An optical inspection apparatus includes an interferometer module, which is configured to direct a beam of coherent light toward an area under inspection and to produce a first image of interference fringes of the area. The apparatus also includes a triangulation module configured to project a pattern of structured light onto the area, and at least one image sensor configured to capture the first image of interference fringes and a second image of the pattern that is reflected from the area. Beam combiner optics are configured to direct the beam of coherent light and the projected pattern to impinge on the same location on the area. A processor is configured to process the first and second images in order to generate a 3D map of the area.

A measurement system includes a light source configured to emitting a source light, a detection platform configured to support a reference sample and a test sample; a light guiding element on an optical path of the source light; and a detector. The detection platform is configured to synchronously move the reference sample and the test sample on a same surface of the detection platform. The light guiding element is configured to divide the source light into a measurement light and a reference light and guide the measurement light to the test sample, and the reference light to the reference sample. The measurement light reflected by the test sample and the reference light reflected by the reference sample are combined as an interference light. The detector is configured to receive the interference light and obtain optical information of the test sample according to the interference light.

A three-dimensional measurement device includes: a light emitter; an optical system that splits an incident light, irradiates a measurement object with an object light and irradiates a reference plane with a reference light, and recombines the object and reference lights and emits a combined light; an imaging device that takes an image of a light emitted from the optical system; a storage device that stores transmission axis absolute angle data each obtained by a previous actual measurement of an absolute angle of a transmission axis of each polarizer; and a control device that calculates a phase difference between the reference and object lights based on luminance data of each pixel in luminance image data and the transmission axis absolute angle data of each polarizer corresponding to the pixel, and measures a height of the measurement object at the measurement position.

A system and method for generating, enhancing, and detecting the amplitude and phase modulation of a laser under a condition of self-mixing is provided. The system may comprise a laser and a detector to extract the characteristic self-mix signal, which is then interpreted using algorithms implemented in hardware or software. In the case of the laser being a Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting laser (VCSEL), the output signal can be detected by monitoring the surface light emission by means of a beam splitter, or in some embodiments as emission from the bottom surface of the laser. In some embodiments, the system may further comprise a wavelength filter such as an etalon in the signal path.

A system and method for generating, enhancing, and detecting the amplitude and phase modulation of a laser under a condition of self-mixing is provided. The system may comprise a laser and a detector to extract the characteristic self-mix signal, which is then interpreted using algorithms implemented in hardware or software. In the case of the laser being a Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting laser (VCSEL), the output signal can be detected by monitoring the surface light emission by means of a beam splitter, or in some embodiments as emission from the bottom surface of the laser. In some embodiments, the system may further comprise a wavelength filter such as an etalon in the signal path.

A two-degree-of-freedom heterodyne grating interferometry measurement system, comprising: a single-frequency laser device for emitting a single-frequency laser, and the single-frequency laser can be split into a beam of reference light and a beam of measurement light; an interferometer mirror group and a measurement grating for forming a reference interference signal and a measurement interference signal from the reference light and the measurement light; and a receiving optical fiber for receiving the reference interference signal and the measurement interference signal, wherein a core diameter of the receiving optical fiber is smaller than a width of an interference fringe of the reference interference signal and the measurement interference signal, so that the receiving optical fiber receives a part of the reference interference signal and the measurement interference signal. The measurement system has advantages of insensitivity to grating rotation angle error, small volume, light weight, and a facilitating arrangement.

Some embodiments are directed to a technique having an off-axis interferometric geometry that is capable of spatially multiplexing at least six complex wavefronts, while using the same number of camera pixels typically needed for a single off-axis hologram encoding a single complex wavefront. Each of the at least six parallel complex wavefronts is encoded into an off-axis hologram with a different fringe orientation, and all complex wavefronts can be fully reconstructed. This technique is especially useful for highly dynamic samples, as it allows the acquisition of at least six complex wavefronts simultaneously, optimizing the amount of information that can be acquired in a single camera exposure. The off-axis multiplexing holographic system of some embodiments provide an off-axis holography modality that is more camera spatial bandwidth efficient than on-axis holography. Moreover, the off-axis interferometric system allows simple simultaneous acquisition of at least six holographic channels, making it attractive for imaging dynamics.

Shearography systems provide independent setting of fringe frequency and shear magnitude by situating an interferometer with a tiltable reflector proximate a pupil plane of an imaging optical system. Fringe frequency can be selected based on a modified Savart plate. In other examples, a Wollaston prism or a polarization grating is translated with respect to an image sensor to vary shear magnitude while maintaining a substantially fixed fringe frequency.

A sensor is disclosed, wherein a transducer generates acoustic waves, which are received by a lens assembly. The lens assembly transmits and directs at least a part of the acoustic waves to a target. The lens assembly then receives at least a part of acoustic waves, after interaction with the target. The sensor further comprises an optical detector that comprises at least one optically reflective member located at a surface of the lens assembly, which surface is arranged opposite to a surface of the lens assembly which faces a focal plane of the lens assembly, wherein the at least one optically reflective member is mechanically displaced in response to the acoustic waves, which are received and transmitted by the lens assembly.

An interferometric measurement system includes ports configured to receive an optical signal from an optical source and an optical signal from a target. A photonic integrated circuit includes a variable delay configured to select between at least two optical paths from the input to an output such that the optical signal from the optical source passes to the output while experiencing an optical delay based on a selected one of the at least two optical paths where a loss of the optical signal from the optical source provided to the input that passes to the output is nominally the same for each of the at least two optical paths. An optical receiver is configured to receive the optical signal from the target and to receive the optical signal from the optical source that experiences the optical delay based on the selected one of the at least two optical paths and generates a corresponding electrical receive signal at an electrical output. A processor is configured to generate an interferometric measurement signal based on the receive signal.