System for measuring film thickness
Abstract
A system for determining the thicknesses of thin films of materials exhibiting fluorescence in response to exposure to excitation energy from a suitable source of such energy. A section of film is illuminated with a fixed level of excitation energy from a source such as an argon ion laser emitting blue-green light. The amount of fluorescent light produced by the film over a limited area within the section so illuminated is then measured using a detector such as a photomultiplier tube. Since the amount of fluorescent light produced is a function of the thicknesses of thin films, the thickness of a specific film can be determined by comparing the intensity of fluorescent light produced by this film with the intensity of light produced by similar films of known thicknesses in response to the same amount of excitation energy. The preferred embodiment of the invention uses fiber optic probes in measuring the thicknesses of oil films on the operational components of machinery which are ordinarily obscured from view.
- Inventors:
-
- West Richland, WA
- Richland, WA
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Battelle Memorial Institute, Columbus, OH (United States)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 867523
- Patent Number(s):
- 4956558
- Assignee:
- Battelle Memorial Institute (Richland, WA)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
F - MECHANICAL ENGINEERING F16 - ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS F16N - LUBRICATING
G - PHYSICS G01 - MEASURING G01B - MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC06-76RL01830
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- measuring; film; thickness; determining; thicknesses; films; materials; exhibiting; fluorescence; response; exposure; excitation; energy; suitable; source; section; illuminated; fixed; level; argon; laser; emitting; blue-green; light; amount; fluorescent; produced; limited; measured; detector; photomultiplier; tube; function; specific; determined; comparing; intensity; similar; preferred; embodiment; fiber; optic; probes; oil; operational; components; machinery; ordinarily; obscured; view; light produced; excitation energy; fluorescent light; film thickness; fiber optic; preferred embodiment; photomultiplier tube; optic probe; suitable source; oil film; fixed level; materials exhibiting; measuring film; multiplier tube; optic probes; /250/
Citation Formats
Batishko, Charles R, Kirihara, Leslie J, Peters, Timothy J, and Rasmussen, Donald E. System for measuring film thickness. United States: N. p., 1990.
Web.
Batishko, Charles R, Kirihara, Leslie J, Peters, Timothy J, & Rasmussen, Donald E. System for measuring film thickness. United States.
Batishko, Charles R, Kirihara, Leslie J, Peters, Timothy J, and Rasmussen, Donald E. Mon .
"System for measuring film thickness". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/867523.
@article{osti_867523,
title = {System for measuring film thickness},
author = {Batishko, Charles R and Kirihara, Leslie J and Peters, Timothy J and Rasmussen, Donald E},
abstractNote = {A system for determining the thicknesses of thin films of materials exhibiting fluorescence in response to exposure to excitation energy from a suitable source of such energy. A section of film is illuminated with a fixed level of excitation energy from a source such as an argon ion laser emitting blue-green light. The amount of fluorescent light produced by the film over a limited area within the section so illuminated is then measured using a detector such as a photomultiplier tube. Since the amount of fluorescent light produced is a function of the thicknesses of thin films, the thickness of a specific film can be determined by comparing the intensity of fluorescent light produced by this film with the intensity of light produced by similar films of known thicknesses in response to the same amount of excitation energy. The preferred embodiment of the invention uses fiber optic probes in measuring the thicknesses of oil films on the operational components of machinery which are ordinarily obscured from view.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1990},
month = {Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1990}
}