Method of measurement of an angle of incidence of a luminous beam, measuring device for carrying out the method and use of the device for the measurement of distances

Abstract

For measuring an angle of incidence of a luminous beam, one employs a polarized luminous beam which is brought to pass though a birefringent plate followed by an analyzing polarizer, in order to obtain succession of fringes of interference, and one analyzes by means of an appropriate detector and an electronic circuit the spacings between the crests of said fringes, said spacings being a direct function of the angle to be measured. One can utilize a measuring device of an angle of incidence for measuring the distance between said device and a reflecting surface of the object to be measured, by determining for a certain position of the object a spacing of reference between the crests of the fringes of interference and by measuring the variations of the spacings as a function of the position of the object, in order to display them in units of length.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.