Principles of Optical Measuring Instruments

Optical measuring instruments are advanced measurement devices widely used in industry, research, and healthcare. By leveraging optical principles, they accurately measure object dimensions, shapes, and surface features, providing reliable measurement data across many fields.

The measurement principles are mainly based on optical interference, diffraction, and scattering. When light interacts with a measured object, reflection, transmission, and scattering occur. The instrument collects and processes these light signals to derive the object parameters.

Interference is one of the most important principles. When two or more light beams overlap, interference fringes appear. By observing and analyzing changes in these fringes, the instrument can deduce dimensions and shapes. Interferometric methods offer high precision, non-contact measurement, and non-destructive operation, making them widely used at microscopic scales.

Diffraction and scattering are also key principles. Diffraction occurs when light passes through apertures or edges, while scattering involves reflection and refraction at surfaces. Analyzing diffracted and scattered light reveals surface morphology and roughness, providing fast, efficient, and non-destructive measurement suitable for manufacturing and quality control.

Optical measuring instruments can measure solids, liquids, and gases by selecting appropriate light sources, optics, and detectors. Integration with computers and image-processing techniques enables automation and high-speed measurement.

In summary, optical measuring instruments use interference, diffraction, and scattering to collect and process light, yielding precise measurements of dimensions, shapes, and surface features. Their high accuracy, non-contact nature, and non-destructive character make them valuable across industries. Continued technological progress will further broaden their applications.