Intensity range extension method for three-dimensional shape measurement in phase-measuring profilometry using a digital micromirror device camera.

Phase-measuring profilometry is an accurate and effective technique for performing three-dimensional (3D) shape and deformation measurements of diffuse objects by fringe projection. However, phase analysis cannot be performed in underexposed or overexposed areas of the detector when an object with wide reflectance is measured. A novel intensity range extension method using a digital micromirror device (DMD) camera is proposed. In the optics of the DMD camera, each pixel of the CCD corresponds exactly to each mirror of the DMD. The phase-shifted fringe patterns with high contrast can be easily captured by programming an inverse intensity pattern that depends on the reflectance of the object. Our method can provide a wider intensity range and higher accuracy for 3D shape measurement than other conventional methods in both underexposed and overexposed areas. The measurements of a replica of a metallic art object and a flat plane are analyzed experimentally to verify the effectiveness of our method. In the experiment, the percentage of invalid points due to underexposure and overexposure can be reduced from 20% to 1%. (c) 2008 Optical Society of America