Week 1

Lecture 1
Introduction of Metrology

Metrology as a scientific discipline gained momentum during the industrial revolution. Metrology is practiced
almost every day, often unknowingly, in our day-to-day tasks. Metrology concerns itself with the study of
measurements. It is of utmost importance to measure different types of parameters or physical variables and
quantify each of them with a specific unit.

Metrology:

The word metrology is derived from the Greek word ‘metrologia’, which means measure. Metrology literally
means science of measurements for engineering purposes and is constrained to measurements of length, angles,
and other quantities that are expressed in linear and angular terms. Metrology also deals with establishing the
units of measurements and their reproduction in the form of standards, developing methods of measurement,
analyzing the accuracy of methods of measurement and investigating the causes of measuring errors and
subsequently eliminating them.

Types of Metrology:
There are two types of metrology.
1. Dynamic Metrology
2. Deterministic Metrology

Dynamic Metrology is a group of techniques employed for measuring small variations that are of a continuous
nature such as pressure in a combustion engine, torque and shaft power etc.

Deterministic Metrology is that measurement in which part measurement is replaced by process measurement.
An example of deterministic metrology is a new technique known as 3D error compensation by computer
numerical control (CNC) systems.

Krypton 86 as standard measurement:

Krypton is a gas at room temperature, allowing for easier isotopic enrichment and lower operating temperatures
for the lamp (which reduces broadening of the line due to the Doppler effect, and so it was decided to select the
orange line of krypton-86 (λ ≈ 606 nm) as the new wavelength standard.
The meter is the length equal to 1 650 763.73 wavelengths in vacuum of the radiation corresponding to the
transition between the levels 2p10 and 5d5 of the krypton 86 atom.

Isotropic Enrichment:

A process by which the relative abundance of the isotopes of a given element are altered, thus producing a form
of the element that has been enriched in one particular isotope and depleted in its other isotopic forms.

Doppler Effect:

The Doppler Effect (or the Doppler shift) is the change in frequency of a wave in relation to an observer who is
moving relative to the wave source

Standards:
A standard is defined as the fundamental value of any known physical quantity, as established by national and
international organizations of authority, which can be reproduced. Fundamental units of physical quantities such
as length, mass, time, and temperature form the basis for establishing a measurement system.
Measurement System consists of:
1. The international system of units ( SI system )
2. Metric system
3. British imperial System
4. United states customary system

Quantity Unit Symbol

Length Meter m
Mass Kilogram kg
Time Second s
Temperature Kelvin K
Amount of substance Mole mol
Electric current Ampere A
Luminous Intensity Candela Cd

Basic units of SI system

SI unit is an international system of measurements that are used universally in technical and scientific research to
avoid the confusion with the units. Having a standard unit system is important because it helps the entire world
to understand the measurements in one set of unit system.
Week 1

Lecture 2

Optical Measurement and Methods of Interferometry

Optical Measurement:

Optical measurement provides a simple, easy, accurate, and reliable means of carrying out inspection and
measurements in the industry. Since optical instruments are used for precision measurement, the projected image
should be clear, sharp, and dimensionally accurate.

In general, an optical instrument should have the following essential features:

1. A light source
2. A condensing or collimating lens system to direct light past the work part and into the optical system
3. A suitable stage or table to position the work part, the table preferably having provisions for movement in
two directions and possibly rotation about a vertical axis
4. The projection optics comprising lenses and mirrors
5. A viewing screen or eyepiece to receive the projected image
6. Measuring and recording devices wherever required.

Interferometry:

When two light waves interact with each other, the wave effect leads to a phenomenon called interference of
light. Instruments designed to measure interference are known as interferometers.
Microscopic magnification enables micron-level resolution for carrying out inspection or calibration of masters
and gauges. Lasers are also increasingly being used in interferometers for precision measurement.

It is now quite obvious to that the number of fringes that appear in a given length on the screen is a measure of
the distance between the two point light sources and forms the basis for linear measurement. This phenomenon
is applied for carrying out precise measurements of very small linear dimensions, and the measurement technique
is popularly known as interferometry.
Methods:

This technique is used in a variety of metrological applications such as inspection of machine parts for
straightness, parallelism, and flatness, and measurement of very small diameters, among others. Calibration and
reference grade slip gauges are verified by the interferometry technique.

A variety of light sources are recommended for different measurement applications, depending on convenience
of use and cost. The most preferred light source is a tungsten lamp with a filter that transmits monochromatic
light.

Other commonly used light sources are mercury, mercury 198, cadmium, krypton 86, thallium, sodium, helium,
neon, and gas lasers. Among all the isotopes of mercury, mercury 198 is one of the best light sources, producing
rays of sharply defined wavelength. In fact, the wavelength of mercury 198 is the international secondary standard
of length.

Krypton-86 light is the basis for the new basic international standard of length. The meter is defined as being
exactly 1,650,763.73 wavelengths of this light source, measured in vacuum.

Mach-Zehnder Interferometer

The Mach–Zehnder interferometer is a device used to determine the relative phase shift variations between
two collimated beams derived by splitting light from a single source. The Mach–Zehnder interferometer is frequently
used in the fields of aerodynamics and heat transfer to measure pressure, density, and temperature changes in
gases.

The Michelson interferometer is a common configuration for optical interferometry and was invented by Albert
Abraham Michelson. Using a beam splitter, a light source is split into two arms. Each of those light beams is
reflected back toward the beam splitter which then combines their amplitudes using the superposition principle.
The resulting interference pattern that is not directed back toward the source is typically directed to some type of
photoelectric detector or camera. It is used in measuring the diameter of stars.