Noncontact measurement method of linear and angular displacement based on dual-beam feedback interferometric system

Abstract: This study describes a unique optical approach for the noncontact measurement of linear and angular displacement. Compared to previous methods, the sensor system here based on the dual-beam phase-modulated feedback interferometry provides higher sensitivity for non-cooperative targets and a wider range concerning the angle measurement. The amount of linear and angular displacement is calculated by tracing the phase changes of the differential beams. Performance of the proposed method is evaluated via testing a prototype system. The prototype has a 35 nm and 0.15" stability over 1 hour, with a resolution of 1 nm and 0.02" correspondingly, according to the experimental data. The linearity is 5.58*10^{-6} in the range of 100 mm and 1.34*10^{-4} in the range of 360{\deg}, indicating that the proposed method may possess considerable potential for high-precision metrological applications.