The ZLM 800 Dual-Frequency Laser Interferometer is the latest highlight in Jena's long tradition of designing and building laser interferometers. The tried-and-tested properties of the stabilized He-Ne gas laser as a dimensional standard are combined with state- of-the-art electronic circuitry to provide a novel type of interferometric measuring system.

Programmable ASIC devices provide unparalleled capabilities for tailoring the system to specific custom requirements.

Applications of the ZLM 800 range from a stand-alone calibration system and multi-axis positioning set-ups to complete control systems for very fast kinetic processes. It is possible to completely evaluate the kinetic behaviour of machines and mechanisms and to analyse it in a user-specific way with the comfortable WINDOWS™ software.

An all-modular system with superb Zeiss optics, the ZLM 800 is the perfect solution to all measuring assignments accessible to laser interferometry:

The patented principle of ZLM 800 Laser Interferometer uses a He-Ne gas laser in a dual-frequency heterodyne operation. The laser is thermally stabilized to 0,002 ppm, and the 640 MHz beat frequency of its two modes is quadrupled for the purpose of signal processing. This high-frequency signal procesing enables measurements at very high object speeds, without interpolation errors and with extremely short signal delay.

Signal transmission from the interferometer optics to the electronic counting circuitry on the PC slotcard is performed via fibre optic cables, witch rules out the possibility of any disturbance of the measuring signals by ambient electromagnetic influences. The ZLM 800 is thus fir for use in rough production environments, under standarized test room conditions and hight vacuum.

As an alternative to the PC slotcard outfit, a separate electronics unit for data processing is available, which features many interfaces for data output and can be linked into closed control loops. This version can be extended for measurements in up to five axes.

test object speeds up to 16m/s resolution of 2,5 nm without interpolation errors(1,25 nm with plane-mirror interferometer) no limit to acceleration reliable signal detection even with very low light levels signal delay time < 200 ns frequency stability for the lifetime of the laser insensensitivity to electromagnetic disturbance for use in high vacuum with super Zeiss optics

With the dependablitity of a certified measuring tool and the simplicity of its handling, the ZLM 800 enables you to carry out your measuring assignments with the certainty and reliability required to satisfy ISO 9000/9004.

The ZLM systems adds certainty and reliability to your measurment.

Worldwide, ISO 9000/9004 standards have been accepted as the basis for the creation of a uniform quality assurence system. This requires the provision of documentary evidence of scrupulous, consistent care taken in quality inspection. Measurements made in accordance with these standards are essential for quality assurance in any manufacturing enterprise.

The reliability of a measurement is governed by the measuring tool, the measuring procedure and the operator. The alignment error of the measuring system greatly influences reliability.

A novel alignment aid enables to minimize through software the alignment error of the entire measuring system. Two 4-quadrant detectors built into the laser measuring head, one each for the measuring and the reference beam, ensure that the interferometric system can be aligned with the object under test in the optimum way. Alignment is very sensitive thanks to the large-scale screen display.

The benifits provided by the alignment aid are threefold:

• the display of the accuracy of system alignment minimizes set-up time
• Laser head alignment is an elegant procedure, even with the most complex measuring set-ups
• the test assignment is solved with maximum reliability

The ZLM 800 signal processing circuitry is based on programmable ASIC devices. For the Dual-frequency Laser interferometers ZLM 800, measuring jobs in which the interaction between different control signals is imperative are no problem.

The ZLM 800 offers the possibility of linking a second, external counting system. This makes the comparison between the equipment to be tested and the laser interferometer a routine, time-saving procedure. The process uses real-time signal coupling and enables data analysis in accordance with common German and international standards.

The laser interferometers as the most accurate dimensional standards, the provision of documentary evidence of the measured data, not to forget easy handling - there are merits that make the ZLM 800 the ideal calibrating and certification instruments.

evaluation standards

Even in its standard configuration the ZLM 800 provides a resolution of 5 nm, with a measuring uncertainty of better than 1 µm/m. This is guaranteed provided the environmental conditions (the material temperature, in particulare) are exactly recorded with the AUK 500 Automatic Environmental Compensator (the "weather station"), and that the ambient atmosphere satisfies standard test room conditions.

The ZLM 800 makes the calibration of lenght measuring machines and comparator a matter of routine.

The influence of ambient air properties on the measurement result can be corrected with the AUK 500 Automatic Environmental Compensator or by manual input. Up to five material temperature sensors can be used to compensate for the linear thermal expansion of the measured object be compensated.

The ZLM 800 Laser Interferometer with its WINDOWS™ data analysis software makes length testing extremely accurate, and the analysis of measured data exceptionally convient. You have random access to measurement data, tables and graphics and can make use of all the advantages offered by WINDOWS™ programs. Whether you are testing positions, angles or straighness - the dedicated software developed by Carl Zeiss can be integrated into any Microsoft WINDOWS™ system. Measurement, analysis, record compilation and data filing processes are user-friendly and application-specific, and take a minimum of time.

A major concern in program development has been the documentation of measurement results. The integrated record editor makes it easy to compile and print a record of diagrams, tables and user-added comments. All record contents can be exported to word processors via intermediate filing on the clipboard.

		During the preparation and execution of a measurement, the most important information items are conspiciuously displayed. All program functions are quickly accessible using the mouse or a few keys.
For evaluating and analysing the measured data, a great variety of diagrams and tables can be generated with a minimun of operations. Not even the smallest detail will escape the analysis program.
		Measured data can be archived on file cards. The card labels allow the data of a particular measurement to be quickly retrieved even from voluminous archives.