Method of determining surface roughness using a visible and infrared laser source.

摘要

A method of determining surface roughness from about 0 to about 20 microinches of surfaces having a unidirectional lay pattern by directing a substantially symmetric and concentric integral beam of infrared and visible light energy from a laser source at a predetermined angle to the surface to be examined. Infrared energy is specularly reflected from the surface and detected, and its intensity is measured, the intensity indicating the surface roughness. The visible light of the beam is used to locate the beam on the surface to be examined and to align a detector of the specularly reflected infrared energy.