A heterodyne interferometer for angle metrology

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/root 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 mu rad rms, respectively. (C) 2010 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3374550]