Importance

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Abstract

A system and a method for determining a position of two objects relative to each other is suggested, comprising: a source 43 of coherent radiation, a beam guidance for providing a measuring branch 49 for a measuring beam, which has an optical path length dependent on the position of the two objects, a radiation intensity sensor 65 for measuring an intensity of an interfering superposition of radiation, which include radiation at least after passing through the measuring branch 49, and a calculator 67 which responds to a measuring signal from the radiation intensity sensor 65, in order to detect optical path lengths of the measuring branch 49 and therefrom to detect the position of the two objects relative to each other, wherein the measuring branch 49 includes: at least one emitter fixedly mountable on a first of the two objects for emitting radiation supplied to the measuring branch 49 in a space between the two objects, at least three retroreflectors 19 mountable on the second one of the two objects, such that they are arranged at fixed distances relative to each other, and at least one receiver 18 mountable on the first of the two objects for receiving radiation reflected back by the retroreflectors 19 and for supplying the received radiation to the radiation intensity sensor 65, wherein the emitter 18 emits the radiation into such an angular area that the at least three retroreflectors 19 are contained therein.

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First Claim