Measurements of the LIGO Pathfinder Optics

Published

November 1, 1997

Author(s)

R E. Parks, Christopher J. Evans, P Sullivan, Lianzhen Shao, B Loucks

Abstract

A number of 150 mm apertures in 250 mm diameter plano-concave optics with figure errors of a few nm were carefully tested using phase measuring interferometry and the data reduced using pixel based absolute testing techniques. We discuss some of the data reduction techniques used, as well as the precautions taken to verify the accuracy of the results. After accounting for systematic errors introduced by interferometer imaging, we show that the surfaces can be characterized to a few nm peak-to-valley over spatial scales from the measurement aperture to a few mm.

Proceedings Title

Proceedings of SPIE, Optical Manufacturing and Testing II, H. Philip Stahl, Editor

Volume

3134

Conference Dates

July 27, 1997

Conference Location

San Diego, CA, USA

Conference Title

LIGO

Pub Type

Conferences

Keywords

absolute testing, interferometry, LIGO, optical testing

Citation

Parks, R. , Evans, C. , Sullivan, P. , Shao, L. and Loucks, B. (1997), Measurements of the LIGO Pathfinder Optics, Proceedings of SPIE, Optical Manufacturing and Testing II, H. Philip Stahl, Editor, San Diego, CA, USA (Accessed October 13, 2025)