Patent ID: 8009297
Filing Date: 2011-08-30
Classification: G01B,G01N

Abstract:
1. An optical image measuring apparatus, comprising: a light-emitting part configured to emit a broadband light; a splitter configured to split the emitted broadband light into a signal light heading to a measurement object and a reference light heading to a reference object; a converter configured to convert a polarization characteristic of the signal light or the reference light; a superimposing part configured to superimpose one of the signal light returned from the measurement object and the reference light returned from the reference object onto the other to generate interference light, the one of the signal light and the reference light having the converted polarization characteristic; an extracting part configured to extract two different polarization components of the generated interference light; a first detector configured to detect one of the two polarization components having been extracted and output a first detection signal, and a second detector configured to detect the other and output a second detection signal; a third detector configured to detect light originating from the broadband light emitted by the light-emitting part and output a third detection signal; and an image formation processor configured to form an image of the measurement object, based on the first, second and third detection signals, wherein, the image formation processor includes: a background-light calculator configured to calculate a background light component of the interference light, based on the third detection signal; and an interference-component-intensity calculator or a phase-distribution calculator, wherein the interference-component-intensity calculator is configured to calculate a signal intensity of an interference component of each of the two polarization components, based on the calculated background light component and the first and second detection signals; and the phase-distribution calculator is configured to calculate a spatial phase distribution of the interference light, based on the calculated background light component and the first and second detection signals, wherein the image formation processor is configured to form the image of the measurement object, based on the calculated signal intensity of the interference component of each of the two polarization components, or configured to an image showing the calculated spatial phase distribution.