Field curvature model for confocal imaging apparatus with curved focal surface

1. A system comprising:

a computing device comprising a memory to store a field curvature model that is calibrated to a confocal imaging apparatus, and a processor, coupled to the memory, the processor to:

receive intensity measurements generated by a plurality of pixels of a detector of the confocal imaging apparatus, wherein each pixel of the plurality of pixels provides intensity measurements for an associated returning light beam from an array of returning light beams that have been reflected off of an imaged three dimensional object, and wherein each returning light beam of the array of returning light beams is associated with a point of the three dimensional object;

determine, for each pixel of the plurality of pixels, a focusing setting of the confocal imaging apparatus that provides a maximum measured intensity;

determine, for each pixel of the plurality of pixels, a depth of a point of the three dimensional object associated with the pixel that corresponds to the determined focusing setting;

adjust the depth of at least one point of the three dimensional object based on applying the determined focusing setting for the pixel associated with the at least one point to the field curvature model to compensate for a non-flat focal surface of the confocal imaging apparatus; and

determine a shape of the three dimensional object based at least in part on the adjusted depth.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising the confocal imaging apparatus, the confocal imaging apparatus comprising:

an illumination module to generate an array of light beams;

focusing optics comprising a plurality of lenses disposed along an optical path of the array of light beams, the focusing optics to perform confocal focusing of the array of light beams onto the non-flat focal surface and to direct the array of light beams toward the three dimensional object;

a translation mechanism to adjust the focusing setting of the focusing optics based on adjusting a location of at least one lens of the plurality of lenses to displace the non-flat focal surface along an imaging axis defined by the optical path; and

the detector, to detect the array of returning light beams that are reflected off of the three dimensional object and directed back through the focusing optics.

3. The system of claim 2 , the confocal imaging apparatus further comprising:

a unidirectional mirror or beam splitter disposed along the optical path between the illumination module and the focusing optics, wherein the unidirectional mirror or beam splitter directs the array of light beams from the illumination module towards the focusing optics and directs the array of returning light beams from the focusing optics to the detector;

wherein the confocal imaging apparatus is characterized in having an absence of a field lens between the unidirectional mirror or beam splitter and the illumination module and in having an absence of a field lens between the unidirectional mirror or beam splitter and the detector.

4. The system of claim 2 , the confocal imaging apparatus further comprising:

a prism along the optical path of the array of light beams after the focusing optics;

wherein the plurality of lenses comprise:

a first lens group disposed proximate to the illumination module;

a second lens group disposed proximate to the prism, the second lens group having a fixed location relative to the first lens group; and

a third lens group disposed between the first lens group and the second lens group, the third lens group having a variable location that is adjustable by the translation mechanism.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the field curvature model comprises a three dimensional polynomial function.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further to:

determine a temperature of focusing optics of the confocal imaging apparatus; and

adjust the depth of the at least one point of the three dimensional object based on applying the determined temperature and the determined focusing setting to the field curvature model.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the computing device is a component of the confocal imaging apparatus.

8. A method comprising:

receiving, by a processor, intensity measurements generated by a plurality of pixels of a detector of a confocal imaging apparatus, wherein each pixel of the plurality of pixels provides intensity measurements for an associated returning light beam from an array of returning light beams that have been reflected off of an imaged three dimensional object, and wherein each returning light beam of the array of returning light beams is associated with a point of the three dimensional object;

determining, for each pixel of the plurality of pixels, a focusing setting of the confocal imaging apparatus that provides a maximum measured intensity;

determining, for each pixel of the plurality of pixels, a depth of a point of the three dimensional object associated with the pixel that corresponds to the determined focusing setting;

adjusting, by the processor, the depth of at least one point of the three dimensional object based on applying the determined focusing setting for the pixel associated with the at least one point to a field curvature model to compensate for a non-flat focal surface of the confocal imaging apparatus; and

determining, by the processor, a shape of the three dimensional object based at least in part on the adjusted depth.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

determining a magnification value associated with the determined focusing setting for the pixel associated with the at least one point; and

further adjusting the depth based on the magnification value.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the field curvature model is one or a plurality of field curvature models, the method further comprising:

selecting the field curvature model from the plurality of field curvature models based on the determined focusing setting for the pixel associated with the at least one point.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein a particular pixel of the plurality of pixels is associated with an internal target of the confocal imaging apparatus, the method further comprising:

adjusting the depth of the at least one point of the three dimensional object based on applying the determined focusing setting for the pixel associated with the at least one point and the determined focusing setting for the particular pixel associated with the internal target to the field curvature model.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the field curvature model comprises a three dimensional polynomial function.

13. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

determining a temperature of focusing optics of the confocal imaging apparatus; and

adjusting the depth of the at least one point of the three dimensional object based on applying the determined temperature and the determined focusing setting to the field curvature model.

14. The method of claim 8 , wherein the processor is a component of the confocal imaging apparatus.

15. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving intensity measurements generated by a plurality of pixels of a detector of a confocal imaging apparatus, wherein each pixel of the plurality of pixels provides intensity measurements for an associated returning light beam from an array of returning light beams that have been reflected off of an imaged three dimensional object, and wherein each returning light beam of the array of returning light beams is associated with a point of the three dimensional object;

determining, for each pixel of the plurality of pixels, a focusing setting of the confocal imaging apparatus that provides a maximum measured intensity;

determining, for each pixel of the plurality of pixels, a depth of a point of the three dimensional object associated with the pixel that corresponds to the determined focusing setting;

adjusting, by the processor, the depth of at least one point of the three dimensional object based on applying the determined focusing setting for the pixel associated with the at least one point to a field curvature model to compensate for a curved focal surface of the confocal imaging apparatus; and

determining a surface topology of the three dimensional object based at least in part on the adjusted depth.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , the operations further comprising:

determining a magnification value associated with the determined focusing setting for the pixel associated with the at least one point; and

further adjusting the depth based on the magnification value.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the field curvature model is one or a plurality of field curvature models, the operations further comprising:

selecting the field curvature model from the plurality of field curvature models based on the determined focusing setting for the pixel associated with the at least one point.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the field curvature model comprises a three dimensional polynomial function.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , the operations further comprising:

determining a temperature of focusing optics of the confocal imaging apparatus; and

adjusting the depth of the at least one point of the three dimensional object based on applying the determined temperature and the determined focusing setting to the field curvature model.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the processor is a component of the confocal imaging apparatus.