Abstract

We describe a simple method of measuring vertical birefringence over the entire surface of an optical disk substrate. Our design consists of a linearly polarized He-Ne laser (1-2 mW) and a CCD camera interfaced to a computer. The measurement is non-intrusive, easy to set up, and needs only a few seconds to collect the data and plot a map of vertical birefringence over the surface area of the disk. The system described here is potentially useful as a quality-control tool in substrate manufacturing environments.

© 1994 Optical Society of America

Measurement of the wavelength dependence of birefringence for optical disk substrates

Hong Fu, Zheng Yan, and M. Mansuripur
Appl. Opt. 33(31) 7406-7411 (1994)

Measurement of birefringence for optical recording of disk substrates

Hong Fu, S. Sugaya, J. K. Erwin, and M. Mansuripur
Appl. Opt. 33(10) 1938-1949 (1994)

Measuring distribution of the ellipsoid of birefringence through the thickness of optical disk substrates

Hong Fu, Satoshi Sugaya, and M. Mansuripur
Appl. Opt. 33(25) 5994-5998 (1994)

Retroreflecting ellipsometer for measuring the birefringence of optical disk substrates

Hong Fu, T. Goodman, S. Sugaya, J. K. Erwin, and M. Mansuripur
Appl. Opt. 34(1) 31-39 (1995)

Investigation of substrate birefringence effects on optical-disk performance

Bruce E. Bernacki and M. Mansuripur
Appl. Opt. 32(32) 6547-6555 (1993)