Optical alignment apparatus

Details Optical alignment apparatus Optical alignment apparatus

1984-12-17

1986-11-11

Rosenberger, R. A.

Optics: measuring and testing

Angle measuring or angular axial alignment

Alignment of axes nominally coaxial

356127, G01B 1126

Patent

active

046219242

ABSTRACT:
An apparatus for indicating misalignment of the optical elements of an optical system (10) comprises a source (11 ) of optical radiation (which is in general nonpolarized), a beam splitter (12), an optical flat (13) and an off-axis beam sampling device (14). The beam splitter (12) divides an input beam (20) from the source (11) into a transmitted component (21) which passes along the optic axis of the optical system (10) to the optical flat (13), and a reflected component (22) which passes to the off-axis beam sampling device (14). The beam sampling device (14) divides the reflected component (22) of the input beam (20) into two angularly separated beams (24) and (25), which are returned to the beam splitter (12). The beam splitter (12) transmits components (24') and (25'), respectively, of the angularly separated beams (24) and (25) to a detector plane (23). When the optical elements of the system (10) are properly aligned, the optical flat (13) reflects the transmitted component (21) of the input beam (20) back along the optic axis to the beam splitter (12), which reflects a component (21') of the transmitted component (21) to the detector plane so that the components (24') and (25') are angularly deviated by equal amounts, but on symmetrically opposite sides, from the component (21'). However, when there is a significant misalignment of the optical elements of the system (10), the transmitted component (21) is reflected by the optical flat (13) along a path off the optic axis of the system (10). Consequently, the beam splitter (12) reflects the component (21') of the transmitted component (21) to a different position on the detector plane (23) than the position to which the component (21') would be reflected if the optical elements were properly aligned. Quadrant detectors (27), (28) and (29) at the detector plane (23) sense any difference between the angular deviations of the components (24') and (25') from the component (21'), and thereby provide a measure of the misalignment of the optical elements of the system (10).

REFERENCES:
patent: 3942894 (1976-03-01), Maier

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