Optical Scanning Probe

• US 20120026510A1
• Filed: 07/06/2011
• Published: 02/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Metris NV (Nikon Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Metris NV (Nikon Corporation)
• Inventors: Crampton, Stephen James, Champ, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 8,353,059 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 356/601
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/2518 Projection by scanning of the object

Abstract

The present invention relates to a scanning probe (2) for capturing data from a plurality of points on the surface of an object by irradiating the object with a light stripe and detecting light reflected from the object surface, the scanning probe comprising (a) stripe generating means (14) for generating and emitting a light stripe (55); (b) a camera (16) comprising an imaging sensor having an array of pixels to detect the light stripe reflected from the object surface; (c) means for adjusting the intensity of the light stripe (55) during acquisition of the frame, in dependence upon the intensities detected by the camera (16). It also relates to a means to modify the stripe length, a scanner with separate compartment for the processing means, and an attachable dust cover for a scanner.

Claims

1. A scanning probe for capturing data from a plurality of points on the surface of the object by irradiating the object with a light stripe and detecting light reflected from the object surface, the scanning probe comprising:

(a) a stripe generator for generating a light stripe;

(b) an imaging sensor to detect the light stripe reflected from the object surface; and

(c) an aperture through which the light stripe generated by the stripe generator is emitted, the aperture being variable to provide an aperture of a first width and an aperture of a second width through which the light stripe passes such that light stripes of different lengths are generated when the aperture is arranged at different widths.

2. A scanning probe according to claim 1, wherein the aperture is of non-circular shape and is variable by rotation relative to the light stripe to provide the aperture with the first and second widths.

3. A scanning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the aperture is manually variable.

4. A scanning apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising:

an aperture position detector for detecting whether the aperture is set to the first width or the second width; and

a frame rate setter for setting the detection frame rate of the imaging sensor in dependence upon the determined width.

5. A scanning apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an aperture adjuster for varying the aperture in response to user input instructions.

6. A scanning apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising a frame rate setter for setting the detection frame rate of the imaging sensor in dependence upon the user input instructions.