Feeler pin using an optical contact sensor

Claim 2

A feeler pin comprising: contact element means for contacting an external object, said contact element means pivotably movable from side-to-side; and a laser feedback interferometer means whose external reflector is coupled to said contact element means for sensing changes in resonator quality of said laser feedback interferometer means, said resonator quality corresponding to changes in a side-to-side movement of said contact element means with respect to an optical axis of said laser feedback interferometer means.

Claim 3

The feeler pin as claimed in claim 1, further comprising means for measuring radiation flux of a laser in said laser feedback interferometer means, said radiation flux being dependent upon said resonator quality.

Claim 4

The feeler pin as claimed in claim 1, wherein a laser in said laser feedback interferometer means is a laser diode with resistance measuring means for measuring internal resistance of said laser diode, said internal resistance corresponding to said resonator quality.

Claim 5

The feeler pin as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a laser driver limiting means for limiting operation of a laser in said laser feedback interferometer means in a region of threshold between fluorescence and lasing.

Claim 6

The feeler pin as claimed in claim 1, further comprising detector means for detecting light scattered by said external retlector, thereby detecting any abrupt increase in scattering intensity at large angles to a laser beam axis during transitions from lasing operation to fluorescence, said abrupt increase in scattering intensity corresponding to a change in said resonator quality.

Claim 7

A feeler pin as claimed in claim 1 wherein a laser from said laser feedback interferometer means is assigned to a base, and a mirror is rigidly arranged on said contact element means, said mirror operating as an external third cavity facet, thereby effecting a self-feedback of said laser, said contact element means being connected to said base with a beam element.

Claim 8

The feeler pin as claimed in claim 6, wherein said beam is a hollow tube, and said contact element means is a feeler ball, said feeler ball being fastened to one end of said hollow tube, and a surface of said feeler ball facing a portion of a cavity of said hollow tube, said mirror being a surface of said feeler ball.

Claim 9

The feeler pin as claimed in claim 6, wherein said laser is fastened to said base.

Claim 10

The feeler pin as claimed in claim 1, wherein said contact element means is mounted on a first end of a rigid beam, a second end of said rigid beam being mounted on a base, and wherein an external cavity reflector is mounted on said base, said base being movably mounted on a bearing element.

Claim 11

The feeler pin as claimed in claim 1, wherein optical fiber couples laser radiation from a laser in said laser feedback interferometer to said external reflector.

Claim 12

The feeler pin as claimed in claim 1, wherein a graded-index optical component couples radiation from a laser in said laser feedback interferometer means to said contact element means.

Claim 13

The feeler pin as claimed in claim 1, wherein polarizing optical elements couple radiation from a laser in said feedback interferometer means to said contact element means.

Claim 14

The feeler pin as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a current measuring means for measuring current of a laser diode in said laser feedback interferometer means, said current corresponding to said resonator quality.

Claim 15

The feeler pin as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a temperature measuring means for measuring temperature of a laser diode in said laser feedback interferometer means, said temperature corresponding to said resonator quality.

Claim 16

The feeler pin as claimed in claim 1, wherein a laser wavelength is modulated by varying the current and/or the temperature of a laser diode.

Claim 17

A feeler pin comprising: contact element means for contacting an external object; and a laser feedback interferometer means whose external reflector is coupled to said contact element means for sensing changes in resonator quality of said laser feedback interferometer means, said resonator quality corresponding to changes in position of said contact element means; wherein a laser from said laser feedback interferometer means is assigned to a base, and a mirror is rigidly arranged on said contact element means, said mirror operating as an external third cavity facet, thereby effecting a self-feedback of said laser, said contact element means being connected to said base with a beam element and wherein said base is fastened to a movable tilting bearing element.

Claim 18

A feeler pin comprising: contact element means for contacting an external object; and a laser feedback interferometer means whose external reflector is coupled to said contact element means for sensing changes in resonator quality of said laser feedback interferometer means, said resonator quality corresponding to changes in position of said contact element means; wherein a laser from said laser feedback interferometer means is assigned to a base, and a mirror is rigidly arranged on said contact element means, said mirror operating as an external third cavity facet, thereby effecting a self-feedback of said laser, said contact element means being connected to said base with a beam element and wherein said base is fastened to a movable tilting bearing element.

Claim 19

A feeler pin assembly comprising: a first contact element means for contacting an external object; a second contact element means for contacting said external object; and a laser feedback interferometer means, having external reflectors coupled to said first and second contact element means, for sensing changes in resonator quality of said laser feedback interferometer means, said resonator quality corresponding to changes in position of at least one of said first and second contact element means.

Claim 20

A feeler pin assembly comprising: a first contact element means for contacting an external object; a second contact element means for contacting said external object; and a laser feedback interferometer means, having external reflectors coupled to said first and second contact element means, for sensing changes in resonator quality of said laser feedback interferometer means, said resonator quality corresponding to changes in position of at least one of said first and second contact element means.

Claim 21

A feeler pin assembly as set forth in claim 17, comprising: a first branch beam element corresponding to said first contact element means, said first branch beam element including optical fibers, optical fiber couplers, and optical fiber branchings; and a second branch beam element corresponding to said second contact element means, said second branch beam element including optical fibers, optical fiber couplers, and optical fiber branchings.

Claim 22

A feeler pin assembly as set forth in claim 17, wherein said first contact element means includes a first cavity facet and wherein said second contact element means includes a second cavity facet.