Accurate force measurement using optical interferometer

Abstract

The present status and the future prospects of a method for accurate force measurement, the levitation mass method (LMM), is reviewed. The LMM has been proposed and improved by the authors. In the LMM, the inertial force of a mass levitated using an aero-static linear bearing is used as the reference/known force applied to the objects under test, such as force transducers, materials or structures. The inertial force of the levitated mass is measured using an optical interferometer. Since the force is one of the most major physical quantities, the application of the LMM as the most accurate dynamic force measurement method is very wide.