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:
Jun. 22, 2004
Filed:
Mar. 29, 2002
Fahrettin L. Degertekin, Decatur, GA (US);
Thomas R. Kurfess, Marietta, GA (US);
Byungki Kim, Alpharetta, GA (US);
Hosein Ali Razavi, Decatur, GA (US);
Geogia Tech Research Corporation, Atlanta, GA (US);
Abstract
The present invention relates to microinterferometers. An embodiment of a microinterferometer for accurately measuring the distance to an object surface includes a substrate and a tunable, phase-sensitive, reflective diffraction grating formed atop said substrate. The diffraction grating is configured to reflect a first portion of an incident light and transmit a second portion of the incident light, such that the second portion of the incident light is diffracted. The diffraction grating is further configured to be controllably adjusted. The microinterferometer also includes a photo-detector for receiving interference patterns produced from the first portion of the incident light reflected from the diffraction grating and the second portion of the incident light reflected from the object surface. The microinterferometer also includes a controller coupled to the photo-detector and the diffraction grating for adjusting the diffraction grating, such that the interference patterns are altered. Systems and methods are also disclosed.