High-precision absolute distance and vibration measurement with frequency scanned interferometry

We report high-precision absolute distance and vibration measurements performed with frequency scanned interferometry using a pair of singlemode optical fibers. Absolute distance was determined by counting the interference fringes produced while scanning the laser frequency. A highfinesse Fabry-Perot interferometer was used to determine frequency changes during scanning. Two multiple-distance-measurement analysis techniques were developed to improve distance precision and to extract the amplitude and frequency of vibrations. Under laboratory conditions, measurement precision of ~50 nm was achieved for absolute distances ranging from 0.1 to 0.7 m by use of the first multiple-distance-measurement technique. The second analysis technique has the capability to measure vibration frequencies ranging from 0.1 to 100 Hz with an amplitude as small as a few nanometers without a priori knowledge.