In-plane rigid-body vibration mode characterization with a nanometer resolution by stroboscopic imaging of a microstructured pattern.

This article introduces an improved approach for the characterization of in-plane rigid-body vibration, based on digital processing of stroboscopic images of the moving part. The method involves a sample preparation step, in order to pattern a periodic microstructure on the vibrating device, for instance, by focused ion beam milling. An image processing method has then been developed to perform the optimum reconstruction of this a priori known object feature. In-plane displacement and rotation are deduced simultaneously with a high resolution (10-2 pixel and 0.5 x 10(-3) rad, respectively). The measurement principle combines phase measurements-that provide the high resolution-with correlation-that unwraps the phase with the proper phase constants. The vibration modes of a tuning fork are used for demonstrating the capabilities of the method. For applications allowing the sample preparation, the proposed methodology is more convenient than common interference methods or image processing techniques for the characterization of the vibration modes, even for amplitudes in the nanometer range.