A three-coordinated heterodyne laser interferometer with polarization multiplexing of beams in a sampling and a reference arm has been worked out in MEPhI laboratory of laser diagnostics. The author of the project is student of 1st year doing Master’s degree in MEPhI Mariia Ponarina whose supervisor is Department №37 Professor A.P. Kuznetsov.
Laser interferometry has been chosen as the basis for creating a system capable of characterization of surface form of nanohardness tester identors which shows high accuracy and metrological precision of measuring. This optical scheme allows to incorporate interferometer into serially manufactured nanohardness testers. The range of measuring in three axes is 100х100х10 microns, measuring resolution is 0,01 nm.
Measuring hardness in nanometer length scale of linear dimensions is very acute in the research of thin films and surfaces as well as structural constituents of different allays.
Method offered by MEPhI employees gives more accurate data, has higher resolution and provides a possibility to trace measuring to meter standard through the wave length of frequency-stable He-Ne laser in comparison with other methods of probe tip form measurring
Below – Optical scheme of interferometer (AOM - acousto-optical modulator, FP - collimating system, CR – triple prism, PBS – polarized beam splitter, P – prisms, l/2 - half-wave plate, M1,2,3 – mirrors for beam mixing).
