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Photonics Dictionary

Twyman-Green interferometry

Twyman-Green interferometry is a technique used in optics to measure the flatness or surface profile of optical components with high precision. It is based on the principles of interference of light waves.

In a Twyman-Green interferometer, a light source, typically a laser, emits a beam of coherent light. This beam is split into two paths by a beamsplitter. One path serves as the reference beam, while the other interacts with the optical component under test. After reflection from the test surface, the two beams recombine at the beamsplitter. The recombined beams then interfere with each other, producing an interference pattern that is captured by a detector, such as a camera or a photodetector array.

The interference pattern contains information about the phase difference between the reference and test beams, which in turn relates to the surface profile or flatness of the test component. By analyzing the interference pattern, deviations from a perfectly flat surface can be detected and measured with high precision.

Twyman-Green interferometry is widely used in various industries, including optics manufacturing, semiconductor fabrication, and precision engineering, for quality control and characterization of optical components such as mirrors, lenses, and prisms. It provides a noncontact, nondestructive method for assessing surface quality and subwavelength deviations, making it an invaluable tool in optical metrology and quality assurance processes.
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