Multiple fanned laser beam metrology system

• US 7,787,134 B2
• Filed: 04/19/2006
• Issued: 08/31/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Bender, Douglas, Liu, John Y., Kohnen, Kirk, Sedivec, Peter J., Becker, Gregory S., McVey, Ray, Liu, Ketao, Guthrie, Richard W., Lundgren, Mark A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Toatley, Jr.; Gregory J
• Assistant Examiner(s): BRYANT, REBECCA CAROLE
• Application Number:
  US11/407,549
• Publication Number:
  US 20070103699A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,595 Days
• Field of Search: 356/370, 356/625, 356/3.1
• US Class Current: 356/620
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/14 for measuring distance or clearance between spaced objects or spaced apertures G01B11/26 takes precedence; rangefinders G01C3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/24 for measuring contours or curvatures
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/36 with phase comparison between the received signal and the contemporaneously transmitted signal
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/42 Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates indirect measurement G01S17/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/48 Active triangulation systems, i.e. using the transmission and reflection of electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4811 common to transmitter and receiver
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4817 relating to scanning

Abstract

Systems and techniques for laser metrology. Two or more fanned probe beams are scanned relative to a surface including one or more targets. A position detection module receives return beam information from the fanned probe beams, and determines a position of at least a first target of the one or more targets based on the return beam information.

Claims

1. A metrology system comprising:

a scanner configured to rotate a first fanned probe beam and a second fanned probe beam about a scan axis with respect to a common origin for the first and second fanned probe beams, wherein the first fanned probe beam extends in a first direction and in a second direction, the first and second directions and the scan axis all being orthogonal to each other, and wherein the rotation of the first fanned probe beam about the scan axis defines a first scan angle, the first fanned probe beam being tilted with respect to the second direction by a first tilt angle, and wherein the second fanned probe beam extends in the first and second directions and is tilted with respect to the second direction by a second tilt angle that differs from the first tilt angle, the rotation of the second fanned probe beam about the scan axis defining a second scan angle, the first fanned beam being collinear with the second fanned probe beam,

a light source system configured to generate the first fanned probe beam having a first wavelength and a first modulation frequency, the light source system further configured to generate the second fanned probe beam having a second different wavelength and a second different modulation frequency; and

a position detection module configured to receive a first reflected return beam having the first wavelength and first modulation frequency from a first target and to receive a second reflected return beam having the second wavelength and the second modulation frequency from the first target and configured to determine a position of the first target using a range and the first scan angle associated with the first return beam and a range and the second scan angle associated with the second return beam.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the position detection module includes a phase processing module configured to determine the range using phase information associated with the first modulation frequency and phase information associated with the first return beam.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the light source system comprises a first laser source in communication with an amplitude modulation driver system configured to drive the first laser at the first modulation frequency.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the scanner comprises a scanning mirror, and wherein the system further comprises an angular measurement sensor in communication with the scanning mirror and configured to generate a signal indicative of a scan angle of the scanning mirror.

5. A metrology system comprising:

scanning means for rotating a first fanned probe beam and a second fanned probe beam about a scan axis with respect to common origin for both the first and second fanned probe beams, wherein the first fanned probe beam extends in a first direction and in a second direction, the first and second directions and the scan axis all being orthogonal to each other, and wherein the rotation of the first fanned probe beam about the scan axis defines a first scan angle, the first fanned probe beam being tilted with respect to the second direction by a first tilt angle, and wherein the second fanned probe beam extends in the first and second directions and is tilted with respect to the second direction by a second tilt angle that differs from the first tilt angle, the rotation of the second fanned probe beam about the scan axis defining a second scan angle, the first fanned probe beam being collinear with the second fanned probe beam;

means for generating the first fanned probe beam having a first wavelength and a first modulation frequency;

means for generating the second fanned probe beam having a second different wavelength and a second different modulation frequency; and

means for receiving a first reflected return beam having the first wavelength and first modulation frequency from a first target;

means for receiving a second reflected return beam having the second wavelength and the second modulation frequency from the first target; and

means for determining a position of the first target from a range and the first scan angle associated with the first return beam and for determining a position of the second target from a range and the second scan angle associated with the second return beam.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the means for determining the position of the first target includes a means for determining the range using phase information associated with the first modulation frequency and phase information associated with the first return beam.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the means for generating a first fanned probe beam comprises a first laser source in communication with an amplitude modulation driving means for modulating the amplitude of the first laser at the first modulation frequency.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the scanning means comprises a scanning mirror, and wherein the system further comprises an angular measurement sensor in communication with the scanning mirror and configured to generate a signal indicative of a scan angle of the mirror.

9. A method of determining a three-dimensional position of a first target comprising:

generating a first probe beam with respect to a scan axis, the first probe beam having a first wavelength and a first amplitude modulation frequency, wherein the first probe beam extends in a first direction and in a second direction from the scan axis, the first and second directions and the scan axis all being orthogonal to each other, the first fanned beam being tilted with respect to the second direction by a first tilt angle;

generating a second probe beam with respect to the scan axis, the second probe beam having a second wavelength and a second amplitude modulation frequency, wherein the second probe beam extends in the first and second directions from the scan axis and is tilted with respect to the second direction by a second tilt angle that differs from the first tilt angle, and wherein the first and second probe beams are collinear and extend from a common origin;

rotating the first probe beam and the second probe beam about the scan axis, wherein the rotation of the first probe beam about the scan axis defines a first scan angle and the rotation of the second probe beam about the scan axis defines a second scan angle;

reflecting from the first target the first probe beam as a first reflected beam;

detecting the first reflected beam;

determining a first range and a first scan angle based on detecting the first reflected beam;

reflecting from the first target the second probe beam as a second reflected beam;

detecting the second reflected beam;

determining a second range and a second scan angle based on detecting the second reflected beam; and

determining the three-dimensional position of the first target using the first range, the second range, the first scan angle, and the second scan angle.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first target is a retro-reflective target.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein determining the first scan angle comprises determining the first scan angle based on an angular position of a scanner at a time at which the first reflected beam is received and a correction factor indicative of the first range and a scan rate.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the first probe beam is generated using a driver configured to drive a light source at the first modulation frequency, and wherein determining the first range comprises determining the first range using a phase of the first reflected beam and a phase of an output of the driver.