Abstract
Triangulation based range sensors have long been used for making large scale measurements, however, when triangulation techniques are used in metrology applications with very tight tolerances, new concerns appear. In particular, the design of very high resolution range sensors requires an understanding of surface microstructure effects that can severely limit the accuracy of a system. For triangulation based sensors to enter the regime where interferometry has traditionally been used, the problems of surface microstructure induced noise must be overcome. In this paper we discuss the factors that limit the resolution of triangulation based range sensors, and the theoretical limitations on the accuracy of such sensors.