which includes a second reference band outside the target band and on the opposite side of the target band as the first reference band;
means for directing a component of the reflected light into said optical filter arrangement;
a first detector capable of detecting the intensity of light at the target band and of generating a signal corresponding to the detected intensity;
means for directing the first set of wavelengths of received light into said first detector;
a second detector capable of detecting the intensity of light at the first reference band and of generating a signal corresponding to the detected intensity;
a third detector capable of detecting the intensity of light at the second reference band and of generating a signal corresponding to the detected intensity;
means for directing the second set of wavelengths of received light into said second detector;
means for directing the third set of wavelengths of received light into said third detector, anda signal processor in communication with said first and said second detectors for processing the signal generated by said first and said second detectors.
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Abstract
A system and process for obtaining near real time, non-destructive inspection and characterization of surfaces. The system includes an infrared light source which is directed on a surface to be inspected. A portion of the reflected light is gathered and directed through an optical filter arrangement which separates the light into a plurality of sets of wavelengths which correspond to particular physical properties of the thin film, such as absorbance. The intensity of each set of wavelengths is detected by optical detectors and the resulting signals analyzed to characterize the surface.
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Citations
39 Claims
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1. A system for characterizing a rough, metallic surface, comprising:
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a light source capable of generating an incident beam of light; means for directing the incident beam of light onto the surface to produce reflected light; an optical filter arrangement configured to separate light into at least a first set of wavelengths which includes a target wavelength band, a second set of wavelengths which includes a first reference wavelength band outside the target band and a third set of wavelengths which includes a second reference band outside the target band and on the opposite side of the target band as the first reference band; means for directing a component of the reflected light into said optical filter arrangement; a first detector capable of detecting the intensity of light at the target band and of generating a signal corresponding to the detected intensity; means for directing the first set of wavelengths of received light into said first detector; a second detector capable of detecting the intensity of light at the first reference band and of generating a signal corresponding to the detected intensity; a third detector capable of detecting the intensity of light at the second reference band and of generating a signal corresponding to the detected intensity; means for directing the second set of wavelengths of received light into said second detector; means for directing the third set of wavelengths of received light into said third detector, and a signal processor in communication with said first and said second detectors for processing the signal generated by said first and said second detectors. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A system for characterizing a rough, metallic surface, comprising:
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a light source capable of generating an incident beam of light; means for directing the incident beam of light onto the surface to produce reflected light; an optical filter arrangement comprising; a first optical filter configured to reflect light corresponding to a first set of wavelengths while passing all remaining wavelengths of light; and a second optical filter configured to reflect light corresponding to a second set of wavelengths while passing all remaining received light, said optical filter arrangement further configured such that the light received by said optical filter arrangement is separated into three beams which each correspond to a different set of wavelengths, wherein one of said beams includes a target wavelength band, wherein the second of said beams includes a first wavelength reference band outside of the target band and wherein the third of said beams includes a second wavelength reference band outside of the target band and on the opposite side of the target band as the first reference band; means for directing a component of the reflected light into said optical filter arrangement; a first detector capable of detecting the intensity of light at the target band and of generating a signal corresponding to the detected intensity; a second detector capable of detecting the intensity of light at the first reference band and of generating a signal corresponding to the detected intensity; a third detector capable of detecting the intensity of light at the second reference band and of generating a signal corresponding to the detected intensity; means for directing the three beams of light separated by said optical filter arrangement into the detector corresponding to the set of wavelengths of the beam; and a signal processor in communication with said detectors for processing the signal generated by said detectors. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A system for inspecting a rough, metallic surface for the presence of a hydrocarbon contaminant, comprising:
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an infrared light source capable of generating an incident beam of light; a lens for directing the incident beam of light onto the surface, said lens positioned such that the incident beam is directed at the surface at an angle of incidence of about 45 degrees, thereby producing reflected light; an optical filter arrangement configured for receiving a portion of the back-scatter component of the reflected light, said optical filter arrangement comprising; a first high-pass filter configured to reflect light having a wavelength less than about 3.3 microns while passing all remaining wavelengths of light; a first band-pass filter positioned to receive the light passed by said first high-pass filter, said first band-pass filter configured to pass light having a wavelength of from about 3.65 microns to about 3.75 microns while reflecting all remaining wavelengths of light; a second band-pass filter positioned to receive the light reflected by said first high-pass filter, said second band-pass filter configured to pass light having a wavelength of from about 3.15 microns to about 3.25 microns; and a third band-pass filter positioned to receive the light reflected by said first band-pass filter, said third band-pass filter configured to pass light having a wavelength of from about 3.35 microns to about 3.45 microns; a first detector positioned to receive the light reflected from said first high-pass filter and through said second band-pass filter, said first detector capable of detecting the intensity of light and of generating a signal corresponding to the intensity of the received light; a second detector positioned to receive the light reflected from said first band-pass filter and through said third band-pass filter, said second detector capable of detecting the intensity of light and of generating a signal corresponding to the intensity of the received light; a third detector positioned to receive the light passed by said first band-pass filter, said third detector capable of detecting the intensity of light and of generating a signal corresponding to the intensity of the received light; a signal processor in communication with said detectors for processing the signal generated by said detectors; a scanning apparatus configured to change the point on the surface at which the incident beam of light is directed, thereby permitting the inspection of various discrete locations on the surface; and an output device in communication with said signal processor for displaying data processed by said signal processor. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
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22. A process for characterizing a rough, metallic surface, comprising the steps of:
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directing an incident beam of light onto a discrete location on the surface to be inspected; gathering at least a portion of the light reflected off the surface; introducing the gathered portion of the reflected light into an optical filter arrangement configured to separate the gathered portion of the reflected light into at least a first set of wavelengths which includes a target wavelength band, a second set of wavelengths which includes a first reference wavelength band outside the target band and a third set of wavelengths which includes a second reference wavelength band outside the target band and on the opposite side of the target band as the first reference band; monitoring the intensity of the gathered portion of the reflected light at the target band and at the first and second reference bands by directing the first set of wavelengths into a first detector capable of detecting the intensity of light at the target band and of producing a signal corresponding to the detected intensity, directing the second set of wavelengths into a second detector capable of detecting the intensity of light at the first reference band and of producing a signal corresponding to the detected intensity and directing the third set of wavelengths into a third detector capable of detecting the intensity of light at the second reference band and of producing a signal corresponding to the detected intensity; and analyzing the signals produced by the detectors to characterize the surface. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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Specification