This handbook acquaints engineers in all phases of manufacturing with optical dimensional metrology. Most of the methods described involve using interferometers coupled with computers that can make thousands of measurements per second with nanometer precision. The computers do all the interpretation of the data, so the methods are easy to adapt and use.
There are 12 chapters written by 11 authors. The first two are introductory. The next nine are apportioned three each to techniques applied to large objects, medium sized objects and small objects. The last chapter is devoted to advanced topics. The writing is excellent and many of the chapters have helpful references, but some of the images are poor quality, which greatly reduces their value.
This handbook is an impressive collection of methods to make very precise measurements of location, length and surface quality.
Review by Albert C. Claus, physics department at Loyola University, Chicago, Ill., U.S.A.
The opinions expressed in the book review section are those of the reviewer and do not necessarily reflect those of OPN or OSA.