Simple technique for the fabrication of a penta prism with high accuracy right angle deviation

What we believe to be a new technique for the fabrication of a penta prism (PP) with high accuracy right angle deviation of the incident beam is presented. We derive simple formulas relating to the error in right angle deviation with the errors in 45 degrees (beta) and 90 degrees (delta) angles of a PP, and we determine error in right angle deviation from the angle ((error in right angle deviation)r) between the plane wavefronts reflected from the right angled surfaces (external Fresnel reflection on the entrance surface and internal Fresnel reflection on the exit surface) of a PP and the angular error (delta) between the same surfaces. The error in right angle deviation is determined from the measurement of (error in right angle deviation)r using an autocollimator and a Fizeau interferometer, and error in right angle deviation is corrected to a high order of accuracy during the final stage of polishing one of the slanted surfaces of the PP. A new technique to determine the magnitude and direction of the small values of (error in right angle deviation)r is proposed and verified. The result for a PP is presented.