Broad bandwidth interferometric gauging system

Claim 1

An optical gauge for measuring the distance between surfaces of a workpiece, comprising: light source means, for providing an optical signal; fixture means, for positioning the workpiece to provide transient registration of each workpiece surface with a measurement optical path, and for providing an encoder signal having incremental values indicative of incremental distances between moving surfaces; optical interference means, for dividing said optical signal into first and second optical beams reflected along first and second optical paths, respectively, said first optical path being coincident with said measurement path for reflecting said first beam off each workpiece surface registered therewith, said interference means recombining said beams at the output of said optical paths producing optical interference in said recombined beam in the presence of registration of each workpiece surface at a selected spatial position in said measurement path; means for providing an electrical signal equivalent of said optical interference; and signal processing means, responsive to said encoder signal and to said electrical interference signal, and including memory means for storing signals, for periodically sampling and storing in said memory means, samples of said electrical interference signal amplitude and said encoder signal incremental value associated therewith, calculating a maximum amplitude value from among said plurality of sampled values stored in said memory means and identifying said stored encoder signal value associated therewith, and comparing a encoder value associated with a present maximum amplitude with the preceding encoder value associated with a preceding maximum amplitude to provide the signal difference value therebetween as indicative of the distance between successive workpiece surfaces.