title: A heterodyne interferometer for angle metrology.
abstract: We have developed a compact, high-resolution, angle measurement instrument based on a heterodyne interferometer. Common-path heterodyne interferometer metrology is used to measure displacements of a reflective target surface. In the interferometer set up, an optical mask is used to sample the laser beam reflecting back from four areas on a target surface. From the relative displacement measurements of the target surface areas, we can simultaneously determine angular rotations around two orthogonal axes in a plane perpendicular to the measurement beam propagation direction. The device is used in a testbed for a tracking telescope system where pitch and yaw angle measurements of a flat mirror are performed. Angle noise measurement of the device shows 0.1 nrad/square root of Hz at 1 Hz, at a working distance of 1 m. The operation range and nonlinearity of the device when used with a flat mirror is approximately +/-0.15 mrad, and 3 microrad rms, respectively.
authors.affiliation: Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91109, USA.
authors.forename: Inseob
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hahn
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Weilert
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Goullioud