Patent ID: 8485034
Filing Date: 2013-07-16
Classification: G01B,G01N

Abstract:
1. An Acoustic Confocal Interferometry microscope for use with a suitably selected coherent acoustic or ultrasound source, for the production of an acoustic or ultrasound coherent beam, and a suitably selected detector for providing three dimensional information on an object, said microscope comprising: an acoustic or ultrasound coherent wavelength source for producing an acoustic or ultrasound coherent beam; scanning means for moving said coherent beam in a suitably selected pattern; means for producing an object beam and an interference beam from said acoustic or ultrasound coherent beam; object beam focusing means for focusing the object beam to an object focal point; an inference beam focusing means for focusing the interference beam to an interference beam focal point, wherein the interference beam focusing means is other than the object focusing means; the object beam focusing means and the interference beam focusing means configured to produce a suitably selected convergence angle at a suitably selected position said object beam having a transmission path of essentially the same length of a transmission path of said interference beam, said object beam intercepting an object at the object focal point and said interference beam passing by the object; means for defining the object beam and the interference beam based on the geometry of said convergence angle and said position of said object focal point and said interference focal point; and means for producing an interference pattern between said object focal point and said interference focal point in order to collect information about the object by a detector.