Surface analyzer and method

Claim 2

In an analyzer for analyzing the surface of an object which is substantially opaque to ultraviolet light, a substantially light-tight housing having aperture means therein for viewing the surface of the object to be analyzed, illuminator means carried by the housing including a source of ultraviolet light and optical imaging means for directing light from the source through the aperture means and onto the surface of the object to illuminate the surface of the object, collector means carried by the housing including means responsive to ultraviolet light, optical imaging means for receiving ultraviolet light from said surface through said aperture means and directing it onto the means responsive to ultraviolet light and means carried by the housing permitting relative tilting movement between the surface of the object and the housing so that substantially only scattered reflected ultraviolet light is collected in one position of the housing and substantially only specularly reflected ultraviolet light is collected in a second position of the housing.

Claim 3

An analyzer as in claim 1 together with a stand overlying the surface of the object to be analyzed, the stand having an opening therein, and means mounting the housing on the stand permitting relative movement between the housing and the stand so that alternatively scattered reflected energy and specularly reflected energy are collected.

Claim 4

An analyzer as in claim 2 wherein said stand is formed with an opening therein through which the observed surface is analyzed.

Claim 5

In an analyzer for analyzing the surface of an object which is substantially opaque to ultraviolet light, a substantially light-tight housing having aperture means therein for viewing the surface of the object to be analyzed, illuminator means carried by the housing including a source of ultraviolet light and optical imaging means for directing light from the source through the aperture means and onto the surface of the object to illuminate the surface of the object, collector means carried by the housing including means responsive to ultraviolet light, optical imaging means for receiving ultraviolet light from said surface through said aperture means and directing it onto the means responsive to ultraviolet light, means carried by the housing permitting relative tilting movement between the surface of the object and the housing so that substantially only scattered reflected ultraviolet light is collected in one position of the housing and substantially only specularly reflected ultraviolet light is collected in a second position of the housing and attenuator means mounted in the housing and movable between a position in which it is in the light beam received by the means responsive to the ultraviolet light and a position out of the beam received by the means responsive to the ultraviolet light.

Claim 6

In an analyzer for analyzing the surface of an object which is substantially opaque to ultraviolet light, a substantially light-tight housing having aperture means therein for viewing the surface of the object to be analyzed, illuminator means carried by the housing including a source of ultraviolet light and optical imaging means for directing light from the source through the aperture means and onto the surface of the object to illuminate the surface of the object, collector means carried by the housing including means responsive to ultraviolet light, optical imaging means for receiving ultraviolet light from said surface through said aperture means and directing it onto the means responsive to ultraviolet light, means carried by the housing permitting relative tilting movement between the surface of the object and the housing so that substantially only scattered reflected ultraviolet light is collected in one position of the housing and substantially only specularly reflected ultraviolet light is collected in a second position of the housing and attenuator means mounted in the housing and movable between a position in which it is in the light beam received by the means responsive to the ultraviolet light and a position out of the beam received by the means responsive to the ultraviolet light.

Claim 7

An analyzer as in claim 4 together with means for permitting said attenuator means to move to a first position when substantially only specularly reflected energy is being received by the means responsive to ultraviolet light.

Claim 8

A surface analyzer as in claim 5 wherein said means permitting said attenuator means to move consists of spring means yieldably urging the attenuator means from a second to a first position and means connected to the attenuator means for retaining the same in a first position against the force of the spring when only substantially scattered energy is being collected.

Claim 9

In an analyzer for analyzing the surface of an object which is substantially opaque to ultraviolet light, a substantially light-tight housing having aperture means therein for viewing the surface of the object to be analyzed, illuminator means carried by the housing including a source of ultraviolet light and optical imaging means for directing light from the source through the aperture means and onto the surface of the object to illuminate the surface of the object, collector means carried by the housing including means responsive to ultraviolet light, optical imaging means for receiving ultraviolet light from said surface through said aperture means and directing it onto the means responsive to ultraviolet light, means carried by the housing permitting relative tilting movement between the surface of the object and the housing so that substantially only scattered reflected ultraviolet light is collected in one position of the housing and substantially only specularly reflected ultraviolet light is collected in a second position of the housing, the optical imaging means in the illuminator means and in the collector means each having two concave spherical mirrors used at 45° incidence angles.

Claim 10

In an analyzer for analyzing the surface of an object which is substantially opaque to ultraviolet light, a substantially light-tight housing having aperture means therein for viewing the surface of the object to be analyzed, illuminator means carried by the housing including a source of ultraviolet light and optical imaging means for directing light from the source through the aperture means and onto the surface of the object to illuminate the surface of the object, collector means carried by the housing including means responsive to ultraviolet light, optical imaging means for receiving ultraviolet light from said surface through said aperture means and directing it onto the means responsive to ultraviolet light, means carried by the housing permitting relative tilting movement between the surface of the object and the housing so that substantially only scattered reflected ultraviolet light is collected in one position of the housing and substantially only specularly reflected ultraviolet light is collected in a second position of the housing, the optical imaging means in the illuminator means and in the collector means each having two concave spherical mirrors used at 45° incidence angles.

Claim 11

An analyzer as in claim 7 wherein the optical imaging means of the illuminator and the collector means each has at least one folding mirror used at 45° incidence angle.

Claim 12

An analyzer as in claim 7 wherein the mirrors have reflecting surfaces provided with coatings that preferentially reflect ultraviolet light.

Claim 13

An analyzer as in claim 9 where said coating is a high reflector consisting of alternating layers of high and low index materials arranged in a quarterwave stack for 253.7 nm with a design angle of 45°.

Claim 14

An analyzer as in claim 10 where said high and low index materials are scandium oxide and silica.

Claim 15

An analyzer as in claim 7 wherein the concave mirrors of the illuminator means and the collector means closest to the aperture means have optical axes which are offset by 45°.

Claim 16

In an analyzer for analyzing the surface of an object which is substantially opaque to ultraviolet light, a substantially light-tight housing having aperture means therein for viewing the surface of the object to be analyzed, illuminator means carried by the housing including a source of ultraviolet light and optical imaging means for directing light from the source through the aperture means and onto the surface of the object to illuminate the surface of the object, collector means carried by the housing including means responsive to ultraviolet light, optical imaging means for receiving ultraviolet light from said surface through said aperture means and directing it onto the means responsive to ultraviolet light, means carried by the housing permitting relative tilting movement between the surface of the object and the housing so that substantially only scattered reflected ultraviolet light is collected in one position of the housing and substantially only specularly reflected ultraviolet light is collected in a second position of the housing, said means responsive to ultraviolet light being a photomultiplier tube and means for demodulating the signal from said photomultiplier tube at a predetermined frequency.

Claim 17

In an analyzer for analyzing the surface of an object which is substantially opaque to ultraviolet light, a substantially light-tight housing having aperture means therein for viewing the surface of the object to be analyzed, illuminator means carried by the housing including a source of ultraviolet light and optical imaging means for directing light from the source through the aperture means and onto the surface of the object to illuminate the surface of the object, collector means carried by the housing including means responsive to ultraviolet light, optical imaging means for receiving ultraviolet light from said surface through said aperture means and directing it onto the means responsive to ultraviolet light, means carried by the housing permitting relative tilting movement between the surface of the object and the housing so that substantially only scattered reflected ultraviolet light is collected in one position of the housing and substantially only specularly reflected ultraviolet light is collected in a second position of the housing, said means responsive to ultraviolet light being a photomultiplier tube and means for demodulating the signal from said photomultiplier tube at a predetermined frequency.

Claim 18

An analyzer as in claim 13 wherein said frequency is 120 Hertz.

Claim 19

In an analyzer for analyzing the surface of an object which is substantially opaque to ultraviolet light, a substantially light-tight housing having aperture means therein for viewing the surface of the object to be analyzed, illuminator means carried by the housing including a source of ultraviolet light and optical imaging means for directing light from the source through the aperture means and onto the surface of the object to illuminate the surface of the object, collector means carried by the housing including means responsive to ultraviolet light, optical imaging means for receiving ultraviolet light from said surface through said aperture means and directing it onto the means responsive to ultraviolet light, means carried by the housing permitting relative tilting movement between the surface of the object and the housing so that substantially only scattered reflected ultraviolet light is collected in one position of the housing and substantially only specularly reflected ultraviolet light is collected in a second position of the housing, said means carried by the housing including means for permitting tilting movement of the housing relative to the surface of the object being examined.

Claim 20

In an analyzer for analyzing the surface of an object which is substantially opaque to ultraviolet light, a substantially light-tight housing having aperture means therein for viewing the surface of the object to be analyzed, illuminator means carried by the housing including a source of ultraviolet light and optical imaging means for directing light from the source through the aperture means and onto the surface of the object to illuminate the surface of the object, collector means carried by the housing including means responsive to ultraviolet light, optical imaging means for receiving ultraviolet light from said surface through said aperture means and directing it onto the means responsive to ultraviolet light, means carried by the housing permitting relative tilting movement between the surface of the object and the housing so that substantially only scattered reflected ultraviolet light is collected in one position of the housing and substantially only specularly reflected ultraviolet light is collected in a second position of the housing, said means carried by the housing including means for permitting tilting movement of the housing relative to the surface of the object being examined.

Claim 21

In an ultraviolet analyzer for evaluating a surface of an object by measuring ultraviolet light reflectivity scattered off of the surface, a housing, illuminator means carried by said housing including an ultraviolet light source, first optical imaging and filtering means having a plurality of reflecting surfaces for performing sequential imaging and filtering functions and passing ultraviolet light of a selected wavelength from the ultraviolet light source onto said surface, and collector means carried by said housing including detector means responsive to ultraviolet light, second optical imaging and filtering means having a plurality of reflecting surfaces for performing sequential imaging and filtering functions and passing ultraviolet light of said selected wavelength from said surface to said detector means, both of said first and second optical imaging and filtering means being folded and providing an effective aperture in the range of at least approximately 0.2 to 0.3 and filtering of at least two orders of magnitude.

Claim 22

In an ultraviolet analyzer for evaluating a surface of an object by measuring ultraviolet light reflectivity scattered off of the surface, a housing, illuminator means carried by said housing including an ultraviolet light source, first optical imaging and filtering means having a plurality of reflecting surfaces for performing sequential imaging and filtering functions and passing ultraviolet light of a selected wavelength from the ultraviolet light source onto said surface, and collector means carried by said housing including detector means responsive to ultraviolet light, second optical imaging and filtering means having a plurality of reflecting surfaces for performing sequential imaging and filtering functions and passing ultraviolet light of said selected wavelength from said surface to said detector means, both of said first and second optical imaging and filtering means being folded and providing an effective aperture in the range of at least approximately 0.2 to 0.3 and filtering of at least two orders of magnitude.

Claim 23

An analyzer as in claim 16, wherein said detector means is a solar-blind photomultiplier tube.

Claim 24

An analyzer as in claim 16, wherein said ultraviolet light source is a low-pressure mercury vapor lamp with strong emission at 253.7 nm.

Claim 25

An analyzer as in claim 16, wherein said selected wavelength is 253.7 nm.

Claim 26

In an ultraviolet analyzer, a housing, illuminator means carried by said housing including an ultraviolet light source, optical imaging and filtering means having reflecting surfaces for performing the imaging and filtering functions and passing ultraviolet light of a selected wavelength from the ultraviolet light source onto said surface, and collector means carried by said housing including detector means responsive to ultraviolet light, optical imaging and filtering means having reflecting surfaces for performing the imaging and filtering functions and passing ultraviolet light of said selected wavelength from said surface to said detector means, both of said optical imaging and filtering means being folded and providing an effective aperture in the range of approximately 0.2 to 0.3 and filtering of at least two orders of magnitude, the optical imaging and filtering means in the illuminator means and in the collector means each having two concave spherical mirrors used at 45° incidence angles.

Claim 27

In an ultraviolet analyzer, a housing, illuminator means carried by said housing including an ultraviolet light source, optical imaging and filtering means having reflecting surfaces for performing the imaging and filtering functions and passing ultraviolet light of a selected wavelength from the ultraviolet light source onto said surface, and collector means carried by said housing including detector means responsive to ultraviolet light, optical imaging and filtering means having reflecting surfaces for performing the imaging and filtering functions and passing ultraviolet light of said selected wavelength from said surface to said detector means, both of said optical imaging and filtering means being folded and providing an effective aperture in the range of approximately 0.2 to 0.3 and filtering of at least two orders of magnitude, the optical imaging and filtering means in the illuminator means and in the collector means each having two concave spherical mirrors used at 45° incidence angles.

Claim 28

An analyzer as in claim 20, wherein the optical imaging and filter means each have at least one folding mirror used at 45° incidence angle.

Claim 29

An analyzer as in claim 20, wherein the mirrors have reflecting surfaces with coatings that preferentially reflect a selected wavelength of ultraviolet light.

Claim 30

An analyzer as in claim 22, wherein each coating is a high reflector consisting of alternating layers of high and low-index materials arranged in a quarterwave stack for the selected wavelength of ultraviolet light with a design angle of 45°.

Claim 31

An analyzer as in claim 23, wherein said high and low-index materials are scandium oxide and silica.

Claim 32

An analyzer as in claim 20, wherein the concave mirrors of the illuminator and the collector means closest to said surface have their optical axes offset by 45°.

Claim 33

In an analyzer for evaluating a surface of an object by measuring ultraviolet light reflectivity scattered off of the surface, a housing, illuminator means carried by said housing including an ultraviolet light source, optical imaging and filter means for passing ultraviolet light of a selected wavelength from the ultraviolet source onto said surface, and collector means carried by said housing including detector means responsive to ultraviolet light, optical imaging and filtering means having reflecting surfaces for performing the imaging and filtering functions and passing ultraviolet light of said selected wavelength from said surface to said detector means and means for causing substantially only scattered reflected ultraviolet light to be received by said detector means and alternatively substantially only specularly reflected light to be received by said detector means and means carried by the housing permitting relative tilting motion between surface of said object and housing between two fixed positions; the first position being such that substantially only specularly reflected ultraviolet light is collected by the collector means, the second position being such that substantially only scattered reflected ultraviolet light is collected by the collector means.

Claim 34

In an analyzer for evaluating a surface of an object by measuring ultraviolet light reflectivity scattered off of the surface, a housing, illuminator means carried by said housing including an ultraviolet light source, optical imaging and filter means for passing ultraviolet light of a selected wavelength from the ultraviolet source onto said surface, and collector means carried by said housing including detector means responsive to ultraviolet light, optical imaging and filtering means having reflecting surfaces for performing the imaging and filtering functions and passing ultraviolet light of said selected wavelength from said surface to said detector means and means for causing substantially only scattered reflected ultraviolet light to be received by said detector means and alternatively substantially only specularly reflected light to be received by said detector means and means carried by the housing permitting relative tilting motion between surface of said object and housing between two fixed positions; the first position being such that substantially only specularly reflected ultraviolet light is collected by the collector means, the second position being such that substantially only scattered reflected ultraviolet light is collected by the collector means.

Claim 35

In a method for analyzing the surface of a glass object, directing ultraviolet light solely by reflection in a sequence of reflective steps onto the object to illuminate the surface and collecting ultraviolet light reflected from the surface at different angles solely by reflection in a sequence of reflective steps so that at one angle substantially only reflected specular ultraviolet light is collected and measured to provide a calibrated standared, and at another angle substantially only reflected scattered ultraviolet light is collected and measured, with both sequences of reflective steps providing an effective aperture in the range of at least approximately 0.2 to 0.3 and filtering of at least two orders of magnitude.

Claim 36

In a method for analyzing the surface of a glass object, directing ultraviolet light solely by reflection in a sequence of reflective steps onto the object to illuminate the surface and collecting ultraviolet light reflected from the surface at different angles solely by reflection in a sequence of reflective steps so that at one angle substantially only reflected specular ultraviolet light is collected and measured to provide a calibrated standared, and at another angle substantially only reflected scattered ultraviolet light is collected and measured, with both sequences of reflective steps providing an effective aperture in the range of at least approximately 0.2 to 0.3 and filtering of at least two orders of magnitude.