Abstract

Producing optical components with surface smoothness adequate for ring laser gyros has been a problem for nineteen years. Part of the difficulty has been measurement techniques. There are few techniques in use that have the sensitivity to determine the quality of very low topography surfaces and even fewer which can characterize uncoated surfaces. The high accuracy ring laser gyro requires optical surfaces of lower topography than is usually produced except in specialized laboratories. New measurement techniques are required before the polishing techniques can be refined to the degree necessary for these gyros.

© 1981 Optical Society of America