Patent ID: 9291444
Filing Date: 2016-03-22
CPC Classification: G01B,G01J,G01M,G02B

Claim Text:
1. An interferometer which causes a detection light having passed through a sample placed in an optical path of the detection light and a reference light to interfere, the interferometer comprising: a light source; a collimating optical system configured to collimate light entering from the light source; a beam splitter configured to split the collimated light entering from the collimating optical system into the reference light and the detection light which enters and passes through the sample; a light reflection surface which is located in the optical path of the detection light, the light reflection surface being configured to reflect the detection light so as to give an optical path difference to the detection light; and a converging optical system configured to converge the reference light and the detection light which has passed through the sample so that the reference light and the detection light interfere, wherein the light reflection surface is configured to be arranged on a light reflection mechanism, the light reflection mechanism comprising: a first moving portion which has a top surface, a bottom surface, and a first reflection surface on the top surface; a first beam having a fixed end and a free end, the free end being coupled to the first moving portion; a translating beam which is provided parallel to, and with a gap from, the first beam, the gap in the direction of the optical path of the detection light, and one end of the translating beam being connected to the bottom surface of the first moving portion; a supporting portion having a top surface and a bottom surface, the top surface being directly coupled to the fixed end of the first beam and the bottom surface being directly coupled to the other end of the translating beam in a cantilever beam structure each at the upper part and the lower part of the moving portion and the supporting portion; and a driving portion configured to translate the first moving portion so as deform the first beam and the translating beam and to cause the moving portion to vibrate in resonance, so that the normal line of the first reflection surface is not tilted by the cantilever beam structure and the detection light being reflected by the light reflection surface returns along a same optical path towards the beam splitter.