# US 11,441,892 B2 · Terahertz measuring device and terahertz measuring method for measuring objects to be inspected

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- Number: US 11,441,892 B2
- Document ID: US11441892B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/628,336
- Filed: 2018-07-04
- Published: 2020-06-04
- Granted: 2022-09-13
- Earliest claimed: 2017-07-04
- Assignees: INOEX GmbH Innovationen und Ausruestungen fuer die Extrusionstechnik
- Applicants: INOEX GmbH Innovationen und Ausruestungen fuer die Extrusionstechnik
- Inventors: Marius Thiel
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11441892B2

## CPC

- G01B 11/026: {by measuring distance between sensor and object (G01B11/0608 takes precedence)}
- G01B 11/06: for measuring thickness {; e.g. of sheet material (thickness measurement by thermal means G01B21/085)}
- G01B 11/08: for measuring diameters
- G01B 11/2408: {for measuring roundness}
- G01N 21/3581: using far infrared light; using Terahertz radiation
- G01B: MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)

## Abstract

The invention relates to a terahertz measuring apparatus (1) for run-time measurements of test objects (8), in particular, for layer thickness measurements and distance measurements of the test objects (8), whereby the terahertz measuring apparatus (1) comprises: a transmitter and receiver unit (2) for emitting a terahertz radiation (10) along an optical axis (A) and for receiving reflected terahertz radiation, a controller and evaluation unit (3) for driving the transmitter and receiver unit (2) and evaluating measuring signals (M) of the transmitter and receiver unit (2). Hereby, it is provided that a beam splitter (4) is provided to split up the emitted terahertz radiation (10) into at least one first partial terahertz radiation (10a) and one second partial terahertz radiation (10b) along different optical partial axes (A1, A2), a reflection device (5) for reflecting the second partial terahertz radiation (10b) along a second optical partial axis (A2) different from the first optical partial axis (A1) of the first partial terahertz radiation (10a, 10b) and reflecting back the second partial terahertz radiation (10b), reflected from the test object (8), towards the beam splitter (4) and/or the transmitter and receiver unit (2), whereby the transmitter and receiver unit (2) generates a common measuring signal from the partial beams (10a, 10b) reflected on the test object (8) and puts it out to the controller and evaluation unit (3) for determining at least one layer thickness and/or one distance of the test object (8).

## Claims

### Claim 1

A terahertz measuring apparatus (1, 101) for run-time wall thickness measurements of test objects (8), said terahertz measuring apparatus (1, 101) comprising:
a transmitter and receiver unit (2; 2a, 2b) for emitting a terahertz radiation (10) along an optical axis (A) and for receiving reflected terahertz radiation,
a controller and evaluation unit (3) for driving the transmitter and receiver unit (2; 2a, 2b) and evaluating measuring signals (M) of the transmitter and receiver unit (2; 2a, 2b),
wherein a beam splitting means (4, 40) is provided to split up the emitted terahertz radiation (10) into at least
one first terahertz detection beam (10a, 10c) along a first optical partial axis (A1) and
one second terahertz detection beam (10b, 10d) along a second optical partial axis (A2) different from the first optical partial axis (A1),
a reflection device (5) for reflecting the second terahertz detection beam (10b, 10d) onto said test object (8) and reflecting the second terahertz detection beam (10b), reflected from said test object (8), back towards said beam splitting means (4) and/or said transmitter and receiver unit (2; 2a, 2b),
said transmitter and receiver unit (2; 2a, 2b) generating at least one measuring signal (M, M1, M2) from the detection beams (10a, 10b, 10c, 10d) reflected on said test object (8) and putting it out to said controller and evaluation unit (3) for determining at least one layer thickness of said test object (8).

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The terahertz measuring apparatus (1, 101) according to claim 1, wherein said beam splitting means (4, 40) reflects the terahertz detection beam (10b, 10d) reflected from said test object (8) back towards said transmitter and receiver unit (2) along the optical axis (A) and/or passes the same.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The terahertz measuring apparatus (1, 101) according to claim 1, wherein said reflection device (5) reflects the second terahertz detection beam (10b, 10d) at one or more mirror surfaces (5a, 5b), e.g. each by 90°, and directs then onto said test object (8) in the second optical partial axis (A2), and reflects the optical terahertz detection beam (10b, 10d) reflected from said test object (8) back twice.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The terahertz measuring apparatus (1, 101) according to claim 1, wherein the optical path lengths of the first and second terahertz detection beams (10a, 10c, 10b, 10d) are different from one another in such a way that the measurements in a common measuring signal (S) can be separated.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The terahertz measuring apparatus (1, 101) according to claim 1, wherein the first optical partial axis (A1) and the second optical partial axis (A2) are offset in relation to each other essentially by 90°, preferably in the same plane.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The terahertz measuring apparatus (1, 101) according to claim 1, wherein said beam splitting means is a beam splitter (4) partially passing the emitted terahertz radiation (10) as first partial terahertz radiation (10a) and partially reflecting it as second partial terahertz radiation (10b) to said reflection device (5), preferably at an angle of 90° compared to the optical axis (A),
said transmitter and receiver unit (2; 2a, 2b) generating a common measuring signal (M) from the partial beams (10a, 10b) reflected on said test object (8) and putting this out to said controller and evaluation unit (3).

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The terahertz measuring apparatus (1, 101) according to claim 1, wherein said beam splitting means comprises an adjustable mirror (40) and an adjustment means (41) for adjusting said mirror (40),
said adjustable mirror (40) deflecting the emitted terahertz radiation (10) differently in a first position and second position, preferably without deflection in said first position and in said second with deflection at an angle of 90° compared to the optical axis (A),
said transmitter and receiver unit (2; 2a, 2b) generating measuring signals (M1, M2) from the detection beams (10c, 10d) reflected at said test object (8) and putting the same out to said to said controller and evaluation unit (3).

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The terahertz measuring apparatus (1) according to claim 1, wherein a combined transmitter and receiver unit (2), e.g. a THz transceiver, is provided both for emitting as well as for receiving the terahertz radiation (10).

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The terahertz measuring apparatus (101) according to claim 1, wherein
a receiver unit (2b) is provided separate from a transmitter unit (2a),
whereby the terahertz radiation (10) emitted by the transmitter unit (2a) is split up by said beam splitting means (4, 40) into the two terahertz detection beams (10a, 10b, 10c, 10d), and the terahertz detection beam (10a, 10c) reflected from said test object (8) and the terahertz detection beam (10b, 10d) reflected from said test object (8) and said reflection device (5) each pass said beam splitting means (4, 40).

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The terahertz measuring apparatus (1, 101) according to claim 9, wherein said receiver unit (2b) receives the terahertz-radiation (10b, 10d) passed by said beam splitting means (4, 40) and the terahertz detection beam (10a, 10c) reflected by said beam splitting means (4, 40).

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The terahertz measuring apparatus (1, 101) according to claim 1, wherein in the optical axis (A) and/or in the optical partial axes (A1, A2) beam guiding elements are provided for focusing the beam.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The terahertz measuring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein terahertz radiation (10) in a frequency range of between 10 GHz and 10 THz is utilized.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

An arrangement comprising the measuring device (1, 101) according to claim 1 and the test object (8),
whereby the optical path of the second terahertz detection beam (10b, 10d) from the beam splitting means (4, 40) via the reflection device (5) to the first point of impingement onto the test object (8) and back via the reflection device (5) to the beam splitting means (4, 40) (4, 40) is longer than the entire optical path of the first terahertz detection beam (10a) from the beam splitter (4) through the test object (8) and back to the beam splitter (4), for separating the first measuring peaks (P1, P2, P3, P4) of the first terahertz detection beam (10a, 10c) and the second measuring peaks (P5, P6, P7, P8) of the second terahertz detection beam (10b, 10d).

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The arrangement according to claim 13, wherein a common measuring signal (S) for both measurements is provided and the second measuring peaks (P5, P6, P7, P8) of the second partial terahertz beam (10b) in the common measuring signal (M) are received by the transmitter and receiver unit (2; 2a, 2b) separately from the first measuring peaks (P1, P2, P3, P4), preferably after the former or alternatingly.

### Claim 15

A terahertz measuring method for measuring a test object (8), comprising at least the following steps:
emitting a terahertz beam (10) along an optical axis (A) towards a beam splitting means (4, 40),
splitting up the terahertz radiation (10) into at least one first terahertz detection beam (10a, 10c) and one second terahertz detection beam (10b, 10d),
putting out the first terahertz detection beam (10a, c) along a first optical partial axis (A1) onto the test object (8) and reflecting back the first terahertz detection beam (10a, c) on boundary surfaces of the test object (8) as reflected first terahertz detection beam (10a) towards the beam splitting means (4, 40),
putting out the second terahertz detection beam (10b, d) via a reflection device (5) including reflecting at least once on the reflection device (5), and aligning the second terahertz detection beam (10b, d) along a second optical partial axis (A2) different from the first optical partial axis (A1) onto the test object (8),
reflecting back the second partial terahertz beam (10b) reflected from the test object (8) towards the beam splitting means (4, 40),
guiding the reflected first and second terahertz detection beam (10a, 10b, 10c, 10d) from the beam splitting means (4, 40) towards the transmitter and receiver unit (2; 2a, 2b) and receiving the same in the transmitter and receiver unit (2; 2a, 2b),
generating at least one measuring signal (M, M1, M2) and evaluating said measuring signal (M M1, M2) and determining layer thicknesses of the test object (8).

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The measuring method according to claim 15, wherein the emitted terahertz radiation (10) is split up, by means of a beam splitter (4) serving as beam splitting means, simultaneously into a first partial beam (10a) representing the first detection beam and a second partial beam (10b) representing the second detection beam, and following reflection on the test object (8), is re-merged and subsequently incorporated in a common measuring signal (M).

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The measuring method according to claim 16, wherein the second terahertz radiation (10b) is emitted in an optical path which is longer compared to the first partial terahertz beam (10a) in such a way that the duration of the first measuring signal (M1) of the first partial terahertz beam (10a) is shorter than the temporal delay (Δt) of the second measuring signal (M2) in relation to the first measuring signal (M1), and the two measuring signals (M1, M2) of the partial terahertz beams (10a, 10b) are present in the common measuring signal (M) separated in time.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The measuring method according to claim 15, wherein, as beam splitting means, an adjustable mirror (40) is adjusted between a first and second position, in which it deflects the THZ radiation along different optical partial axes (A1, A2).