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High Resolution Laser Strainmeter

Nature volume 246, page 470 (1973)Cite this article

Abstract

A NEW type of laser strainmeter is now operating in a disused railway tunnel at Queensbury, Yorkshire1. It uses two helium–neon lasers operating at 633 nm, and has extremely high resolution and linearity. The frequency of one laser, called the slave laser, is locked to the length of a Michelson interferometer attached to the ground. The other laser, used as a reference standard, is stabilised by saturated absorption in iodine vapour2–5. A similar system has been reported by Levine and Hall6 using helium–neon lasers operating at the infrared 3.39 µm wavelength. For practical reasons it is easier to use visible light.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geodesy and Geophysics, University of Cambridge,

    N. R. GOULTY & G. C. P. KING

  2. Division of Quantum Metrology, National Physical Laboratory, Teddington, Middlesex

    A. J. WALLARD

Authors
  1. N. R. GOULTY
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  2. G. C. P. KING
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  3. A. J. WALLARD
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GOULTY, N., KING, G. & WALLARD, A. High Resolution Laser Strainmeter. Nature 246, 470 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1038/246470a0

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