Chinese Leftovers, Number Theory and Gauge Block Interferometry

摘要

The historical development of the Chinese Remainder Theorem (CRT) is presented, followed by the mathematical development of the CRT, particularly in the field of elementary number theory. Finally, the application of CRT to the method of excess fractions, used for determining the lengths of gauge blocks by optical interferometry, is presented and discussed. This technique offers the potential for a robust and accurate determination of gauge block lengths by interferometry, with several advantages over existing fitting procedures.