Measuring apparatus and method of manufacturing article

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9797717-B2
Application number	US-201514643170-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 10, 2015
Priority date	Mar 13, 2014
Publication date	Oct 24, 2017
Grant date	Oct 24, 2017

Abstract

The present invention provides a measuring apparatus for measuring a shape of an object to be measured, comprising an emitting unit configured to emit pattern light, an optical system configured to guide the pattern light emitted from the emitting unit to the object, a deflection unit arranged between the optical system and the object and configured to deflect the pattern light emitted from the optical system, an image sensing unit configured to capture the object via the optical system and the deflection unit, and a processing unit configured to determine the shape of the object based on an image of the object captured by the image sensing unit, wherein the deflection unit comprises a diffraction grating configured to diffract the pattern light emitted from the optical system.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A measuring apparatus for obtaining information about a shape of an object, comprising:
an emitting unit configured to emit pattern light;
a projection optical system configured to guide the pattern light emitted from the emitting unit to the object;
a deflection unit arranged between the projection optical system that guides the pattern light and the object and configured to deflect the pattern light emitted from the projection optical system, the deflection unit comprising a diffraction grating arranged between the projection optical system that guides the pattern light and the object and configured to diffract the pattern light emitted from the projection optical system;
an image sensing unit configured to capture an image of the object via the projection optical system that guides the pattern light and the deflection unit that deflects the pattern light; and
a processing unit configured to obtain information about the shape of the object based on the image of the object captured by the image sensing unit.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the deflection unit that deflects the pattern light irradiates the object with diffracted light beams of a plurality of orders generated by the diffraction grating.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a change unit configured to change a distance between the object and the diffraction grating,
wherein the processing unit is configured to repeatedly cause the change unit to change the distance and the image sensing unit to capture the image of the object, thereby obtaining a plurality of images, obtaining phases of diffracted light beams incident on the image sensing unit based on the plurality of images, and obtaining the information about the shape of the object based on the obtained phases.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a change unit configured to change a relative position between the object and the diffraction grating, change a period of the pattern light projected to the object, or spatially change an intensity of the pattern light.

5. The apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the change unit comprises an actuator configured to drive the diffraction grating along a direction parallel to an optical axis of the projection optical system that guides the pattern light.

6. The apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the emitting unit comprises a light source and a conversion element configured to convert light emitted from the light source into the pattern light having a periodical arrangement of bright portions and dark portions, and
the processing unit is configured to cause the change unit to change the distance and cause the conversion element to change the period of the arrangement in the pattern light while repeatedly causing the change unit to change the distance and the image sensing unit to capture the image of the object.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the conversion element comprises at least one of a liquid crystal element and a digital mirror device.

8. The apparatus according to claim 3 , further comprising a second change unit configured to change a tilt of the diffraction grating so as to change an incident angle of the pattern light with respect to the diffraction grating, and
the processing unit is configured to cause the change unit to change the distance and cause the second change unit to change the tilt of the diffraction grating while repeatedly causing the change unit to change the distance and the image sensing unit to capture the image of the object.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the diffraction grating is arranged to be tilted such that the pattern light is obliquely incident on the diffraction grating.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the deflection unit comprises a polarization diffraction grating whose deflection direction changes depending on a polarization state of incident light, and a waveplate.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a diffraction direction of the diffraction grating does not change depending on a polarization state of incident light.

12. A measuring apparatus obtaining information about a shape of an object, comprising:
an emitting unit configured to emit pattern light;
a projection optical system configured to guide the pattern light emitted from the emitting unit to the object;
a deflection unit arranged between the projection optical system that guides the pattern light and the object and configured to deflect the pattern light emitted from the projection optical system, the deflection unit comprising a liquid crystal element capable of converting a polarization state of the pattern light emitted from the projection optical system, and a polarization diffraction grating arranged between the projection optical system that guides the pattern light and the object and whose deflection direction changes depending on the polarization state of the pattern light emitted from the liquid crystal element;
an image sensing unit configured to capture an image of the object via the projection optical system that guides the pattern light and the deflection unit that deflects the pattern light; and
a processing unit configured to obtain information about the shape of the object based on the image of the object captured by the image sensing unit,
wherein the processing unit controls the liquid crystal element such that the pattern light is deflected inward from outside of the polarization diffraction grating and irradiates the object.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the liquid crystal element converts light having the polarization state of linearly polarized light into light having the polarization state of circularly polarized light.

14. A method of manufacturing an article, the method comprising steps of:
obtaining information about a shape of an object using a measuring apparatus; and
processing the object based on a measuring result in the measuring,
wherein the article is obtained from the processed object, and
wherein the measuring apparatus measures the shape of the object, and includes:
an emitting unit configured to emit pattern light;
a projection optical system configured to guide the pattern light emitted from the emitting unit to the object;
a deflection unit arranged between the projection optical system that guides the pattern light and the object and configured to deflect the pattern light emitted from the projection optical system, the deflection unit comprising a diffraction grating arranged between the projection optical system that guides the pattern light and the object and configured to diffract the pattern light emitted from the projection optical system;
an image sensing unit configured to capture an image of the object via the projection optical system that guides the pattern light and the deflection unit that deflects the pattern light; and
a processing unit configured to obtain information about the shape of the object based on the image of the object captured by the image sensing unit.

15. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the pattern light has a periodical arrangement of bright portions and dark portions.

16. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the projection optical system includes a beam splitter configured to guide the pattern light emitted from the emitting unit to the object, and
the image sensing unit is configured to capture the image of the object via the beam splitter.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein the projection optical system in

Assignees

• Canon Kk

Inventors

• Nakajima Masaki

Classifications

• G02B26/0808

  by means of one or more diffracting elements · CPC title

• G02B27/0944

  Diffractive optical elements, e.g. gratings, holograms (gratings per se G02B5/18; holograms used as optical elements per se G02B5/32) · CPC title

• G01B11/2527

  with phase change by in-plane movement of the patern · CPC title

• G02B27/4205

  having a diffractive optical element [DOE] contributing to image formation, e.g. whereby modulation transfer function MTF or optical aberrations are relevant · CPC title

• G02B27/28

  for polarising (used in stereoscopes G02B30/25) · CPC title