Measuring the thickness and refractive index of a thick transparent plate by an unexpanded laser beam

The thickness and refractive index of a thick transparent plate are measured by using an unexpanded HeNe laser beam. The laser beam is incident at different angles onto the plate, and then two reflected beams, from the front and back surfaces, are received on a distant screen: the corresponding separations between them are measured. A theoretical relation between the refractive index, thickness, angle of incidence and separation is derived. This relation is experimentally verified and shows good agreement. The errors in the measured thickness and refractive index are analysed. The method is non-contact, non-destructive and low cost. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.