Two-channel six degrees of freedom grating-encoder for precision-positioning of sub-components in synthetic-aperture optics

Combined Displacement and Angle Sensor with Ultra-High Compactness Based on Self-Imaging Effect of Optical Microgratings

In this paper, an ultracompact combined sensor for displacement and angle-synchronous measurement is proposed based on the self-imaging effect of optical microgratings. Using a two-grating structure, linear and angular displacement can be measured by detecting the change of phase and amplitude of the optical transmission, respectively, within one single structure in the meantime. The optically transmitted properties of the two-grating structure are investigated in both theory and simulation. Simulated results indicate that optical transmission changes in a sinusoidal relationship to the input linear displacement. Meanwhile, the amplitude of the curve decreases with an input pitch angle, indicating the ability for synchronous measurement within one single compact structure. The synchronous measurement of the linear displacement and the angle is also demonstrated experimentally. The results show a resolution down to 4 nm for linear displacement measurement and a maximum sensitivity of 0.26 mV/arcsec within a range of ±1° for angle measurement. Benefiting from a simple common-path structure without using optical components, including reflectors and polarizers, the sensor shows ultra-high compactness for multiple-degrees-of-freedom measuring, indicating the great potential for this sensor in fields such as integrated mechanical positioning and semiconductor fabrication.

High-factor interpolation method based on space-time modulation and a Kalman filter for optical encoders

A high-factor interpolation method based on space-time modulation and a Kalman filter for optical encoders is proposed. Space-time modulation employs a reference time signal to modulate the output displacement signal of the optical encoder into a displacement space-time signal. Subsequently, high-frequency pulse signals are used for interpolation, which detect the phase of the reference time signal and the displacement space-time signal to obtain displacement information from the optical encoder output. The interpolation factor of this method depends on the frequencies of the high-frequency pulse signal and the reference time signal, and is independent of the moving speed. A Kalman filter is employed to estimate the velocity, compensating for time lag errors in the displacement information output by space-time modulation to improve the real-time performance of displacement output. The proposed method is simple and effective, which can be implemented on an FPGA. The effectiveness of the proposed method is verified through simulation and experimentation.

A Compact and High-Precision Three-Degree-of-Freedom Grating Encoder Based on a Quadrangular Frustum Pyramid Prism

A compact and high-precision three-degrees-of-freedom (DOF; X, Y, and Z directions) grating encoder based on the quadrangular frustum pyramid (QFP) prisms is proposed in this paper to solve the insufficient installation space problem of the reading head of the multi-DOF in high-precision displacement measurement applications. The encoder is based on the grating diffraction and interference principle, and a three-DOF measurement platform is built through the self-collimation function of the miniaturized QFP prism. The overall size of the reading head is 12.3 × 7.7 × 3 cm³ and has the potential for further miniaturization. The test results show that three-DOF measurements can be realized simultaneously in the range of X-250, Y-200, and Z-100 μm due to the limitations of the measurement grating size. The measurement accuracy of the main displacement is below 500 nm on average; the minimum and maximum errors are 0.0708% and 2.8422%, respectively. This design will help further popularize the research and applications of multi-DOF grating encoders in high-precision measurements.

High-precision method for simultaneously measuring the six-degree-of-freedom relative position and pose deformation of satellites

The high-precision measurement of the six degrees-of-freedom (6DoF) relative position and pose deformation of satellites on the ground in vacuum and high-/low-temperature environments plays a critical role in ensuring the on-orbit mapping accuracy of satellites. To meet the strict measurement requirements for a satellite of a high accuracy, high stability, and a miniaturized measurement system, this paper proposes a laser measurement method for simultaneously measuring 6DoF relative position and attitude. In particular, a miniaturized measurement system was developed and a measurement model was established. The problem of error crosstalk between the 6DoF relative position and pose measurements was solved by conducting a theoretical analysis and OpticStudio software simulation, and the measurement accuracy was improved. Laboratory experiments and field tests were then conducted. The experimental results revealed that the measurement accuracy of the developed system for the relative position and relative attitude reached 0.2 µm and 0.4", within the measurement ranges of 500 mm along the X axis, ±100 µm along Y and Z axes, and ±100", and the 24-h measurement stabilities were superior to 0.5 µm and 0.5", respectively, which meets the ground measurement requirements for the satellite. The developed system was successfully applied on site, and the 6Dof relative position and pose deformation of the satellite were obtained via a thermal load test. This novel measurement method and system provides an experimental means for satellite development, in addition to a method for the high-precision measurement of the relative 6DoF position and pose between two points.

An Ultra-Precision Absolute-Type Multi-Degree-of-Freedom Grating Encoder

An absolute-type four-degree-of-freedom (four-DOF) grating encoder that can simultaneously measure the three-axis pose (θx, θy, θz) and one-axis out-of-plane position (Z) of an object with high accuracy is demonstrated for the first time in this research. This grating encoder is composed of a stationary reading head and a movable grating reflector. A light beam from the reading head is projected onto the grating, and three diffracted beams (0th-, +1st-, and -1st-order) are generated, collimated, and received by three separate quadrant photodetectors (QPDs). The information of θx, θy, θz, and Z is coded into spot positions of these three diffracted beams on the QPDs. Thus, the modeling and decoupling algorithms were investigated, and an independent calculation of these four-DOF absolute positions was theoretically guaranteed. A prototype was then designed, constructed, and evaluated. Experimental results verified that the proposed grating encoder could achieve the absolute measurement of four-DOF θx, θy, θz, and Z with an accuracy of sub-arcseconds and sub-micrometers. To the best of our knowledge, the proposed encoder in this research is the first one to achieve absolute simultaneous measurements of four-DOF position and pose with a large measurement range. The success of this new grating encoder can benefit various multi-DOF positioning applications, especially for large-scale synthetic aperture optics (SAO), including stitching off-axis parabolic mirrors and pulse compression grating.

Laser triangulation measurement system with Scheimpflug calibration based on the Monte Carlo optimization strategy

We propose a linear laser triangulation measurement system using Scheimpflug calibration based on the Monte Carlo optimization strategy. A Scheimpflug inclination camera calibration model is introduced in the measurement system for improving the image definition in small-range measurements with a large depth-of-field. To address the nonlinear optimization problem between the instrument resolution and measurement range, the Monte Carlo method is adopted to determine the optimal optical parameters (scattering angle, Scheimpflug angle, and focus length) in a practical measurement system. Furthermore, we experimentally constructed the measurement system to demonstrate the measurement precision by measuring a standard step block (measurement range 15 mm). The performance parameters of the maximum measurement error, maximum standard deviation, and linearity are obtained as ±7 μm, 0.225 μm, and 0.046%, respectively. Finally, the proposed measurement system based on the Monte Carlo optimization strategy is promising for high-precision measurements in industrial applications and provides guidance for optimizing the design parameters of ranging measurement sensors.