Miniature Phase Grating interferometer contact gauge /high speed phase shifting interferometric gauge

Two Projects. 1. Miniaturised PGI gauge: Stylus based measurement systems have been used for decades employing inductive, optical rotary encoder or interferometric motion sensing strategies. A previous student Vladimirs Horjkovs successfully modelled and characterised Taylor Hobson's existing PGI technology [1] as well as deigning and proving out a lower cost scalable version. The objective of this project is to realise a miniature version without compromising its key high dynamic range and intrinsic stability. 2. The use of phase shifting laser interferometry for position measurement is well known however building commercially viable units whilst maintain nm level stability is non-trivial.Most designs employ single and multiple laser wavelengths [2,3] or ASE sources with phase shifting generated by mechanical movement (piezo), Electro-optical [4] or Acousto-optical methods; the former piezo approach is currently used in one family of instruments but is the limiting factor for measurement (sampling) speed at ~2kHz. The objective is to develop an architecture where sampling rates exceed 50kHz whilst maintaining nm level stability and accuracy with practicable working ranges 1-1000 mm. References
1. Patent US 5517307 1996 2. Patent DE 10 2008 033 942 B3 3. Proceedings Volume 8884, Optifab 2013 8884V (2013) 4. Optics Express 26(3):3443 February 2018

Complementing our Pathways to Impact document, here we state the expected real-world impact, which is of course the leading priority for our industrial partners. Their confidence that the proposed CDT will deliver valuable scientific, engineering and commercial impact is emphasized by their overwhelming financial support (£4.38M from industry in the form of cash contributions, and further in-kind support of £5.56M).

Here we summarize what will be the impacts expected from the proposed CDT.

(1) Impact on People
(a) Students
The CDT will have its major impact on the students themselves, by providing them with new understanding, skills and abilities (technical, business, professional), and by enhancing their employability.
(b) The UK public
The engagement planned in the CDT will educate and inform the general public about the high quality science and engineering being pursued by researchers in the CDT, and will also contribute to raising the profile of this mode of doctoral training -- particularly important since the public have limited awareness of the mechanisms through which research scientists are trained.

(2) Impact on Knowledge
New scientific knowledge and engineering know-how will be generated by the CDT. Theses, conference / journal papers and patents will be published to disseminate this knowledge.

(3) Impact on UK industry and economy
UK companies will gain a competitive advantage by using know-how and new techniques generated by CDT researchers.
Companies will also gain from improved recruitment and retention of high quality staff.
Longer term economic impacts will be felt as increased turnover and profitability for companies, and perhaps other impacts such as the generation / segmentation of new markets, and companies receiving inward investment for new products.

(4) Impact on Society
Photonic imaging, sensing and related devices and analytical techniques underpin many of products and services that UK industry markets either to consumers or to other businesses. Reskilling of the workforce with an emphasis on promoting technical leadership is central to EPSRC's Productive Nation prosperity outcome, and our CDT will achieve exactly this through its development of future industrially engaged scientists, engineers and innovators. The impact that these individuals will have on society will be manifested through their contribution to the creation of new products and services that improve the quality of life in sectors like transport, dependable energy networks, security and communications.

Greater internationalisation of the cohort of CDT researchers is expected from some of the CDT activities (e.g. international summer schools), with the potential impact of greater collaboration in the future between the next generations of UK and international researchers.