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Lecture 15 _ Optical Flat and Interferrometry_2

The document discusses the NPL Flatness Interferometer developed by the National Physical Laboratory in the UK, which utilizes a simple optical system to measure flatness between gauge surfaces using interference fringes. It describes the setup involving a Hg vapour lamp, a green filter, and a collimating lens to project a parallel light beam onto the gauge. The document also explains how to measure errors in parallelism for gauges of different lengths using this interferometer.

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Tejal Balyan
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2 views

Lecture 15 _ Optical Flat and Interferrometry_2

The document discusses the NPL Flatness Interferometer developed by the National Physical Laboratory in the UK, which utilizes a simple optical system to measure flatness between gauge surfaces using interference fringes. It describes the setup involving a Hg vapour lamp, a green filter, and a collimating lens to project a parallel light beam onto the gauge. The document also explains how to measure errors in parallelism for gauges of different lengths using this interferometer.

Uploaded by

Tejal Balyan
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Metrology

Lecture 2: Optical Flat and Interferometry

04/04/2025 1
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NPL Flatness Interferometer
• NPL Flatness Interferometer was developed by the National
Physical Laboratory of the United Kingdom.

• Uses a simple optical system – Sharpe image of fringe.

• Light from Hg vapour lamp is condensed and passed through a


green filter –monochromatic Green light

• Pinhole positioned in the focal plane of collimating lens.

• Collimating lens projects a parallel light beam onto the tested


gauge via an optical flat. – Formation of interference fringe.

• Light beam carrying an image of fringes is reflected back and


directed by 90º using a glass plate reflector.
NPL Flatness Interferometer

Fig. (a) Equal fringes on parallel surfaces (b)


Unequal fringes due to flatness error.
Measuring Error in Parallelism using NPL Flatness Interferometer

• The NPL flatness interferometer is used for checking


flatness between gauge surfaces.
• The gauge to be checked is placed on a base plate that
has a high degree of flatness.
• If the gauge length is smaller than 25 mm, the gauge is
placed on the base plate and the fringe pattern is
observed.
Fig. Testing Parallelism in Gauges.
• For gauges longer than 25mm, fringe pattern on the
base plate is difficult to observe. Therefore, the gauge
is placed on a rotary table, as shown in Fig.
Measuring Error in Parallelism using NPL Flatness Interferometer
• If gauge surface has flatness error, because of the angle
it makes with the optical flat, a number of fringes (n1)
are seen on the gauge surface.

• Now the table is rotated through 180°, and the surface


of the gauge becomes even less parallel to the optical
flat. This results in a greater number of fringes (total n2)
appearing on the gauge surface.
• Change in distance over the entire length = δ1 – δ2
Fig. Testing Parallelism in Gauges.
Optical Flat – Fringe Patterns
• Fringe Patterns reveals the surface conditions. We can further measure surface configurations.
Thank you

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