Absolute distance measurement by two-point-diffraction interferometry.

We present a point-diffraction interferometer that has been specially devised to perform absolute distance measurements in three dimensions. It is composed of two main parts: One is a target that moves in three dimensions, and the other is a stationary two-dimensional array of photodetectors. The target is made of point-diffraction sources that emit two spherical wave fronts, whose interference is monitored by the photodetectors.