Scattered total internal reflection of visible light is used to measure linear nanometric distance to as small as 10 nm. Specifically, we measure the height of magnetic transducer heads above a rotating glass disk. A breakthrough in the approach to calibration, based on combining the second derivative of the transmittance of the scattered light and parameter fitting, substantially improves the quality of the measurement relative to previous demonstrations of this method. The results agree to 1 nm with an industry-standard three-color interferometer to and including the lowest values measured. The technique in principle remains robust to as low as the zero height. Furthermore the calibration point can be as low as 10 nm, which is especially attractive in practice.

© 2004 Optical Society of America

You do not have subscription access to this journal. Citation lists with outbound citation links are available to subscribers only. You may subscribe either as an OSA member, or as an authorized user of your institution.

Contact your librarian or system administrator
or
Log in to access OSA Member Subscription

You do not have subscription access to this journal. Cited by links are available to subscribers only. You may subscribe either as an OSA member, or as an authorized user of your institution.

Contact your librarian or system administrator
or
Log in to access OSA Member Subscription

You do not have subscription access to this journal. Article level metrics are available to subscribers only. You may subscribe either as an OSA member, or as an authorized user of your institution.

Contact your librarian or system administrator
or
Log in to access OSA Member Subscription

Related Journal Articles

• Improved Angle Interferometer Based on Total Internal Reflection (AO)
• French Transportable Laser Ranging Station: Scientific Objectives, Technical Features, and Performance (AO)
• General and Self-Consistent Method for the Calibration of Polarization Modulators, Polarimeters, and Mueller-Matrix Ellipsometers (AO)
• Development of Prototype Stylus Prototype for Large Optics Testing (JOSK)
• Aperiodic interferometer for six degrees of freedom position measurement (OL)

Related Conference Papers

• Carrier-Envelope Phase Stabilization Using Single-Pulse Coherent Control in a Semiconductor
• The optical mouse as an inexpensive measurement device
• Traceable radius measurements of micro-lenses
• Traceable radius measurements of micro-lenses
• High-Accuracy Form Measurement with Multiple Sensor Systems