Date of Award
7-21-2017
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Chemical Engineering (MChE)
Department
Chemical Engineering
First Advisor
Charles Joenathan
Second Advisor
Robert Bunch
Third Advisor
Ashley Bernal
Abstract
High accuracy tilt or roll angle measurement is required for a variety of engineering and scientific applications. Optical interferometry is normally used because it is non-contact and can measure tilt with a very high degree of accuracy. In this thesis, a cyclic interferometer has been developed with four mirrors to measure tilt angles as small as a few nanoradians. To measure the phase, a novel and simple method of phase shift by polarization was developed to enhance measurement sensitivity and accuracy. Since the cyclic interferometer is insensitive to external vibrations and turbulences, polarization phase step was accomplished with relative ease. To introduce the phase shift, a quarter wave plate and a half wave plate were used with a polarized laser beam. Multiple reflections were also introduced in the cyclic interferometer to enhance tilt measurement capability. A new method was developed to evaluate phase and eventually measure the tilt even in the case of changing fringe visibility. The results of these studies show that the multiple reflection cyclic interferometer can be used to measure object tilts in the order of 0.2 nanoradians or 10-5 arc second.
Recommended Citation
Naderishahab, Tahereh, "Nanoscale tilt measurement using a cyclic interferometer with phase stepping and multiple reflections" (2017). Graduate Theses - Physics and Optical Engineering. 2.
https://scholar.rose-hulman.edu/dept_optics/2