Patent ID: 7102740
Filing Date: 2006-09-05
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
1. An optical system comprising: a first slit detector having a first slit field of view, wherein said first slit field of view has a first longitudinal axis aligned at a first predetermined angle of projection along a direction of optical translation of said detector with respect to a surface of interest for detecting light traveling in a first optical path extending from said surface of interest to said first detector; a second slit detector having a second slit field of view, wherein said second slit field of view has a second longitudinal axis aligned at a second predetermined angle of projection along said direction of said optical translation for detecting light traveling in a second optical path extending from said surface of interest to said second detector, and wherein said second predetermined angle differs from said first predetermined angle; a scanning system for generating said optical translation of said surface of interest with respect to both of said first and second detectors; and an electronic analyzing system coupled to said first and second detectors and said scanning system for detecting a characteristic of a surface feature on said surface of interest, in conformity with a time difference of output signals from at least one of said first slit detector and said second slit detector.