Abstract: A device and method for measuring a surface of an object, including at least one light source, at least one optical sensor, and an interferometry device having a measurement arm and a reference arm, the former directing light from each light source towards the surface of the object and directing light from the surface towards each optical sensor; the measurement device, in an interferometry configuration, illuminating the reference arm and the measurement arm with each light source and directing the light from the measurement arm and the reference arm towards each optical sensor to form an interference signal; the measurement device, in an imaging configuration illuminating at least the measurement arm and directing the light from the measurement arm towards the optical sensor to form an image of the surface; the measurement device including a digital processor producing, from the interference signal and the image, information on the surface.

Abstract: A measurement device, for measuring the shape of an interface to be measured of an optical element having a plurality of interfaces, the device including a measurement apparatus with at least one interferometric sensor illuminated by a low-coherence source, for directing a measurement beam towards the optical element to pass through the plurality of interfaces, and to detect an interference signal resulting from interferences between the measured measurement beam reflected by the interface and a reference beam, a positioning apparatus configured for relative positioning of a coherence area of the interferometric sensor at the level of the interface to be measured, and a digital processor for producing, based on the interference signal, an item of shape information of the interface to be measured according to a field of view.

Abstract: A method for measuring interfaces of an optical element, forming part of a plurality of similar elements including at least one reference optical element, the method implemented by a device, the method including: relative positioning of each reference optical element and the measurement beam, to allow a measurement of interfaces of each reference optical element; acquisition of a reference image, of each reference element; positioning of the measured optical element to allow acquisition of a measurement image, of the optical element to be measured; determining a difference of position in a field of view of the measured element with respect to each reference optical element, based on the reference and measurement images; adjusting the position of the measured optical element in the field of view to cancel the difference of position; and measuring the interfaces of the measured optical element by the measurement beam.

Abstract: A device for capacitive detection of an object with respect to a detection surface, including: at least one capacitive detection electrode, and detection electronics including at least one item of measurement electronic equipment, for: polarizing the at least one detection electrode at an alternating excitation potential (VG), different from a ground potential; measuring a measurement signal relative to an electrode-object capacitance; and the detection electronics also includes, for the measurement electronics, at least two separate calculation modules, operating in parallel, and supplying two independent detection signals for one and the same measurement signal originating from the measurement electronics.

Abstract: A capacitive detection device includes a set of several detection electrodes for each carrying out capacitive detection at a detection location. Each detection electrode is formed by at least a first measurement electrode and a second measurement electrode. The device also includes first detection electronics forming, with the first measurement electrodes, a first measurement channel, independent from a second measurement channel formed by second detection electronics with the second measurement electrodes. Therefore, for each detection location, the detection device carries out at least two redundant and independent detection operations.

Abstract: A low-coherence interferometer apparatus for determining information on interfaces of an object including: a polychromatic light source; an optical system generating a measurement optical beam and a reference optical beam; a delay line introducing a variable optical delay between the optical beams; detection optics combining the beams, and producing a spectral signal representative of an optical-power spectral density of the resulting interference signal; a control and processing module acquiring a plurality of spectral signals for a plurality of optical delays, determining, for each spectral signal, optical retardation information between interfering beams within a spectral measurement range, analyse the variation in the retardations, and assign the optical retardation determined on the basis of the different spectral signals to interface curves, corresponding to straight lines with positive, negative, zero or almost-zero gradient, depending on the respective optical delay of the acquisition of the spectral

Abstract: A robot includes a body on which is mounted a functional head also including a capacitive detector, including: at least one electrical insulator in order to electrically insulate the functional head; at least one apparatus for electrically polarizing the functional head at a first alternating electrical potential (Vg), different from a ground potential; at least one guard polarized at an alternating guard potential (VG) identical to the first alternating electrical potential; and at least one electronics, called detection electronics, for measuring a signal relating to a coupling capacitance, called electrode-object capacitance, between the sensitive part and a surrounding object.

Abstract: An electronic impedance measurement device: a branch, called measurement branch, including an impedance to be measured (Zm), and; at least one branch, called reference branch, including an impedance (Zr), called reference impedance; electronics, called detection electronics, configured to provide an error signal (Vs) dependent on an algebraic sum of a current (Ir) flowing in the at least one reference branch (104) and of a current (Im) flowing in the measurement branch; and at least one adjustment structure, changing the current (Ir) in at least one of said reference branches in a manner inversely proportional to a control variable (k).

Abstract: A capacitive interface device, includes a detection surface with one or more first capacitive electrodes extending in a first direction (X), second capacitive electrodes extending in a second direction (Y), third capacitive electrodes arranged in a matrix between the second capacitive electrodes and facing the one or more first capacitive electrodes, and linking tracks electrically connected within the detection surface to a plurality of adjacent third capacitive electrodes.

Abstract: A robot including: for at least one sub-part, at least one measurement electrode, at least one type of electrical polarization for polarizing the at least one measurement electrode at a first alternating electrical potential, and the at least one polarization type is also arranged in order to polarize at least one electrically conductive part of the outer wall of at least one sub-part, at an alternating electrical potential (VG), called guard potential, identical or substantially identical to the first potential, at a working frequency.

Abstract: A device for detecting an object with respect to a detection surface including at least one measurement electrode and at least one guard electrode separated by a distance (D) that is elastically modifiable locally by a load exerted by the object on the detection surface; and structure for electrical polarization of the electrodes (V, E) arranged in order to: (i) apply to the measurement and guard electrodes one and the same first alternating electrical potential (Vg) so as to measure a first signal relating to an electrode-object capacitance (Ceo); and (ii) apply between the measurement and guard electrodes an alternating electrical potential difference (V1), so as to measure a second electrical signal relating to an electrode-guard capacitance (Ceg). A detection method utilizing the present detection device is also provided.

Abstract: A device for the detection of objects for a robot, provided for equipping said robot, including: at least one sensor, called approach sensor, implementing a first detection technology for detecting a neighbouring object; and at least one sensor, called proximity sensor, implementing a second detection technology for detecting a neighbouring object, different from said the first technology, and having a range less than that of the at least one approach sensor. A robot equipped with such a device is also disclosed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a robot including capacitive detection electrodes, at least one means of electrical polarization for polarizing the measurement electrodes at a first alternating electrical potential different from a general ground potential (MG), at a frequency, called working frequency. The robot is characterized in that, for at least one sub-part, called fitted-out the outer wall of which is at least partially non-electrically conductive, said at least one polarization means is also arranged in order to electrically guard the electrical items of said fitted-out sub-part at an alternating electrical potential (VG), called guard potential, identical or substantially identical to said first potential, at said working frequency.

Abstract: A detection device including: a measurement electrode, and a second electrode separated from one another by a distance (D) that is elastically modifiable locally, by a load exerted by an object on a detection surface, and a controller arranged in order to: connect the electrodes to an alternating guard potential (Vg) in order to measure a capacitance representing an approach and a contact; and connect the second electrode to a second potential a second potential proportional to the guard potential (Vg) and having a different amplitude, or to the ground potential (G), in order to measure a capacitance representing a pressure. Also provided is a detection method utilizing such a detection device.

Abstract: A measurement device is provided for inspecting a bonding zone between samples, including a low-coherence interferometer illuminated by a polychromatic light source having a measurement arm crossing the connection zone and a reference arm, at least one optical detector and optical and/or mechanical conditioning apparatus arranged to enable the acquisition of at least two interference measurements having different phase conditions between a measurement optical beam coming from the measurement arm and a reference optical beam coming from the reference arm; and calculation apparatus provided to calculate contrast information relating to the interference and to search, on the basis of the contrast information, for defects in the bonding zone.

Abstract: A method for real-time monitoring of an operational state of a capacitive sensor capable of being mounted on a rotating machine, and connected to an electronic measuring module via a high frequency transmission line. The method includes generating, within the electronic module, a signal for compensating in capacitance parasitic effects from the transmission line and the sensor, generating, within the electronic module, a signal for compensating in conductance parasitic effects from the transmission line and the sensor, extracting a signal representative of the capacitance compensation and of a signal representative of the conductance compensation so as to determine an operating point of the sensor and analyzing the operating point so as to check if it is located in a predetermined area.

Abstract: A device or apparatus is provided for carrying out measurements of shape on a first surface of a wafer relative to structures present beneath the first surface including (i) profilometry apparatus arranged in order to carry out measurements of shape on the first surface of the wafer according to at least one measurement field; (ii) imaging apparatus facing the profilometry apparatus and arranged in order to acquire a reference image of the structures on or through a second surface of the wafer opposite to the first surface according to at least one imaging field; the profilometry apparatus and said imaging apparatus being arranged so that the measurement and imaging fields are referenced in position within a common frame of reference. A method is also provided to be implemented in this device or this apparatus.

Abstract: A confocal chromatic device is provided for inspecting the surface of an object such as a wafer, including a plurality of optical measurement channels with collection apertures arranged for collecting the light reflected by the object through a chromatic lens at a plurality of measurement points, and a magnifying lens arranged for introducing a variable or changeable scaling factor between the spatial repartition of the collection apertures and the measurement points. A method is also provided for inspecting the surface of an object such as a wafer including tridimensional structures.

Abstract: A device is provided for interacting without contact, via at least one command object, with a user appliance, including at least one first and one second part which, in use, form between them a non-zero angle, the device including: at least one first mechanism of detection by capacitive technology, and without contact, of the at least one command object with respect to a first control surface defined with respect to the first part of the user appliance, the first detection mechanism including several measurement electrodes; at least one, of the measurement electrodes being guarded, by a guard mechanism, at a guard potential, different from a ground potential, of the at least one command object, and substantially identical to the potential of the measurement electrode; and at least one second guard mechanism, for guarding the second part of the user appliance at least partially at the guard potential.

Abstract: A method is provided for capacitive detection, implementing a plurality of electrodes capable of allowing the detection of objects in their proximity by capacitive coupling, and including a step of simultaneous polarization of at least a part of the electrodes with different excitation potentials, the excitation potentials being generated with respect to a reference potential such that the scalar product over a predetermined duration of at least two of these excitation potentials is zero or very much less than the scalar product of one and/or the other of these excitation potentials with itself over the predetermined duration. A device and an appliance implementing the method are also provided.