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Autocollimators

An autocollimator is an optical instrument that uses a collimated light source and reticles to measure small angular displacements of a mirror. It works by projecting a collimated beam of light onto a mirror, which reflects the light back into the autocollimator. Any tilt in the mirror causes a displacement of the reflected image relative to the eyepiece reticle, allowing the angular displacement to be measured. Autocollimators can be used with infinity settings for distance-independent measurements or with tube extensions to measure at finite distances or non-standard wavelengths. They have applications in measuring angles, squareness, parallelism and other properties in optical and mechanical systems.

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171 views5 pages

Autocollimators

An autocollimator is an optical instrument that uses a collimated light source and reticles to measure small angular displacements of a mirror. It works by projecting a collimated beam of light onto a mirror, which reflects the light back into the autocollimator. Any tilt in the mirror causes a displacement of the reflected image relative to the eyepiece reticle, allowing the angular displacement to be measured. Autocollimators can be used with infinity settings for distance-independent measurements or with tube extensions to measure at finite distances or non-standard wavelengths. They have applications in measuring angles, squareness, parallelism and other properties in optical and mechanical systems.

Uploaded by

ghazalanow
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© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Introduction:

This is an optical instrument used for the measurement of small


angular differences. For small angular measurements, autocollimator provides a very sensitive
and accurate approach .The Autocollimator is a single instrument combining the functions of a
collimator and a telescope to detect small angular displacements of a mirror by means of its own
collimated light. The two reticles are positioned in the focal plane of the corrected objective lens,
so that the emerging beam is parallel. This usual configuration is known as infinity setting, i.e.
the autocollimators are focused at infinity.

The autocollimator projects the image of the collimator reticle in a parallel beam of light
(collimated light) onto a mirror that retro-reflects the light bundle back into the autocollimator.
An auto collimation image is formed. 
If the mirror is exactly perpendicular to the
optical axis of the autocollimator the beam of
light is reflected along the same path. When
tilting the mirror the reflected beam enters
into the objective at an angle. 
Depending on the angle of the reflected light
bundle the auto collimation image is
displaced to a greater or less amount. The
displacement of the auto collimation image in
respect to the eyepiece reticle provides a measure of the angular displacement of the mirror.

Working Principal:
Auto collimation is an optical technique
of projecting an illuminated reticle to
infinity and receiving the reticle image
after reflection on a flat mirror. The
reflected image is brought to the focus
of the objective lens in which the
eyepiece reticle is located. Thus the
reflected image of the collimator
(illuminated) reticle and the eyepiece
reticle can be simultaneously observed.
When the collimated beam falls on a
mirror which is perpendicular to beam
axis, the light is reflected along the
same path. Between the reflected image
and the eyepiece reticle - which are seen superimposed-no displacement occurs. If the reflector is
tilted by an angle a, the reflected beam is deflected by twice that angle i.e. 2a. The reflected
image is now laterally displaced with respect to the eyepiece reticle. The amount of this
displacement "d" is a function of the focal length of the autocollimator and the tilt angle of the
reflector: d = 2 a ƒ. (a in radians) The tilt angle can be ascertained with the formula:  a = d /
2ƒ where ƒ is the effective focal length EFL of the autocollimator. Since the ƒ is a constant of the
autocollimator, the eyepiece reticle can be graduated in angle units and the tilt angle can be
directly read off.

Autocollimators with infinity setting:

Auto collimation is an optical procedure


where a reticle image, which is imaged
back onto it, can be observed. Auto
collimation is a sensitive procedure to
detect small directional or tilt errors. It is
generally used with an autocollimator set to
infinity together with a plane mirror. The
accuracy of this measurement method is
independent on the distance between
mirror/autocollimator.

Autocollimators with tube extension  (variable setting):

Autocollimators with tube extension permit the


variable setting to finite and infinite distances or
to wavelengths different from 546 nm. With the
aid of the tube extension the position of the
reticles with respect to the focal plane of the
objective is changeable. As a result of that the
former parallel beam converts into a convergent
or divergent beam and yields a real or virtual
image of the collimator reticle that can be
observed in the eyepiece when placing a mirror at
the image sided focal point of the objective. Such
autocollimators with tube extension can be used
for measurement of long radii (convex or concave) and for testing the distance setting of optical
instruments.

Calculation of the angles:


An autocollimator can be used to measure the angle of a mirror in two axes with respect to the
optical axis of the autocollimator. If the mirror is exactly perpendicular to the optical axis, the
beam is reflected upon itself. If the mirror is tilted by the angles _x and _y, the reflected beam
enters the objective obliquely. Depending on the amount of tilt, the auto collimation image in the
eyepiece reticle plane is displaced to a greater or lesser amount. The dis- placement _x and _y of
the auto collimation image in X and Y direction provides a measure of the angular displacement
of the mirror: f: focal length of the auto collimation objective.

α x =arctan ( ∆2 fx ) ≈ ∆2 fx
α y =arctan ( ∆2 fy ) ≈ ∆2 fy
Autocollimator Sample Applications:

Measurement of non-parallelism in windows, laser rod ends, and optical wedges by the two-face
reflection method:

Measurement of squareness of an outside corner by aperture sharing:

Angle comparisons by aperture sharing:


Checking right angle prisms for angular and pyramid errors:

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