The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 16, 1988
Filed:
Aug. 31, 1987
Gunter Makosch, Sindelfingen, DE;
Franz J Schedewie, Boeblingen, DE;
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
A surface to be tested is illuminated with two beams polarized perpendicularly to each other, extending symmetrically to an optical axis and focussed on the surface by a lens. The light scattered at the surface is separated from the directly reflected light by a reflecting diaphragm, and by means of electro-optical compensation (with an electro-optical modulator and photodetector) the scattered light is tested for phase difference which is a function of the distance of a scattering element of the surface from the optical axis. The phase difference within the illuminated spot is a unique function of the distance of the scattering element from the optical axis, if a diffraction-limited optical system is used.