In-situ Precise Angle Monitoring on Synchrotron Radiation Monochromator by Use of Pencil Beam Interferometer

Monochromator is a very important and precise instrument used in beam lines at synchrotron radiation facilities. We need to know if there is actual thermal distortion on gratings resulting in the degradation of the monochromator resolution. We need to know the characteristics of the grating rotation. It is possible to make a simple but precise in-situ distortion monitoring and rotation angle test of the grating by use of a precise pencil beam angle monitor. We have made preliminary measurements on a monochrometer grating of an undulator beam line X1B at Brookhaven National Laboratory. We monitored a small amount of angle variation on the grating. We detected 1.7 murad backlash (P-V) of the grating controlling system.