Manufacturing Of A Fiber Optic Young's Double Pinhole Interferometer For Use As A 3D Profilometer

The method used to manufature a Young's double pinhole interferometer is discussed. This interferometer is destined to be used in a surface profilometer using two wavelengths so that the zero order fringe can be determined. Hence stringent requirements are placed on the absolute length difference between the two output fibers of a single mode coupler. These requirements are discussed along with the manufacturing process. The interferometer is shown along with measurements showing a length difference on the order of 6 mu m. (C) 2000 Optical Society of America.