High-precision optical systems are generally tested using interferometry, since it often is the only way to achieve the desired measurement precision and accuracy. Interferometers can generally measure a surface to an accuracy of one hundredth of a wave. In order to achieve an accuracy to the next order of magnitude, one thousandth of a wave, each error source in the measurement must be characterized and calibrated.Errors in interferometric measurements are classified into random errors and systematic errors. An approach to estimate random errors in the measurement is provided, based on the variation in the data. Systematic errors, such as retrace error, imaging distortion, and error due to diffraction effects, are also studied in this dissertation. Methods to estimate the first order geometric error and errors due to diffraction effects are presented.Interferometer phase modulation transfer function (MTF) is another intrinsic error. The phase MTF of an infrared interferometer is measured with a phase Siemens star, and a Wiener filter is designed to recover the middle spatial frequency information.Map registration is required when there are two maps tested in different systems and one of these two maps needs to be subtracted from the other. Incorrect mapping causes wavefront errors. A smoothing filter method is presented which can reduce the sensitivity to registration error and improve the overall measurement accuracy.Interferometric optical testing with computer-generated holograms (CGH) is widely used for measuring aspheric surfaces. The accuracy of the drawn pattern on a hologram decides the accuracy of the measurement. Uncertainties in the CGH manufacturing process introduce errors in holograms and then the generated wavefront. An optimal design of the CGH is provided which can reduce the sensitivity to fabrication errors and give good diffraction efficiency for both chrome-on-glass and phase etched CGHs.

Manufacturing of precise structures in MEMS, semiconductors, optics and other fields requires high standards in manufacturing and quality control. Appropriate surface topography measurement technologies should therefore deliver nm accuracy in the axial dimension under typical industrial conditions. This work shows the characterization of a dispersion-encoded low-coherence interferometer for the purpose of fast and robust surface topography measurements. The key component of the interferometer is an element with known dispersion. This dispersive element delivers a controlled phase variation in relation to the surface height variation which can be detected in the spectral domain. A laboratory setup equipped with a broadband light source (200 - 1100 nm) was established. Experiments have been carried out on a silicon-based standard with height steps of 100 nm under different thermal conditions such as 293.15 K and 303.15 K. Additionally, the stability of the setup was studied over periods of 5 hours (with constant temperature) and 15 hours (with linear increasing temperature). The analyzed data showed that a height measurement of 97.99 ± 4:9nm for 293.15 K and of 101.43 ± 3:3nm for 303.15 K was possible. The time-resolved measurements revealed that the developed setup is highly stable against small thermal uctuations and shows a linear behaviour under increasing thermal load. Calibration data for the mathmatical corrections under different thermal conditions was obtained.

This work introduces a modified low-coherence interferometry approach for nanometer surface-profilometry. The key component of the interferometer is an element with known dispersion which defines the measurement range as well as the resolution. This dispersive element delivers a controlled phase variation which can be detected in the spectral domain and used to reconstruct height differences on a sample. In the chosen setup, both axial resolution and measurement range are tunable by the choice of the dispersive element. The basic working principle was demonstrated by a laboratory setup equipped with a supercontinuum light source (Δλ = 400 ̶ 1700 nm). Initial experiments were carried out to characterize steps of 101 nm on a silicon height standard. The results showed that the system delivers an accuracy of about 11.8 nm. These measurements also served as a calibration for the second set of measurements. The second experiment consisted of the measurement of the bevel of a silicon wafer. The modified low-coherence interferometer could be utilized to reproduce the slope on the edge within the previously estimated accuracy. The main advantage of the proposed measurement approach is the possibility to collect data without the need for mechanically moving parts.

Within this work a scan-free, low-coherence interferometry approach for surface profilometry with nm-precision is presented. The basic setup consist of a Michelson-type interferometer which is powered by a supercontinuum light-source (Δλ = 400 - 1700 nm). The introduction of an element with known dispersion delivers a controlled phase variation which can be detected in the spectral domain and used to reconstruct height differences on a sample. In order to enable scan-free measurements, the interference signal is spectrally decomposed with a grating and imaged onto a two-dimensional detector. One dimension of this detector records spectral, and therefore height information, while the other dimension stores the spatial position of the corresponding height values. In experiments on a height standard, it could be shown that the setup is capable of recording multiple height steps of 101 nm over a range of 500 µm with an accuracy of about 11.5 nm. Further experiments on conductive paths of a micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) pressure sensor demonstrated that the approach is also suitable to precisely characterize nanometer-sized structures on production-relevant components. The main advantage of the proposed measurement approach is the possibility to collect precise height information over a line on a surface without the need for scanning. This feature makes it interesting for a production-accompanying metrology.

Im Rahmen der vorliegenden Dissertation wurden neuartige integrierte Einzelphotonenquellen (EPQ) und ihre Anwendung für die Quanteninformationsverarbeitung entwickelt und untersucht. Die Erzeugung von Einzelphotonen basiert auf einzelnen Defektzentren in nanometergroßen Diamantkristallen mit einzigartigen optischen Eigenschaften: Stabilität bei Zimmertemperatur ohne optisches Blinken. Diamantkristalle mit Größen bis unter 20nm wurden mit neuartigen „pick-and-place“ Techniken (z.B. mit einem Atomkraftmikroskop) in komplexe photonische Strukturen integriert. Zwei unterschiedliche Ansätze für die Realisierung der neuartigen EPQ wurden verfolgt. Beim ersten werden fluoreszierende Diamantkristalle in nano- und mikrometergroße Faser-basierte oder resonante Strukturen in einem „bottom-up“ Ansatz integriert, dadurch werden zusätzliche optische Komponenten überflüssig und das Gesamtsystem ultra-stabil und wartungsfrei. Der zweite Ansatz beruht auf einem Festkörperimmersionsmikroskop (FIM). Seine Festkörperimmersionslinse wirkt wie eine dielektrische Antenne für die Emission der Defektzentren. Es ermöglicht die höchsten bisher erreichten Photonenzählraten von Stickstoff-Fehlstellen von bis zu 2.4Mcts/s und Einsammeleffizienzen von bis zu 4.2%. Durch Anwendung des FIM bei cryogenen Temperaturen wurden neuartige Anwendungen und fundamentale Untersuchungen möglich, weil Photonenraten signifikant erhöht wurden. Die Bestimmung der spektralen Diffusionszeit eines einzelnen Defektzentrums (2.2µs) gab neue Erkenntnisse über die Ursachen von spektraler Diffusion. Spektrale Diffusion ist eine limitierende Eigenschaft für die Realisierung von Quanteninformationsanwendungen. Das Tisch-basierte FIM wurde außerdem als kompakte mobile EPQ mit Ausmaßen von nur 7x19x23cm^3 realisiert. Es wurde für ein Quantenkryptographie-Experiment implementiert, zum ersten Mal mit Siliziumdefektzentren. Des Weiteren wurde ein neues Konzept für die Erzeugung von infraroten EPQ entwickelt und realisiert. / The presented thesis covers the development and investigation of novel integrated single photon (SP) sources and their application for quantum information schemes. SP generation was based on single defect centers in diamond nanocrystals. Such defect centers offer unique optical properties as they are room temperature stable, non-blinking, and do not photo-bleach over time. The fluorescent nanocrystals are mechanically stable, their size down to 20nm enabled the development of novel nano-manipulation pick-and-place techniques, e.g., with an atomic force microscope, for integration into photonic structures. Two different approaches were pursued to realize novel SP sources. First, fluorescent diamond nanocrystals were integrated into nano- and micrometer scaled fiber devices and resonators, making them ultra-stable and maintenance free. Secondly, a solid immersion microscope (SIM) was developed. Its solid immersion lens acts as a dielectric antenna for the emission of defect centers, enabling the highest photon rates of up to 2.4Mcts/s and collection efficiencies of up to 4.2% from nitrogen vacancy defect centers achieved to date. Implementation of the SIM at cryogenic temperatures enabled novel applications and fundamental investigations due to increased photon rates. The determination of the spectral diffusion time of a single nitrogen vacancy defect center (2.2µs) gave new insights about the mechanisms causing spectral diffusion. Spectral diffusion is a limiting property for quantum information applications. The table-top SIM was integrated into a compact mobile SP system with dimension of only 7x19x23cm^3 while still maintaining record-high stable SP rates. This makes it interesting for various SP applications. First, a quantum key distribution scheme based on the BB84 protocol was implemented, for the first time also with silicon vacancy defect centers. Secondly, a conceptually novel scheme for the generation of infrared SPs was introduced and realized.