| Abstract: |
Diode lasers are becoming increasingly important in length metrology. In particular, the tunability of diode lasers makes them attractive for applications such as absolute distance interferometry (ADI). In this paper we describe the current status of our research on the use of diode lasers in ADI and we discuss, more generally, the unique strengths and weaknesses of diode lasers for application to length measurement. For standard interferometry a diode laser is usually a poor replacement for a helium-neon laser, but in selected applications the capabilities of the diode can provide significant advantages. |
