Ralph F. Wuerker

Thermal Expansion Coefficient Measurement of Diffusely Reflecting Samples by Holographic Interferometry

Double exposure holographic interferometry is used to measure thermal expansion coefficients of diffusely reflecting small samples of arbitrary shape. A particular arrangement is used to obtain insensitivity to rigid body motions, simplifying the support and heating of the specimen. The expansion coefficient is easily determined from the readout photograph by a simple formula.

Coherence length measured directly by holography

We present a holographic method for measuring directly the complete temporal coherence function of a pulsed laser on a single pulse. The method is easy to implement and yields the exact coherence length even or lasers with complex spectral content where the conventional method using a Fabry-Perot interferometer would fail.

Thermal Expansion Coefficient Measurements of Specularly Reflecting Samples

A simple method is described for obtaining the expansion coefficient of specularly reflecting objects. The method photographically records the interference pattern of laser light reflected from the object. The moire beat between interference patterns recorded at two temperatures gives the expansion coefficient. When limited to smooth round objects, the technique is insensitive to rigid body motions of the specimens.

Ruby laser of high optical quality and power from surplus parts

It is shown that old surplus ruby laser components found in most large research establishments can be reassembled into a configuration yielding high energy pulses of optical quality. The highquality, low cost, and flexible design is well suited for many experimental and educational purposes.(AIP)

Holography On Space Shuttle

A holographic recording system will be flown on the NASA Space Shuttle (SL-3 mission) to record fluid phenomena under low-zero gravity conditions; namely, solution growth of crystals and fluid convection. A 25 milliwatt helium neon laser will be the illuminator for two orthogonal hologram recorders and a real time schlieren monitor. The holograms will be re-recorded on S0-253 films vacuum clamped to optical flats. Processing and analysis of the holographic records will all be after the Shuttles return.