Surface shape measurement apparatus and method

Abstract

Apparatus for indicating the departure of a shape of an object ( 3;11;16;18;22;26 ) from a specified shape is described. The apparatus comprises radiation means for directing an incident beam of radiation ( 4 ) onto the object, and inspecting means ( 5 ) for inspecting the final beam after transmission by or reflection from said object. The apparatus is arranged so that the final beam will have a substantially planar wavefront when said object has said specified shape, and said inspecting means ( 5 ) is arranged to determine any departure of the wavefront of the final beam from planarity. In one embodiment, the inspecting means comprises beamsplitting means, for example a diffraction grating ( 6 ) or hologram, and detector means such as a CCD camera ( 8 ). The beamsplitting means is then arranged to split the final beam into two or more beams and to direct said two or more beams to laterally displaced locations on the detector means.

1 - 23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . Apparatus for indicating the departure of a shape of an object from a specified shape, the apparatus comprising:
 radiation means for directing an incident beam of radiation onto the object,   inspecting means for inspecting a final beam, said object located optically between said radiation means and said inspecting means   at least one wavefront shaping means, optically disposed between the radiation means and the inspecting means for shaping the final beam to have a substantially planar wavefront when said object has said specified shape, and said final beam comprises a beam which has been both transmitted by or reflected from said object and shaped by said wavefront shaping means, said at least one wavefront shaping means is arranged to compensate for non-planarity introduced by said object having said specified shape, and said inspecting means is arranged to determine any departure of the wavefront of the final beam from planarity, wherein said inspecting means comprises:
 beamsplitting means for splitting the final beam into two or more beams and for directing said two or more beams to laterally displaced locations; and 
 detector means for detecting radiation intensity of said two or more beams on the detector means. 
   
     
     
         25 . Apparatus according to  claim 24  wherein said radiation means is arranged to produce a collimated beam of radiation. 
     
     
         26 . Apparatus according to  claim 24  wherein said incident beam of radiation is optical radiation. 
     
     
         27 . Apparatus according to  claim 24  wherein at least one said wavefront shaping means is located between the radiation means and the object. 
     
     
         28 . Apparatus according to  claim 24  wherein at least one said wavefront shaping means is located between the object and the inspecting means. 
     
     
         29 . Apparatus according to  claim 24  wherein at least one said wavefront shaping means comprises a lens or curved reflector. 
     
     
         30 . Apparatus according to  claim 24  wherein at least one said wavefront shaping means comprises a diffraction grating or hologram. 
     
     
         31 . Apparatus according to  claim 24  wherein at least one said wavefront shaping means is provided by a spatial light modulator. 
     
     
         32 . Apparatus according to  claim 24  including means for adjusting the relative position of the object and said wavefront shaping means. 
     
     
         33 . Apparatus according to  claim 24  comprising a beam splitter between said radiation means and said inspecting means. 
     
     
         34 . Apparatus according to  claim 24  wherein the beamsplitting means of said inspecting means comprises at least one of a diffraction grating and hologram. 
     
     
         35 . Apparatus according to  claim 24  wherein the beamsplitting means of said inspecting means comprises non-diffractive beamsplitter means for receiving light from two spaced object planes along a common path for transmission to first and second image areas along respective first and second optical paths, and focussing means arranged to bring said first and second object planes into focus in said first and second areas. 
     
     
         36 . Apparatus according to  claim 24  wherein the inspecting means is arranged to provide an analysis of the shape, or components of the shape, of the wavefront of the final beam. 
     
     
         37 . Apparatus according to  claim 24  wherein the detector means of the inspecting means comprises a pixelated imaging photosensor. 
     
     
         38 . Apparatus according to  claim 37  wherein the pixelated imaging photosensor is a charge coupled device (CCD) array. 
     
     
         39 . A method of indicating the departure of a shape of an object from a specified shape, the method including the steps of
 directing an incident beam of radiation onto the object;   shaping at least one of said incident beam and a beam transmitted by or reflected from said object to compensate for non-planarity introduced by said object having said specified shape, to provide a final beam comprising a beam which has been both transmitted by or reflected from said object and shaped by said shaping step, said final beam having a planar wavefront if the object has said specified shape; and   inspecting the final beam for any departure of its wavefront from planarity, wherein the step of inspecting said final beam comprises the steps of:
 splitting the final beam into two or more beams; and 
 directing said two or more beams to laterally displaced locations on a detector. 
   
     
     
         40 . A method according to  claim 39  wherein said object is an optical component. 
     
     
         41 . A method according to  claim 40  wherein said optical component is a window or is of generally laminar form, or comprises a planar reflective surface. 
     
     
         42 . Apparatus for indicating the departure of a shape of an object from a specified shape, the apparatus comprising:
 a radiation source for directing an incident beam of radiation onto the object;   a beam inspecting device for inspecting a final beam, wherein said final beam comprises a beam which has been both transmitted by or reflected from said object and shaped by at least one wavefront shaping device, said object located optically between said radiation source and said inspecting device;   said at least one wavefront shaping device, optically disposed between the radiation source and the inspecting device, for shaping the final beam to have a substantially planar wavefront when said object has said specified shape, said at least one wavefront shaping device is arranged to compensate for non-planarity introduced by said object having said specified shape, and said inspecting device is arranged to determine any departure of the wavefront of the final beam from planarity, wherein said inspecting device comprises:
 a device for splitting the final beam into two or more beams and for directing said two or more beams to laterally displaced locations; and 
 a photosensor for detecting radiation intensity of said two or more beams at said laterally displaced locations.