Film mapping system

Abstract

A materials properties measuring system for using electromagnetic radiation interactions with selected materials positioned at a measuring location to determine selected properties thereof having an electromagnetic radiation source along with a plurality of radiation convergence elements for receiving any incident beams of electromagnetic radiation including the source having corresponding selected cross sections substantially perpendicular to the input path, and for converging these incident beams into corresponding departing beams including to the selected material each having a selected cross section substantially perpendicular to the output path that is smaller than that of its corresponding incident beam, and transmitting them to a beamsplitter that has an area as great as any such element. An electromagnetic radiation receiver is provided to receive any beams of electromagnetic radiation incident thereon after propagating thereto from the beamsplitter. The electromagnetic radiation source for providing propagating selected electromagnetic radiation at an output thereof is formed by a plurality of electromagnetic radiation emitters with differing center emission wavelengths and a beam combiner is provided with them wherein any electromagnetic radiation emitted by any of said electromagnetic radiation emitters enters at differing points to follow at least in part a common optical path to an output through at least some portion of the combiner determined by reflections and transmissions thereof in and at the combiner.

1 . An electromagnetic radiation source for providing propagating selected electromagnetic radiation at an output thereof, said device comprising: 
 a plurality of electromagnetic radiation emitters with differing center emission wavelengths; and    a beam combiner wherein any electromagnetic radiation emitted by any of said electromagnetic radiation emitters in said plurality thereof is transmitted through a corresponding optical filter having a spectral width less than 2.0 nm at visible wavelengths to thereafter follow at least in part a common optical path to an output through at least some portion of said combiner determined by reflections and transmissions thereof in and at said combiner with any electromagnetic radiation emitted from said electromagnetic radiation emitters in said plurality thereof entering said optical path at an entry point corresponding to that electromagnetic radiation emitter emitting same and with each said entry point differing in location along said optical path from those locations of those remaining other entry points.    
     
     
         2 . The system of claim  30  wherein said electromagnetic radiation emitters are light-emitting diodes and said beam combiner further comprises a transparent body with a pair of parallel surfaces on opposite sides thereof upon each of which is provided a row formed by a plurality of said optical filters such that a midpoint between any two adjacent said filters in said row on one said surface in said pair thereof is across said body from a said optical filter in said row on said other surface in said pair thereof with each said optical filter receiving any emitted electromagnetic radiation from a corresponding one of said plurality of light-emitting diodes to be transmitted through that said corresponding optical filter to thereby reduce or eliminate selected wavelengths therein.  
     
     
         3 . The system of claim  30  wherein said electromagnetic radiation emitters are light-emitting diodes and said beam combiner further comprises a plurality of combiner beamsplitters provided in a row with each of said combiner beamsplitters receiving any emitted electromagnetic radiation from a corresponding one of said plurality of light-emitting diodes to be at least partially reflected toward said output.  
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3  wherein said beam combiner further comprises a plurality of said optical filters each positioned between a corresponding one of said plurality of light-emitting diodes and said plurality of combiner beamsplitters to receive any emitted electromagnetic radiation from that corresponding one of said plurality of light-emitting diodes to be transmitted therethrough to thereby reduce or eliminate selected wavelengths therein.  
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 3  wherein at least some of said plurality of optical filters can be rotated about an axis substantially perpendicular that path followed by electromagnetic radiation transmitted therethrough.  
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said plurality of electromagnetic radiation emitters can be switched between emitting and not emitting electromagnetic radiation individually or concurrently in any combination of individual ones thereof.  
     
     
         7 . An electromagnetic radiation source for providing propagating selected electromagnetic radiation at an output thereof, said device comprising: 
 a plurality of laser diodes with differing center emission wavelengths; and    a beam combiner for combining electromagnetic radiation emitted solely by said plurality of laser diodes or emitted by said plurality of laser diodes and other kinds of electromagnetic radiation emitters emitter arrangements free of laser diodes at least some of which said other emitter arrangements emit electromagneticradiation having a spectral width less than 2.0 nm at visible wavelengths, and wherein any electromagnetic radiation emitted by any of said laser diodes in said plurality thereof or said other electromagnetic radiation emitters emitter arrangements follows at least in part a common optical path to an output through at least some portion of said combiner determined by reflections and transmissions thereof in and at said combiner with any electromagnetic radiation emitted from said laser diodes in said plurality thereof entering said optical path at an entry point corresponding to that laser diode emitting same and with each said entry point differing in location along said optical path from those locations of those remaining other entry points.    
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7  wherein said beam combiner further comprises a transparent body with a pair of parallel surfaces on opposite sides thereof upon each of which is provided a row formed by a plurality of optical filters such that a midpoint between any two adjacent said filters in said row on one said surface in said pair thereof is across said body from a said optical filter in said row on said other surface in said pair thereof with each said optical filter receiving any emitted electromagnetic radiation from a corresponding one of said plurality of laser diodes to be transmitted through that said corresponding optical filter to thereby reduce or eliminate selected wavelengths therein.  
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 7  wherein said beam combiner further comprises a plurality of combiner beamsplitters provided in an array with each of said combiner beamsplitters receiving any emitted electromagnetic radiation from a corresponding one of said plurality of laser diodes to be at least partially reflect same toward said output.  
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 7  wherein said plurality of laser diodes can be switched between emitting and not emitting electromagnetic radiation individually or concurrently in any combination of individual ones thereof.  
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1  wherein each said optical filter has a bandwidth less than 100 GHz.  
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said plurality of electromagnetic radiation emitters can be modulated to variably emit electromagnetic radiation at a selected frequency individually or concurrently in any combination of individual ones thereof.  
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 7  wherein said plurality of electromagnetic radiation emitters can be modulated to variably emit electromagnetic radiation at a selected frequency individually or concurrently in any combination of individual ones thereof.