Optomechanical devices in the quantum regime

This thesis explores the possibility of controlling the quantum states of high frequency mechanical resonators using infra-red laser pulses. Chapter 1 gives an overview of quantum technologies based on mechanical resonators relevant for this thesis. Chapter 2 provides the basics of the theoretical background of optomechanics. The Hamiltonian...

On the improvement of heterodyne displacement interferometry: Enhancing measurement linearity and system modularity

Lithographic exposure equipment for integrated circuit manufacturing requires ever more accurate position measurement systems, which is currently led by the advent of Extreme UltraViolet (EUV)-lithography machines. This PhD-research describes an interferometric displacement measurement system that possess the potential to foresee in the need for...

Marine Controlled-Source Electromagnetic Interferometry

In marine Controlled-Source Electromagnetics, a boat tows an electric source, whose signal is travelling on various paths to the receiver stations at the ocean bottom. Unfortunately, the signal does not only travel via the subsurface to the receivers, but also directly through the water and via the air-water interface. Signals travelling on the...

Interferometric applications with a femtosecond frequency comb laser in complementary spaces

In the recent years, precision measurement techniques in the field of optical science have improved with the advances in the phase stabilization of femtosecond lasers. Due to their unique properties, phase stabilized femtosecond lasers, also known as frequency comb lasers, are used as a versatile tools, not only for time and frequency metrology,...

Optical metrology techniques for dimensional stability measurements

This thesis work is optical metrology techniques to determine material stability. In addition to displacement interferometry, topics such as periodic nonlinearity, Fabry-Perot interferometry, refractometry, and laser stabilization are covered.

The role of amplitude, phase, polarization and their interconnection in nulling interferometry

Nulling interferometry is a promising technique to directly detect Earth-like exoplanets. Unfortunately, it is extremely challenging to build a nulling interferometer and to meet the requirements needed for Earth-like planet detection. In this, thesis, we analyze the role of amplitude, phase and polarization in nulling interferometry and we use...

Seismic and electromagnetic interferometry: Retrieval of the earth's reflection response using crosscorrelation

One of the goals of exploration geophysics is to obtain an image of the subsurface. In petroleum exploration and near-surface geophysics, this is best achieved using reflected waves. For this, a controlled seismic or electromagnetic source is placed at the surface, activated, and the wavefields that it creates are recorded at the surface after...

High-accuracy absolute distance metrology

Abstract not available

Methods and sensors for accurate wavefront measurements

The wavefront measurement is an important part both in adaptive optics and in optical shop testing. A number of wavefront sensors based on interferometric or on Hartmann principle is known; this thesis investigates particular technologies that can help to increase the accuracy and/or speed of existing wavefront sensors either by optimising the...

Absolute Heterodyne Interferometer for Strongly Aspherical Mirrors

For the past thirty years, microchips have doubled in complexity every two years. This increasing complexity required that the size of the structures written on silicon halve at the same rate. A fundamentally limiting factor to the size of microchip structures is the wavelength of the lithographic projection processes used in their manufacture....

Michelson wide-field stellar interferometry

The main goal of this thesis is to develop a system to permit wide field operation of Michelson Interferometers. A wide field of view is very important in applications such as the observation of extended or multiple objects, the fringe acquisition and/ or tracking on a nearby unresolved object, and also to reduce the observation time. For ground...