Non-invasive conoscopic holography-based device for artworks surface acquisition

Surface topography is very important for many applications. Today the most used techniques on artworks and stone artifacts require long acquisition times and invasive interventions. For this reason, here a non-contact device improved in portability is described. It can acquire wide areas in short times, so it is suitable for topography reconstruction with spatial resolution of some tens of micrometers. The starting point is a commercial conoscopic probe, the Optimet Conoline, that is able to reconstruct the depth profile of a surface line probed by a built-in laser. Its accuracy and acquisition speed are as high as to return wide measured areas in short times; its resolution permits fine details reproduction. Low interference with the artwork, high portability and low response to environmental noise are the ingredients for the instrumental setup.