Coherent Lasers and Interferometry

Nowadays metrology of length is based on laser length standards – mainly frequency stabilized He-Ne lasers. These standards employ the non-linear absorption effects in iodine 127I2 vapors for stabilization of the laser frequency. Laser standards can be used as primary light sources for laser interferometers – even more precise distance measuring devices. As an important team activity in this field, the research includes: long-lifetime He-Ne discharge tubes, He-Ne-I2 laser length standards at 633 nm wavelength region, high-resolution Michelson interferometers, methods of improvement of scale linearity of Michelson interferometers, Fabry-Perot scanning interferometers, laser refractometers for direct measurement of index of refraction of air, ultra-pure iodine and acetylene gas cells for frequency stabilization of lasers by means of a saturation spectroscopic technique. The team also maintains thin optical layers deposition for optical components and design of scientific electronic devices.