Optical interferometry for measurement of the geometric dimensions of industrial parts

Abstract

We describe an instrument for the measurement of surface flatness, parallelism, and size (thickness) of plane-parallel parts in a single measurement to 1sigma gauge capability of 0.02, 0.03, and 0.06 microm, respectively. A low-coherence IR profiler viewing both sides of the part simultaneously, believed to be novel, accommodates a wide variety of industrial surface finishes, including machined, ground, or lapped parts, with a 75-mm field of view and 15,000 pixels per side. A heterodyne laser displacement gauge together with an integrated zeroing system allows for a range of part sizes from 0 to 100 mm.