Interferometry for Precision Metrology with Zygo’s Xavier Colonna de Lega - Ep 17

While massive interferometers orbit the earth or span kilometers to detect gravitational waves, the real workhorses of optical metrology live quietly on the benches of optical labs and manufacturing floors worldwide. These instruments are not measuring black hole mergers, but they are the reason the high-performance optics inside our semiconductors, aerospace systems, and consumer electronics actually work.

In this episode of Rays and Waves, Daniel and Steven sit down with Xavier Colonna De Lega, Director of the Innovations Group at Zygo. Since the early 1970s, Zygo has been so central to the field of optical metrology that its name has become practically synonymous with interferometry itself.

Xavier has spent his career shaping the instruments that verify the modern world’s most precise components. We explore the evolution of industrial metrology, how Zygo has scaled specialized research into essential production tools, and what it takes to measure surface flatness down to a fraction of a wavelength. It is a deep dive into the practical engineering that bridges the gap between theoretical optical design and large-scale manufacturing.

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Music is Good Vibe by Twisterium. Thanks for the great tunes!