PORTABLE AUTOCOLLIMATORS USING THE LASER-DIODE AND THE POSITION-SENSITIVE DETECTOR

We were able to simplify the structure of the autocollimators and enha nce the performance by using one- and two-axis PSDs (position-sensitiv e detectors) which have spatial resolution of 0.1 and 2.5 mu m, respec tively, with little dependence on the spot size of incident beam and t he visible laser diodes as the light source. Two kinds of portable aut ocollimators which can measure angles with resolutions 0.01'' and 0.1' ', respectively, were made. They were calibrated by the reference angl e generator which employed the laser interferometer. The characteristi cs of temporal stability were evaluated and the profile of a test surf ace was measured. (C) 1998 American of Institute of Physics.