Patent ID: 7545505

Claim:
An apparatus for the combined two-dimensional detection of height values of a workpiece ( 9 ) by interferometry in an interferometric measuring mode and by reproduction and digital evaluation of optical images of the workpiece ( 9 ) to measure lateral dimensions of geometric elements in an image processing non-interferometric measuring mode said apparatus including, means for illumination by reflecting light off the workpiece ( 9 ) and for altering the spectral composition of the light used for the reflective illumination, an interferometer disposed in the path of said reflecting light, said interferometer including means for activating or deactivating a reference beam path dependent on the spectral composition of said reflecting light, means is for acting as an interference object lens for one part of the spectrum of electromagnetic waves and for acting as an optically imaging object lens for another part of the spectrum of electromagnetic waves, whereby altering the spectral combination of the light used for reflective illumination, the interferometric measuring mode may be changed to the image processing non-interferometric measuring mode.