Calibration of Optical Rotary Tables using Autocollimators and Laser Interferometer Systems

摘要

Calibration of rotary tables can be performed using autocollimators or laser interferometer systems. In this investigation a comparison between these two methods of calibration as applied on an optical rotary table has been carried out. The calibrated table is a Carl Zeiss optical rotary table of resolution 30 arcsecond. An Elcomat~® 3000 autocollimator system and an Agilent~® 5529A laser interferometer system have been used in this calibration. A precise indexing table of 360 serrations with accuracy of ± 0.5 arcsecond manufactured by Davis~® and a glass polygon of 12 faces with accuracy of ± 0.3 arcsecond delivered by MOLLER WEDEL GmbH has been used. The indexing table is used in co-operation with the laser system while both of the polygon and the indexing table are used with autocollimator system. Repeated results from the different methods of calibration were carried out and presented in the paper. Uncertainties associated with the measurement results for each method have been estimated using the procedures mentioned in GUM. The paper discusses the accuracies as well as difficults and ease associated with each method.