Optical frequency-domain imaging microprofilometry with a frequency-tunable liquid-crystal Fabry-Perot etalon device

Appl Opt. 1999 Dec 1;38(34):7063-8. doi: 10.1364/ao.38.007063.

Abstract

An optical frequency-domain interference microscope with a liquid-crystal Fabry-Perot interferometer as an optical frequency-scan device was developed for microscopic three-dimensional shape measurements. The proposed system can perform absolute measurement of the discontinuous surface profile of a microscopic object without use of mechanically moving components such as a piezoelectric transducer or a grating spectrometer. Experimental results are presented that demonstrate the validity of the principle.