Characterization of a self-calibrating, high-precision, stacked-stage, vertical dual-axis goniometer

Published

April 11, 2016

Author(s)

Marcus H. Mendenhall, Albert Henins, Donald A. Windover, James P. Cline

Abstract

We present details on the alignment and calibration of a goniometer assembly consisting two stacked, optically encoded, vertical axis rotation stages. A technique for its calibration is presented that utilizes a stable, uncalibrated, third stage to position a mirror in conjunction with a nulling autocollimator. Such a system provides a self-calibrating set of angular stages with absolute accuracy of ±0.1 arcseconds of plane angle (k = 2 expanded uncertainty) around the full circle, suitable for laboratory application. This calibration technique permits in situ, absolute angular calibration of an operational goniometer assembly that is requisite for fully traceable angle measurement, as the installation of the encoder is known to change its performance from the angular calibration data provided by the manufacturer.

Citation

Metrologia

Volume

53

Issue

3

Pub Type

Journals

Download Paper

https://doi.org/10.1088/0026-1394/53/3/933

Keywords

angle metrology, goniometer, long-range error, encoder, xrd, diffraction

Citation

Mendenhall, M. , Henins, A. , Windover, D. and Cline, J. (2016), Characterization of a self-calibrating, high-precision, stacked-stage, vertical dual-axis goniometer, Metrologia, [online], https://doi.org/10.1088/0026-1394/53/3/933 (Accessed October 8, 2025)