Optical table

An optical bench is a device which serves to support the elements of an optical system mechanically stable. His record is characterized by large rigidity. In contrast to an optical bench, an optical table is not a preferred one-dimensional axis, but a preferred two-dimensional plane.

In many experiments in quantum optics optical tables serve as a stable base on which the components of the structure are fixed.

Construction

An optical bench is made of a rigid, generally rectangular plate which is supported on a base frame. Storage is often vibration damper with small spring constant. This serves to minimize mechanical disturbances, such as footfall, or vibrations are transmitted through traffic on the optical design.

To achieve a high stiffness, the ratio of the thickness of the plate to the lateral expansion should be as large as possible. In order nevertheless to achieve an acceptable weight, the sandwich construction is used. The top and the bottom of the table are formed by thick sheets. These plates are connected by a plurality of light, vertical walls or tubes. In this way, not the thickness of the plates for the stiffness of the table is decisive, but the distance between the plates. Moreover, this construction is characterized by a high damping of vibrations having a high frequency. This is important so that the disk is not the string vibrates like a bell long.

Assembly

The top of an optical table is usually provided with a regular grid of threaded holes. This allows, with the help of clamps, the components of the structure is mechanically stable, but it is extremely flexible to mount in the arrangement on the table. Another technique is to provide the components with magnetic feet. If it is foreseeable that the components remain permanently in one place, also bonds with two-component adhesive are common.

The mounted elements are optical devices, ie lenses, mirrors, prisms, etc. They are typically mounted on racks like mounting elements, so that the radiation extends in a uniform height above the table surface.

For adjustment of the elements and their location must be made variable. There are mounting members to the respective setting, to tilt in two axes ( for the mirror, see for plane mirror ), transversely to the fine adjustment in the xy-plane to the beam direction ( for lenses), for rotation perpendicular to the beam direction ( polarizers ) for rotation at the beam level ( for prisms ) or for vertical adjustment (of cells with fluids). But these are only the most frequently occurring examples, there are many other highly specialized versions.

Most of this adjustment be operated manually, in the course of basic adjustment of the beam path. Some will but operated by (servo ) motors to operate them often and / or automated.

• Technical Optics