Patent ID: 8416425

Claim:
A method of determining a pixel-by-pixel constituent composition of a composite material with interferometric profilometry, said method comprising the following steps carried out at each of a plurality of pixels of a sample of the composite material: measuring an interference signal produced by the sample of said composite material; assuming an empirical relationship between a known value of an optical property for a material and an interference signal produced by said material; establishing said empirical relationship using interference data produced by materials with known values for said optical property; using said empirical relationship to derive a value of said optical property for the composite material; further assuming a predetermined relationship between a concentration of each constituent of the composite material and a contribution of said constituent to the optical property of the composite material; and calculating said concentration of each constituent at each of said pixels using said predetermined relationship and said value of the optical property for the composite material; wherein said measuring step is carried out with an interferometer; and said establishing, using and calculating steps are carried out with a computer.