Loading...
Please wait, while we are loading the content...
Similar Documents
Apparatus and method for high-speed characterization of surfaces
| Content Provider | NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS) |
|---|---|
| Copyright Year | 1997 |
| Description | This invention permits rapid determination of a three-dimensional contour of an object. The apparatus directs a laser beam onto a point on an object, and the scattered light is received by a position sensitive detector (PSD). The location at which scattered light is received can be related to the displacement of the point on the object, using basic trigonometry. The laser beam is deflected non-mechanically, by passing it through a crystal whose index of refraction is varied in a controlled manner. By proper control of the index of refraction, one can scan the beam across a desired area of the object, without using any moving parts, and can therefore obtain complete information about the contour of the object. The device operates without making any conventional images, and is therefore much faster than comparable devices of the prior art. Also, the laser and beam deflector can be housed in a small optical head which enables the device to reach normally inaccessible areas. The device can compare the test object with a reference object, or it can compare two objects for differences. |
| File Size | 910381 |
| Page Count | 11 |
| File Format | |
| Alternate Webpage(s) | http://archive.org/details/NASA_NTRS_Archive_20080004813 |
| Archival Resource Key | ark:/13960/t9479b54n |
| Language | English |
| Publisher Date | 1997-07-01 |
| Access Restriction | Open |
| Subject Keyword | Optics Patents Position Location Lasers Light Scattering Refraction Contours High Speed Ntrs Nasa Technical Reports Server (ntrs) Nasa Technical Reports Server Aerodynamics Aircraft Aerospace Engineering Aerospace Aeronautic Space Science |
| Content Type | Text |
| Resource Type | Patent |
