Combined optical and X–ray interferometry for high–precision dimensional metrology

Abstract

The requirement for calibrating transducers having subnanometre displacement sensitivities stimulated the development of an instrument in which the displacement is measured by a combination of optical and X–ray interferometry. The need to combine both types of interferometry arises from the fact that optical interferometry enables displacements corresponding to whole numbers of optical fringes to be measured very precisely, but subdivision of an optical fringe may give rise to errors that are significant at the subnanometre level. The X–ray interferometer is used to subdivide the optical fringes. Traceability to the meter is achieved via traceable calibrations of the lattice parameter of silicon and of the laser frequency.