Angle measurement under pressure | PTB News

Air pressure – an underestimated factor in angle measurement carried out by means of autocollimators

Simultaneous changes in the air pressure (top) and in the relative angle measurement error of the autocollimator (bottom; ppm: parts per million) as a function of time. Credit: PTB

PTB News 2.2019

High-precision angle measurements carried out by means of autocollimators are significantly influenced by the refractive index of air – and thus in particular by the ambient pressure. When comparing measurements that have been carried out at different locations, it is therefore necessary to take changes in pressure into account. PTB has developed suitable strategies both to correct the measurement results and to assess the measurement uncertainty.

Source: Angle measurement under pressure