Method and arrangement for optically determining surface profiles

摘要

A surface is subjected to a light field whose intensity is periodically modulated in a vertical direction to evaluate a scattered light pattern. The light field is obtained from interference between a first or central beam with vertical incidence and two symmetrical laterally disposed beams with oblique incidence. All beams are focussed to a common spot if the profile is obtained by scanning the surface or are superimposed as collimated beams if large area profiling is desired. The surface is imaged onto a diaphragm which selects appropriate locations of the surface for measurements by a photodetector to record sinusoidal intensity variations that are obtained when the light is periodically shifted in a vertical direction by phase modulating the first or central beam with respect to the lateral beams.