Abstract: In order to determine movements of two subjects, two or more signals of different phase are obtained which depend on the movement, and processed by locating constellation status of the signals in at least one co-ordinate axis system, it must have at least six separate segments rotationally displaced. Where there are two or more co-ordinate axis systems, each must have an axis radiating from an origin. The change in the constellation states is monitored using at least two processed data samples obtained by sampling the signals at a suitable clock rate. It is possible to derive a prediction of values of the signal and filter the signals in dependence on the prediction. The second co-ordinate axis system may be rotatable relative to the first co-ordinate axis system enabling the provision of a movable region of uncertainty.

Abstract: In order to determine movements of two subjects, two or more signals of different phase are obtained which depend on the movement, and processed by locating constellation status of the signals in at least one co-ordinate axis system, it must have at least six separate segments rotationally displaced. Where there are two or more co-ordinate axis systems, each must have an axis radiating from an origin. The change in the constellation states is monitored using at least two processed data samples obtained by sampling the signals at a suitable clock rate. It is possible to derive a prediction of values of the signal and filter the signals in dependence on the prediction. The second co-ordinate axis system may be rotatable relative to the first co-ordinate axis system enabling the provision of a movable region of uncertainty.

Abstract: Apparatus for producing and guiding a light beam, in particular for a laser interferometer, includes a laser having a laser tube (100) and an external cavity (112). Two laser beams (110A′ and 110B′) of orthogonal polarization states are directed from the cavity into polarization maintaining fibers (12, 14). The two beams are generated from a single beam (110) by a birefringent prism (120) in the cavity. Additional beam steering prisms (130A and 130B) are included to direct the beams from the birefringent prism to the fibers. The additional steering prisms compensate for temperature induced beam deviations in the birefringent prisms. Interferometric sensing heads (20, 22) receive the beams from the fibers and include a rotatable wedge prism and mechanical adjustment means for guiding the beams onto reflecting surfaces on an object for positioning the object. The ends of the fibers attached to the sensing heads are kinematically located in the head.

Abstract: The output frequency of a semiconductor laser beam is stabilized using a grating or another optical device which has an interaction with the beam whose parameters are sensitive to the beam frequency. The grating (130) generates positive and negative first order diffracted beams (132, 134), whose angle of diffraction is sensitive to the beam frequency, and is detected by split photodetectors AB, CD respectively. In the event of a change in beam frequency the outputs from the photodetectors AB, CD will vary to provide an error signal for the laser frequency. This error signal is insensitive to variations in angular alignment between the beam and the diffraction grating. This is because variations in frequency and variations in angular alignment cause different changes in the outputs of the photodetectors AB, CD.

Abstract: A laser interferometer measuring system generates a series of digital output quadrature pulses corresponding to movement of a retroreflector 18. The output pulses are intended for receipt by a master counter containing an incremental count corresponding to displacement of the retroreflector 18. Errors present in the output pulses due to environmental or geometrical error sources in the interferometer may be compensated for by scaling the output pulses in accordance with a correction factor K. The output pulses are stored in a first counter 30, 130; a series of secondary pulses, being either the output pulses as scaled, or independently generated by a signal generator 200, are sent both to the master counter and a second counter 80, 180. A processor 50, 150 continually monitors the value of the second counter, and compares this with an actual value of displacement, equal to the product of the correction factor and the instantaneous value of the first counter.

Abstract: The presence of Semtex plastic explosive in a sample such as a fingerprint is detected by Raman spectroscopy. RDX and PETN, the active chemical ingredients of Semtex, have strong Raman peaks at 885 cm.sup.-1 and 874 cm.sup.-1 respectively. Consequently, both these peaks can be detected in a Raman spectroscopic system by employing a filter having a narrow passband centered on 880 cm.sup.-1 and with a bandwidth of 20 cm.sup.-1. Such a filter is used in a Raman system used to scan airport boarding cards, or in a Raman microscope which produces images of fingerprints.

Abstract: A sample placed under a microscope is illuminated by light from a laser beam. Raman scattered light is passed back via a dichroic filter to various optical components which analyse the Raman spectrum, and thence to a CCD detector. The optical components for analysing the Raman spectrum include tunable dielectric filters in a filter wheel; a Fabry-Perot etalon; and a diffraction grating. These various components may be swapped into the optical path as desired, for example using movable mirrors, enabling the apparatus to be used very flexibly for a variety of different analysis procedures. Various novel analysis methods are also described.

Abstract: A laser interferometer, used for measuring displacement over long distances (e.g. 100 meters) includes an integral laser/detector unit 10, which emits a beam 12 of laser light. The fraction of the beam 12B which passes undiverted through a beam splitter 14 is laterally displaced by a periscope 18, which is positioned close to the laser 10. After passage through the periscope 18, the undiverted beam is incident upon a large retroreflector 20, whose size is such that the beam reflected by retroreflector 20 is laterally displaced by an amount greater than the lateral displacement due to passage of the beam through the periscope 18. Opaque housing 26 of the periscope 18 is used to screen reflected light from entrance into the laser cavity.

Abstract: An absolute interferometer has part of the beam paths making up its measuring and reference arms formed in a waveguide, and part formed in air. The part formed in the waveguide are common mode so that the path length difference is formed in air, thus minimizing inaccuracies in the measurements caused by temperature changes in the waveguide. Phase modulators in the waveguide enable interpolation of the fringe counts to be made to high resolution. The absolute interferometer may be combined with a tracking interferometer, and with air refractometers, all of which have parts of their measuring and reference arms in the waveguide in common mode and symmetrical with each other.

Abstract: A system for calibrating a rotary table (10) includes an indexing table (20) (which is a Hirth coupling table) and an angular interferometer (100), together with a control (200). The indexing table is mechanically coupled to the rotary table (this being the only connection between the rotary table to be calibrated and the calibration system), and the interferometer is set up to measure rotation of the indexing table. During rotation of the rotary table (10) to a target angle, the control (200) monitors the interferometer reading, and when this reading exceeds a predetermined threshold, actuates a drive motor (240) of the table (20) to counter rotate the table, thereby to maintain the optics (106) of the interferometer in alignment with the laser beams (L2, L3) and thus enable continuous measurement of the position of the indexing table.

Abstract: A straightness interferometer system for determining the straightness of the relative movement of two machine parts is disclosed in which the required optical elements are combined into two optical components. In particular one optical component consists of a cold light source, a straightness reflector and a detector all combined together, and linked to a remote laser by a fibre optical cable. The other optical component is a beam diverging prism, e.g. a Wollaston prism together with a retroreflector. The advantage, particularly in a moving bed machine, is that the Wollaston prism can be mounted on the fixed spindle, and the light source, straightness reflector and detector are all mounted on the machine bed without the risk of errors occurring due to tilting movements of the bed as it moves.

Abstract: A gas refractometer is disclosed for use with a measurement interferometer and which in its simplest form (FIG. 1 ) comprises an auxiliary interferometer which uses the same light source as the measurement interferometer and which provides two light paths therethrough of different lengths. The gas refractometer operates as a tracking interferometer by providing a signal indicative of changes in the refractive index of the atmosphere in which the measurement interferometer is operating. At the same time the gas refractometer is made to act as an absolute refractometer by arranging that the maximum change in the difference between the two path lengths within the refractometer which will be produced for the full range of refractive index variation under which measurements are likely to be made will be less than one wavelength of the light used.

Abstract: A laser interferometer uses an acousto-optically modulated laser (100) to produce a pair of orthogonally polarized frequency-shifted beams. The beams are passed down a monomode, polarization preserving optical fiber (110) in order to transmit the beams to a cavity (148). The beams are separated at polarizing beam splitter (128) and directed down measuring arm (130) and reference arm (132) of an interferometer. The beat frequency between the reflected beams is detected at photo-detector (146) which outputs a measuring signal (152). This beat frequency is compared to the beat frequency of the beams before entering the interferometer, which is derived by providing a semisilvered mirror (114) and interfering polaroid (116) in the path of the beams up-beam of the interferometer to produce a reference signal (126). The measuring and reference signals are compared to determine the movement of the measuring arm of the interferometer.

Abstract: A rotable object table which has a stator (112) a rotor (114), and positioning servo and measuring system (16). The system (16) is calibrated using an angular interferometer and an intermediate table having stator 122 and rotor 124. Values of angular displacement of stator 124 are determined by the interferometer by solving 3 orthogonal simultaneous equations derived from the equation R+R.sub.o =K sin (.THETA.-.THETA..sub.o), and are compared with corresponding angular displacement as determined by the system (16).

Abstract: A laser inteferometer system is disclosed which is able to make measurements of any deviations in the movement of a machine component which is moving along a main movement axis. The system can measure roll, pitch, yaw, straightness, and parallelism of two tracks using a single laser beam. FIG. 1 shows an arrangement for measuring roll of a vertical machine column (2) during movement of the column along the x-axis of a machine. A straight mirror (6) is positioned on the machine bed with its longitudinal axis aligned with the x-axis, and its reflecting surface normal to the x-axis. An optical component including a polarizing beam splitter is mounted for movement with the machine column and generates from a laser beam (A), a measuring beam (B1) and a reference beam (B2) both directed at the mirror, but laterally separated in the direction of the Z axis. The reflected beams from the mirror are re-combined in the optical device to form a return beam (C) directed towwards a detector adjacent the laser (9).

Abstract: The invention relates to a straightness interferometer system, for measuring transverse deviations in the relative movement of machine parts. The preferred embodiment comprises a laser (30) which directs a single frequency laser beam, polarized in two orthogonal modes, along a principal axis P onto a beam splitter (24) which splits the beam into its two modes to provide two secondary beams (26,28). One of the secondary beams (26) is undeviated from the principal axis, the other (28) is deviated through a small angle. A roof-top reflector-prism combination (30/40) is positioned in the paths of both secondary beams in a plane normal to the principal axis, the prism being arranged to deflect the deviated beam into a direction parallel to the principal axis so that both beams are reflected back to the beam splitter where they re-combine to form a combined beam.

Abstract: A scale is fixed to one part of a position determining apparatus, and a read head is relatively movable on the other part of the apparatus. Incremental scale marks are regularly spaced along the scale and are counted in a counter to give an indication of relative position of the scale and read head. The marks may for example be recorded magnetically. Some scales are distinguishable from the other, e.g., by having different amplitudes. Positioning information can then be encoded in a binary word. This can either be absolute position values, or error correction information.

Abstract: In an optical detection system a plurality of photodiode detectors are placed in an enclosure. The enclosure has an aperature through which is directed a light beam to be analyzed. To eliminate the effect which ambient light entering the aperture would have on the detector signals, each of the detectors are arranged to be at equal distances from the aperture so that they all have the same acceptance cone angle for the light entering the aperture. Thus the ratio of signal to ambient light in the portion of the light beam reaching each detector is the same and the d.c. component of the signal produced by the detector can be easily removed in the signal conditioning electronics. The equal spacing of the detectors from the aperture is achieved in accordance with the invention by using beam splitters in the path of the beam to deflect portions of the beam to detectors which are offset from the base axis.

Abstract: Measuring apparatus for use in measuring relative movements of two objects and wherein a scale and scale reader are provided mounted respectively on the objects for providing an accurate determination of the relative positions of the two objects with reference to the marks on the scale, the positions of which are accurately known. An interferometer is also provided for measuring the relative movements of the scale and scale reader in order to provide an accurate determination of the relative positions of the two objects at positions between the scale marks. In order to correlate the readings of the scale reader and the interferometer, the scale reader outputs a signal to the interferometer each time a scale mark is detected and the interferometer reading is updated.

Abstract: Optical apparatus for use with a machine having parts movable along three mutually orthogonal axes. The apparatus uses a single laser to direct a main beam along a first one of the axes and a square deflector mounted on a movable part of the machine to direct the beam orthogonally into a second direction without any angular errors due to pitch or yaw of the square deflector. Thus only roll of the square deflector need be measured. Further square deflectors are used to deflect the beam around other axes of the machine whereby the co-ordinates of a measuring probe can be accurately checked against the machine scale readings. Various methods of measuring roll are described including generating side beams from the main beam and directing them in anti-parallel direction to the main beam onto detectors which detect the deviation of the anti-parallel beams due to roll of the square deflector.