Chromatic Confocal Microscopy

Abstract

Chromatic confocal probes are single point optical sensors built around a confocal coaxial setting that use chromatic dispersion and decoding to obtain the surface distance. Such sensors are usually installed on scanning stages of surface texture measuring instruments, roundness instruments or coordinate measuring machines. Chromatic confocal probes can measure on, and through, transparent material, detect several interfaces between materials and, therefore, calculate thickness. The metrological characteristics of chromatic confocal probes are close to those of stylus probes and they are often used as a non-contact substitute on stylus profilometers.