Pragmatic Micrometre to Millimetre Calibration Using Multiple Methods for Low-Coherence Interferometer in Embedded...

Area of Science:

• Metrology and Measurement Science
• Optical Engineering
• Surface Science

Background:

• In-situ metrology for surface analysis demands high reliability.
• Traceable calibration of measurement system transfer functions is essential at regular intervals.
• Accurate surface topography, texture, and form analysis are critical for quality control.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare three dimensional calibration methods for spectral domain low coherence interferometers.
• To evaluate the impact of dataset sparsity on calibration accuracy.
• To assess the effect of using a single calibration dataset across different operating media.

Main Methods:

• Dimensional calibration using a reference laser interferometer.
• Dimensional calibration using two types of single material measures.
• Analysis of dataset sparsity and its effect on system performance.
• Evaluation of system performance across different media.

Main Results:

• Comparison of the accuracy and reliability of the three calibration methods.
• Quantification of the impact of limited calibration data points.
• Demonstration of performance variations when using a single calibration dataset in diverse media.
• Identification of the most robust calibration approach for spectral domain low coherence interferometers.

Conclusions:

• The choice of calibration method significantly influences measurement reliability.
• Dataset sparsity can compromise the accuracy of surface metrology.
• System performance is media-dependent, necessitating careful calibration strategies.
• Traceable and regular calibration is vital for dependable in-situ metrology.