Patent ID: 7436524

Claim:
A three-dimensional measuring apparatus comprising: a light source which emits an illumination beam; a lattice pattern which makes the illumination beam into a plurality of parallel slit beams to form a lattice pattern image; a projecting optical system which projects the lattice pattern image on a sample so that the image is inclined at a predetermined angle; a lattice pattern projecting section provided on an optical path for the illumination beam and having the lattice pattern and the projecting optical system; a microscope used to observe the sample and the lattice pattern image reflected by the sample; a focusing section which moves the microscope to adjust a focal position with respect to the sample; an image pick up section which picks up the lattice pattern image observed using the microscope; an image processing section which recesses the lattice pattern image picked up by the image pick up section to determine a three-dimensional surface shape of the sample; and two observing optical paths which are provided in the microscope and which are placed above the sample and which cross each other to form a predetermined inward angle to the sample; wherein the projecting optical system includes: a first projecting optical system which projects the lattice pattern image from above the sample on the microscope via one of the observing optical paths; a second projecting optical system which projects the lattice pattern image on the sample so that the lattice pattern image is inclined at the predetermined angle; and an optical path switching section which passes the beams transmitted through the lattice pattern, to either the first projecting optical system or the second projecting optical system.