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Title: Differential heterodyne interferometer for measuring thickness of glass panels

Journal Article · · Review of Scientific Instruments
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2752607· OSTI ID:20953545
; ; ; ;  [1]
  1. Samsung Electronics, Mechatronics Center, 416 Maetan-3Dong, Yeongtong-Gu, Suwon-City, Gyeonggi-Do 442-600 (Korea, Republic of)

Differential heterodyne interferometer is applied for measuring spatial thickness variations across glass panels of liquid-crystal displays. This system uses the Zeeman laser as a source of two-frequency shifted orthogonally linearly polarized probe waves, passing through the glass in two spatially separated points. These waves are then recombined in a single beam to produce the intermediate frequency signal with the phase proportional to the thickness gradient of a glass sample. The phase of the intermediate signal is measured against the laser reference by means of a lock-in amplifier, and finally real-time integration provides the thickness variation. Since spatial separation of the probe beams is only 1.35 mm good approximation for the thickness gradient is achieved. Detailed design of the interferometer and experimental results on real samples are presented.

OSTI ID:
20953545
Journal Information:
Review of Scientific Instruments, Vol. 78, Issue 7; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.2752607; (c) 2007 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0034-6748
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English