High-resolution Angle Measurement based on Michelson Interferometry

In this paper a reconfigured Michelson interferometer for high-resolution angle measurement is proposed. The anglular displacement of the object mirror will cause optical path difference that generates interference. With an optical phase shift module the photodetectors will collect quadrature signals with 90° phase shift. With pulse counting and phase subdivision processing the optical path change can be calculated and then converted to anglular displacement. The proposed structure is also featured by its miniature design. The optical system is only 55 mm by 55 mm in area. In order to facilitate the alignment of optical components and improve the signal quality, a new optical bonding technology by mechanical fixture is proposed so that the optics can be permanently pressed together without air gap in between. Experiments show that the resolution is 0.01”, the accuracy is less than 0.03”, and the repeatability is within 0.1” for the measurement range of ± 50 arc seconds.