Self-calibration of precision angle sensor and polygon mirror

• Published in: Measurement : journal of the International Measurement Confederation Vol. 21; no. 4; pp. 125 - 136
• Main Authors: Kiyono, Satoshi, Zhang, Shizhou, Uda, Yutaka
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.08.1997; Elsevier
• Subjects: Angle sensor; Exact sciences and technology; General equipment and techniques; Instruments, apparatus, components and techniques common to several branches of physics and astronomy; Measurement and error theory; Metrology; Metrology, measurements and laboratory procedures; Optical instruments, equipment and techniques; Physics; Polygon mirror; Profile measurement; Self-calibration; Sensors (chemical, optical, electrical, movement, gas, etc.); remote sensing; Polygon mirror; Self-calibration; Profile measurement; Angle sensor; Angle probe; Calibration; Experimental study; Mirrors; Polygon; Profile; Metering
• ISSN: 0263-2241; 1873-412X
• DOI: 10.1016/S0263-2241(97)00054-7

The present paper describes a high-precision angle sensor and a new method for calibrating precision angle sensors absolutely without the use of any accurate reference instruments. Two angle sensors with compensating devices which compensate thermal drift of the light source are developed and calibrated by themselves. The repeatability error of the evaluated mean sensitivity was improved to 0.01% by the compensating device. The repeatability of the calibrated linearity error was reduced to 0.025 s (arc). This paper also describes a new differential method that can calibrate simultaneously the dividing errors of a polygon mirror and angular profile of polygonal surfaces by using the developed angle sensors. Calibration of a 24-sided polygon mirror showed the repeatability error of dividing angle and angular profile to be approximately 0.2 s (arc).