Subnanometric calibration of a differential interferometer

A novel self-calibration method is proposed for calibrating differential interferometers with subnanometer resolution, and the basic characteristics of the method are discussed. Analysis shows that without using any external reference, the calibration accuracy approaches the resolution limit of the interferometer, which is determined by the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and the stability of the measurement system. A compact differential interferometer that uses a laser diode as the light source has been developed in order to demonstrate the viability of the proposed calibration method. The conventional fringe-counting and phase modulation methods are combined in order to extend the measurement range and improve the resolution of the interferometer. The developed interferometer was calibrated using the new method, and the calibration results were compared to those obtained by a comparison calibration method that uses a capacitance displacement sensor as the reference. (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Inc., 1996