JP2013178122A - Liquid film analysis method and apparatus for the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a liquid film analysis method and an apparatus for the method, capable of accurately finding thickness of a liquid film.SOLUTION: A liquid film analysis apparatus 1 includes: support means 3 for supporting a measuring target 2 provided with a liquid film including a luminescent material containing a substance capable of emitting light by excitation light; a light source 3 for applying excitation light; imaging means 5 for obtaining image information by imaging light emission by the excitation light; image analysis means 61 for analyzing first image information of a plurality of standard liquid films whose thickness is known and finding out relation between the liquid film thickness of the standard liquid films and luminance of light emission; storage means 62 for storing the relation between the liquid film thickness of the standard liquid films and the luminance of light emission; and determination means 63 for analyzing second image information of a sample liquid film and determining the thickness of the sample liquid film on the basis of the relation between the liquid film thickness of the standard liquid films stored in the storage means 62 and the luminance of light emission.

Description

  The present invention relates to a liquid film analysis method and apparatus.

  Conventionally, an object placed on a stage is irradiated with light from a light source, and image information obtained by imaging the reflected light is analyzed, and the gray value of the image information is compared with reference data stored in advance. By doing so, an apparatus for determining the film thickness of the target is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 7-35514

  However, in the conventional apparatus, when the target is a liquid and is flowing, the brightness of the reflected light increases due to the undulation of the liquid and the film thickness of the liquid cannot be obtained accurately. There is inconvenience that there is. In addition, when the amount of the target liquid is very small and a part of the stage is exposed, reflected light from the stage is also included in the image information, and the film thickness of the liquid is accurately determined. There is an inconvenience that it may not be able to be obtained.

  Therefore, the present invention has an object to provide a liquid film analysis method and apparatus capable of solving such inconvenience and accurately obtaining the thickness even if the target is a liquid film made of a small amount of liquid. To do.

  In order to achieve such an object, the liquid film analysis method of the present invention irradiates a plurality of standard liquid films having a known thickness including a luminescent material containing a substance that emits light by excitation light, A step of capturing light emission in the standard liquid film by an imaging means to obtain first image information, a luminance of light emission in each standard liquid film is obtained from the first image information, a thickness of each liquid film and a luminance of the light emission A step of obtaining a second image information by irradiating the sample liquid film containing the luminescent material with the excitation light and imaging light emitted from the sample liquid film by an imaging means, and each liquid film And a step of determining the thickness of the sample liquid film from the second image information based on the relationship between the thickness of the sample and the luminance of the light emission.

  In the liquid film analysis method of the present invention, first, a plurality of standard liquid films including a light emitting material containing a substance that emits light by excitation light and having a known thickness are prepared, and each standard liquid film is irradiated with excitation light. If it does in this way, since the said luminescent material contained in the said standard liquid film light-emits, this light emission will be imaged with an imaging means, and 1st image information will be obtained.

  Examples of the light emitting material include a fluorescent material. Moreover, as said imaging means, the camera provided with a CCD element can be mentioned, for example.

  Next, the luminance of light emission in each standard liquid film is obtained from the first image information, and the relationship between the thickness of each liquid film and the luminance of the light emission is obtained. The light emission has a positive correlation with the amount of the light emitting material contained in the liquid film, and the amount of the light emitting material is proportional to the thickness of the liquid film. Thus, in this way, the relationship between the thickness of the liquid film in the standard liquid film and the luminance of the light emission can be obtained.

  Next, the sample liquid film containing the light emitting material is irradiated with the excitation light. In this case, as in the case of the standard liquid film, the light emitting material contained in the sample liquid film emits light, and the light emission is imaged by the imaging means to obtain second image information.

  At this time, if the amount of the sample liquid film is very small, the bottom of the container of the sample liquid film is exposed, and there is a concern that information on the exposed portion is also included in the image information. However, according to the analysis method of the present invention, since only the light emission of the light emitting material contained in the liquid film is used as the image information, a portion where the liquid film itself does not exist, for example, an exposed portion of the bottom of the container, etc. Can be prevented from being included in the image information.

  Even if the liquid film is wavy, the amount of the light emitting material is proportional to the thickness of each part of the liquid film, so that an accurate image regarding the thickness of the liquid film can be obtained regardless of the state of the liquid film. Information can be obtained.

  Next, the thickness of the sample liquid film is obtained from the second image information based on the relationship between the thickness of the liquid film obtained previously and the luminance of the light emission. As a result, according to the liquid film analysis method of the present invention, the thickness of the liquid film can be accurately obtained even if the target is a liquid film made of a small amount of liquid.

  In the liquid film analysis method of the present invention, it is preferable that the standard liquid film and the sample liquid film are arranged at a position that is equidistant from the imaging means. In this way, the first image information and the second image information can be obtained under the same conditions. Therefore, when determining the thickness of the sample liquid film from the second image information based on the relationship between the thickness of the liquid film in the standard liquid film and the luminance of the light emission, the relationship and the second Comparison with image information can be easily performed.

  An apparatus for carrying out the liquid film analysis method of the present invention is a liquid film analysis apparatus for analyzing the thickness of a sample liquid film, and comprises an object to be measured having a liquid film containing a luminescent material containing a substance that emits light by excitation light. A supporting means for supporting, a light source for irradiating the object to be measured supported by the supporting means with the excitation light, and a predetermined distance to the object to be measured supported by the supporting means. And an imaging means having an optical axis orthogonal to the surface of the object to be measured and obtaining image information by imaging light emitted by the excitation light, and a plurality of standard liquid films including the luminescent material and having a known thickness Image analysis means for analyzing the first image information on the standard liquid film to determine the relationship between the thickness of the liquid film in the standard liquid film and the luminance of light emission, and the relationship between the thickness of the liquid film in the standard liquid film and the luminance of light emission Storage means for storing, and second image information for a sample liquid film containing the luminescent material Analysis to characterized in that it comprises a determination means for determining the thickness of the sample liquid film on the basis of the relationship between the thickness and the emission luminance of the liquid film in the standard solution film the storage means stores.

  According to the liquid film analyzer of the present invention, the light emitting material in the liquid film included in the measurement object supported by the support means emits light by the excitation light emitted from the light source. At this time, since the imaging means has an optical axis orthogonal to the surface of the object to be measured, the light emission can be captured efficiently and reliably.

  The object to be measured may be a first object to be measured including the plurality of standard liquid films, or may be a second object to be measured including the sample liquid film. Here, it is preferable that the supporting means supports the first object to be measured and the second object to be measured interchangeably. By doing so, the standard liquid film included in the first object to be measured and the sample liquid film included in the second object to be measured are automatically equidistant from the imaging unit. Can be placed in position.

  The light emission of the luminescent material has the same optical axis as the reflected light of the excitation light emitted from the light source. Therefore, the light source is preferably arranged at a position where the optical axis of the reflected light of the excitation light is coaxial with the optical axis of the imaging means, but the optical axis of the excitation light is the optical axis of the imaging means. It is more preferable that they are coaxial with each other.

  Therefore, the liquid film analyzing apparatus of the present invention preferably includes an optical axis adjusting unit that adjusts the optical axis of the excitation light emitted from the light source so as to be coaxial with the optical axis of the imaging unit. As described above, the imaging means includes an optical axis perpendicular to the surface of the object to be measured. Therefore, by making the optical axis of the excitation light itself coaxial with the optical axis of the imaging means by the optical axis adjustment means, the optical axis of the reflected light of the excitation light is automatically set to the imaging means. It can be coaxial with the optical axis.

  When the image information obtained by the imaging means is first image information for the plurality of standard liquid films, the first image information is sent to the image analysis means. Since the thickness of each of the plurality of standard liquid films is known, the image analysis means analyzes the first image information to obtain the thickness of the liquid film in the standard liquid film and the luminance of light emission. A relationship can be sought.

  The relationship between the thickness of the liquid film in the standard liquid film and the luminance of light emission obtained by the image analysis means is stored in the storage means.

  On the other hand, when the image information obtained by the imaging means is the second image information for the sample liquid film, the second image information is sent to the determination means. The determination unit analyzes the second image information, and based on the relationship between the thickness of the liquid film in the standard liquid film and the luminance of light emission stored in the storage unit, the sample liquid film Determine the thickness.

The system block diagram which shows the structure of the liquid film analyzer of this invention. The block diagram which shows the structure of the control apparatus in the liquid film analyzer of this invention. The perspective view which shows calibration of a calibration container provided with a some standard liquid film. The graph which shows an example of the relationship between the thickness of the liquid film in a standard liquid film, and the brightness | luminance of light emission.

  Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the liquid film analyzing apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment is provided with a coating gun 3 as a support means for supporting the object to be measured 2 and an excitation light for the object to be measured 2 supported by the coating gun 3. A light source 4 for irradiating light, a camera 5 as an imaging means for obtaining image information by imaging light emitted by the excitation light of the DUT 2, and a control device 6 for controlling the operation of the light source 4 and the camera 5. Yes.

  The DUT 2 is a bell cup 2a or a calibration container 2b. Each of the bell cup 2 a and the calibration container 2 b includes a liquid film containing a fluorescent material as a light emitting material containing a substance that emits light by the excitation light, and is attached to the coating gun 3 in a replaceable manner. The bell cup 2 a or the calibration container 2 b is supported by the coating gun 3 so that the liquid film is orthogonal to the optical axis of the camera 5.

  The light source 4 is provided, for example, on the side of the camera 5 at a position where its optical axis is orthogonal to the optical axis of the camera 5. On the optical axis of the light source 4, a condenser lens 41 as an optical axis adjusting unit, an excitation filter 42, and a dichroic mirror 43 are arranged. Here, the dichroic mirror 43 is disposed at the intersection of the optical axis of the light source 4 and the optical axis of the camera 5 so as to intersect each optical axis at an angle of 45 °.

The condenser lens 41 has a function of concentrating the light beam L ₁ emitted from the light source 4 on the excitation filter 42. In addition, the excitation filter 42 has an action of transmitting only the light beam L ₁ concentrated by the condenser lens 41 as the excitation light, for example, the light beam L ₂ having a wavelength of 495 nm or less.

The dichroic mirror 43 is provided with a function of reflecting the light rays L ₂ to excite the fluorescent material, and a function to transmit the emitted light L ₃ by the fluorescent material. As a result, of the light beam L ₂ emitted from the light source 4, the excitation light that excites the fluorescent material has the same optical axis as the optical axis of the camera 5.

The camera 5 includes a CCD element 51, and on its optical axis, an emission filter L ₃ that transmits only light emitted by a fluorescent material, for example, light having a wavelength of 560 nm or more and absorbs light having a wavelength shorter than that, and a plurality of filters A lens system 53 including lenses is provided.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the control device 6 stores an image analysis unit 61 that analyzes the liquid film image of the calibration container 2 b captured by the camera 5 as first image information, and an analysis result by the image analysis unit 61. A storage unit 62, a determination unit 63 for determining the thickness of the liquid film of the bell cup 2a using the image of the liquid film of the bell cup 2a captured by the camera 5 as second image information, the light source 4, and the camera 5 And a control unit 64 that controls the operation of the image analysis unit 61 and the determination unit 63.

  Next, the operation of the liquid film analyzer 1 of the present embodiment will be described.

  In the liquid film analyzer 1, first, the calibration container 2 b is attached to the coating gun 3. As shown in FIG. 3, the calibration container 2 b includes a regular hexagonal column-shaped main body 21 having six liquid film holding portions 22 a, 22 b, 22 c, 22 d, 22 e, and 22 f corresponding to the respective apexes. Each liquid film holding part 22a-22f can adjust the thickness of a liquid film arbitrarily, and is provided with the glass plate in the surface facing the camera 5, and hold | maintains a liquid film to predetermined thickness It can be done. The calibration container 2b is rotatably attached to the rotation shaft of the coating gun 3 through an attachment hole 23 provided at the center.

  Therefore, the calibration container 2 b in which the liquid films having different thicknesses are held in the liquid film holding portions 22 a to 22 f is attached to the coating gun 3. The liquid film is a liquid containing a fluorescent material having a predetermined concentration. As the fluorescent material, for example, a material known as a fluorescent penetrant flaw detector can be used. Examples of the fluorescent penetrant flaw detection agent include AP-6 (trade name, manufactured by Taseto Co., Ltd.), F-4A-E (trade name, manufactured by Eishin Chemical Co., Ltd.), and F-6A-SP / 1 (trade name, manufactured by Eshin). Chemical Co., Ltd.). Further, the thickness of the liquid film held in the liquid film holding units 22 a to 22 f is known and stored in advance in the control device 6, for example, in the image analysis unit 61.

Next, the control unit 64 of the control device 6 operates the light source 4 to emit light. Light L ₁ of the light source 4 is concentrated on the excitation filter 42 by the condenser lens 41, wherein the light beam to excite the fluorescent material, for example, only light L ₂ of the following wavelength 495nm is transmitted as the excitation light. The light beam L ₂ is then reflected by the dichroic mirror 43 so that the direction of the optical axis is changed by 90 °, is coaxial with the optical axis of the camera 5, and is applied to the liquid film holding unit 22 a of the calibration container 2 b. .

In liquid film holding portion 22a, the fluorescent material in the liquid film that holds emits light by ray L _2, transmission is the emission light L _3, the lens system 53, passes through the dichroic mirror 43, further absorption filter 52 As a result, an image is picked up by the CCD element 51. The emission of the fluorescent material, after the fluorescent substance contained in the fluorescent material is excited by light L _2, a fluorescence generated when returning to the ground state.

The light L ₂ is reflected by the liquid film and reaches the absorption filter 52 together with the emitted light L ₃ , but the absorption filter 52 transmits only the light corresponding to the emitted light L ₃ , for example, the light having a wavelength of 560 nm or more. Absorbs less light. Therefore, the light beam L ₂ is absorbed by the absorption filter 52 and is not imaged by the CCD element 51.

Next, the image captured by the CCD element 51 is sent to the image analysis unit 61 as first image information. The image analysis unit 61 by being controlled by the control unit 64, the thickness of the brightness of the light emission of the emitted light L ₃ obtained from the first image information, the liquid film holding portion 22a for storing in advance the liquid film And memorize it.

  The control device 6 repeatedly performs the same operation on the liquid film holding units 22b to 22f as the analysis of the luminance of the light emission with respect to the liquid film of the liquid film holding unit 22a. As a result, in the image analysis unit 61, a relationship between the thickness of the liquid film of the liquid film holding units 22a to 22f and the luminance of light emission of each liquid film is obtained. Note that the luminance of the light emission with respect to the liquid film holding units 22a to 22f may be further repeated by changing the thickness of the liquid film held by the liquid film holding units 22a to 22f.

  Next, the relationship between the thickness of the liquid film and the luminance of light emission of each liquid film is stored in the storage unit 62. An example of the relationship stored in the storage unit 62 is shown in FIG.

  If the relationship between the thickness of the liquid film and the luminance of light emitted from each liquid film is determined, the calibration container 2b is replaced with the bell cup 2a. Then, the liquid film of the paint held on the bell cup 2a is used as the sample liquid film, and is exactly the same as the liquid film of the liquid film holding portions 22a to 22f. Take an image.

Next, an image captured by the CCD element 51 is sent to the determination unit 63 as second image information. Determining unit 63, by being controlled by the control unit 64, the luminance of light emission of the emitted light L ₃ obtained from the second image information, and the thickness of the liquid film storage unit 62 stores, for each A comparison is made with the relationship with the luminance of the light emission of the liquid film. As a result, the thickness of the sample liquid film can be obtained.

  According to the liquid film analyzing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, the film thickness of each part on the bell cup 2a can be obtained, and when coating is performed using the bell cup 2a, the thickness of the obtained coating film is made uniform. Data to do.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Liquid film analyzer, 2 ... Object to be measured, 3 ... Paint gun, 4 ... Light source, 5 ... Camera, 6 ... Control apparatus.

Claims (5)

A plurality of standard liquid films including a light emitting material containing a substance that emits light by excitation light and having a known thickness are irradiated with the excitation light, and the light emitted from each standard liquid film is imaged by an imaging unit to obtain first image information. Obtaining
Obtaining the luminance of light emission in each standard liquid film from the first image information, and determining the relationship between the thickness of each liquid film and the luminance of the light emission;
Irradiating the sample liquid film containing the luminescent material with the excitation light and imaging the light emission in the sample liquid film by an imaging means to obtain second image information;
A liquid film analysis method comprising: obtaining a thickness of the sample liquid film from the second image information based on a relationship between the thickness of each liquid film and the luminance of the light emission.   The liquid film analysis method according to claim 1, wherein the standard liquid film and the sample liquid film are arranged at an equidistant position with respect to the imaging unit. A liquid film analyzer for analyzing the thickness of a sample liquid film,
A support means for supporting a measurement object including a liquid film containing a light emitting material containing a substance that emits light by excitation light;
A light source for irradiating the object to be measured supported by the support means with the excitation light;
The optical information is arranged at a predetermined distance with respect to the object to be measured supported by the supporting means, and has an optical axis perpendicular to the surface of the object to be measured. Imaging means for obtaining
Image analysis means for analyzing the first image information for a plurality of standard liquid films including the luminescent material and having a known thickness to determine the relationship between the thickness of the liquid film in the standard liquid film and the luminance of light emission;
Storage means for storing the relationship between the thickness of the liquid film in the standard liquid film and the luminance of light emission;
Analyzing the second image information for the sample liquid film containing the luminescent material, the thickness of the sample liquid film based on the relationship between the thickness of the liquid film in the standard liquid film stored in the storage means and the luminance of light emission A liquid film analyzer comprising: a determination unit that determines the thickness.   4. The liquid film analyzing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the support means interchangeably supports a first object to be measured including the plurality of standard liquid films and a second object to be measured including the sample liquid film. A liquid film analyzer characterized in that:   5. The liquid film analyzer according to claim 3, further comprising an optical axis adjusting unit configured to adjust an optical axis of the excitation light emitted from the light source to be coaxial with an optical axis of the imaging unit. Characteristic liquid film analyzer.

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