Abstract: An illumination system shares portions of an objective of an optical inspection system. A plurality of beam-shaping optics collects light from a plurality of effective light sources and directs the light through a portion of the objective for illuminating an object under inspection. The objective includes a front relay lens, a rear relay lens, and an objective stop disposed between the front and rear relay lenses for collecting light scattered from the object and forming an image of the object with the collected light. The beam-shaping optics, which surround the objective stop, are arranged together with the associated effective light sources for non-uniformly distributing light within a range of angles required for illuminating the object.

Abstract: An illumination system shares portions of an objective of an optical inspection system. A plurality of beam-shaping optics collects light from a plurality of effective light sources and directs the light through a portion of the objective for illuminating an object under inspection. The objective includes a front relay lens, a rear relay lens, and an objective stop disposed between the front and rear relay lenses for collecting light scattered from the object and forming an image of the object with the collected light. The beam-shaping optics, which surround the objective stop, are arranged together with the associated effective light sources for non-uniformly distributing light within a range of angles required for illuminating the object.

Abstract: This high performance front objective lens system intended primarily for use with a video inspection apparatus has a first lens set in the form of a doublet, with a second lens set intermediate the first lens set and the imaging plane. The second lens set includes a doublet and an adjacent lens. The overall system has an effective focal length of 50 mm, a front focal length of 38.75 mm, and a numerical aperture greater than 0.2. Further, the material of the doublets is chosen to have a small, gradual transition in index between the elements of the lens and the cement, minimizing back reflections and thereby eliminating the need for index matching coatings on the cemented surfaces of the doublets. Finally, the imaging plane of the system matches that of standard ring lights used with video inspection apparatus.

Abstract: An illumination system using, in place of a more typical beam splitter, two right angle triangular prisms that are aligned to each other along their respective hypotenuses to form a cube, but without any reflective materials being used at their interface, and with the two halves separated by some distance so as to create an open/air gap between the two halves. When the upper/lower cube faces are normal to an optical axis of the illumination system, the cube structure reflects virtually all of the illumination from a transverse illumination source using total internal reflection so that said illumination is reflected out of the cube along the system's optical axis. However, rotating the cube structure past the critical angle eliminates total internal reflection and allows the cube to transmit almost all illumination entering the cube out of the cube parallel to the system's optical axis.

Abstract: An optical metrological system having a heat-generating light source coaxially mounted near a heat-sensitive lens. The system uses a temperature sensor to monitor the lens temperature and a heating element to heat the lens such that the lens operating temperature is greater than a maximum operating temperature of the light source in order to stabilize the focal length of the lens.

Abstract: This high performance front objective lens system intended primarily for use with a video inspection apparatus has a first lens set in the form of a doublet, with a second lens set intermediate the first lens set and the imaging plane. The second lens set includes a doublet and an adjacent lens. The overall system has an effective focal length of 50 mm, a front focal length of 38.75 mm, and a numerical aperture greater than 0.2. Further, the material of the doublets is chosen to have a small, gradual transition in index between the elements of the lens and the cement, minimizing back reflections and thereby eliminating the need for index matching coatings on the cemented surfaces of the doublets. Finally, the imaging plane of the system matches that of standard ring lights used with video inspection apparatus.

Abstract: An optical metrological system having a heat-generating light source coaxially mounted near a heat-sensitive lens. The system uses a temperature sensor to monitor the lens temperature and a heating element to heat the lens such that the lens operating temperature is greater than a maximum operating temperature of the light source in order to stabilize the focal length of the lens.

Abstract: An illumination system using, in place of a more typical beam splitter, two right angle triangular prisms that are aligned to each other along their respective hypotenuses to form a cube, but without any reflective materials being used at their interface, and with the two halves separated by some distance so as to create an open/air gap between the two halves. When the upper/lower cube faces are normal to an optical axis of the illumination system, the cube structure reflects virtually all of the illumination from a transverse illumination source using total internal reflection so that said illumination is reflected out of the cube along the system's optical axis. However, rotating the cube structure past the critical angle eliminates total internal reflection and allows the cube to transmit almost all illumination entering the cube out of the cube parallel to the system's optical axis.

Abstract: An optical metrological system having a heat-generating light source coaxially mounted near a heat-sensitive lens. The system uses a temperature sensor to monitor the lens temperature and a heating element to heat the lens such that the lens operating temperature is greater than a maximum operating temperature of the light source in order to stabilize the focal length of the lens.

Abstract: An optical metrological system having a heat-generating light source coaxially mounted near a heat-sensitive lens. The system uses a temperature sensor to monitor the lens temperature and a heating element to heat the lens such that the lens operating temperature is greater than a maximum operating temperature of the light source in order to stabilize the focal length of the lens.