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Interferometric-auto-collimation technique for the determination of small angular tilt of a plane mirror

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Abstract

A new common path interferometric auto-collimation technique is proposed. A laser autocollimator is combined with a modified triangular path interferometer for generating Fizeau fringes formed due to interference between two split up plane wave components with angular separation equal to four times of the angular deflection of the plane test mirror. The angular deflection of the plane test mirror is measured either from the fringe spacing or more accurately, from the slope of the optical path difference variation of the interference field obtained by applying polarization phase shifting interferometry. Results for a validation experiment are presented.

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Acknowledgments

We wish to thank S. S. Negi of our Optical Workshop for his help in setting up the experimental arrangement and for drawing of the figures.

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Correspondence to Sanjib Chatterjee.

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Chatterjee, S., Kumar, Y.P. Interferometric-auto-collimation technique for the determination of small angular tilt of a plane mirror. J Opt 44, 68–76 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12596-014-0203-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12596-014-0203-z

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