Interferometer

US9188424B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• DR. JOHANNES HEIDENHAIN GMBH · DE

Inventors

• Wolfgang Holzapfel · Obing, DE
• Joerg Drescher · Riedering, DE
• Markus Meissner · Teupitz, DE
• Ralph Joerger · Traunstein, DE
• Bernhard Musch · Otterfing, DE
• Erwin Spanner · Traunstein, DE
• Thomas Kaelberer · Schrobenhausen, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 19, 2013
• Grant date: Nov 17, 2015
• Expiry date: Feb 14, 2034

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01B9/02018
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

An interferometer includes a light source and a beam splitter, via which the beam of rays emitted by the light source is split into a measurement beam and a reference beam. The measurement beam propagates in a measuring arm extending in a first direction between the beam splitter and a measuring reflector. The measuring reflector brings about an offset perpendicular to the direction of incidence between the measurement beam falling on it and the measurement beam reflected back by it. In a reference arm extending in a second direction, the reference beam propagates between the beam splitter and a reference reflector. In addition, the interferometer has a detector system, to which the superposed and recombined measurement beam and reference beam are able to be supplied, and via which a distance-dependent interference signal with respect to the position of the measuring reflector is able to be generated. The measuring reflector in each case includes at least one transmission grating as well as a reflector element.