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A Laser Interferometer for the Undergraduate Teaching Laboratory Demonstrating Picometer Sesitivity

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Paper breakdownThe authors' claims, conditions and measurements, as JSON Signed receiptProof this review has not been altered
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Kenneth G. Libbrecht, Eric D. Black

Instrumentation and Detectors · Submitted 30 Jun 2014

abstract compiled · 2026-09-23 · no language-model review

The authors' main claim We describe a laser interferometer experiment for the undergraduate teaching laboratory that achieves picometer sensitivity in a hands-on table-top instrument.

how it is stated · asserted 1.00 read the record →

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arXiv ID1407.0075 (version 1)
Pith ID4ND5QVH6, Pith's permanent record of this paper and its review
CitationEric D. Black, Kenneth G. Libbrecht. "A Laser Interferometer for the Undergraduate Teaching Laboratory Demonstrating Picometer Sesitivity." arXiv:1407.0075 (2014). https://pith.science/paper/4ND5QVH6
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The compiled record

The paper's own sentences, arranged. Each label is drawn from a closed vocabulary; the number beside it is the probability the classifier gave that label. Numbers in the tables are the authors', checked by code. No sentence in this record was written by a model.

Open the compiled record

Compiled by classifier-1.13-20260917 via OpenRouter, question bank abstract-p1-20260923, 2026-09-23: 1 request, 3,033 input tokens, $0.0001 reported.

What the abstract itself states, as probabilities: claims first 0.03 · states limitation 0.06 · human participants 0.63 · controlled comparison 0.02 · randomized assignment 0.01 · states quantitative result 0.30 · compares with prior results 0.05 · mentions code or data availability 0.02.

The abstract, sentence by sentence

arXiv listing abstract v1. Results and the main claim are underlined; .

We describe a laser interferometer experiment for the undergraduate teaching laboratory that achieves picometer sensitivity in a hands-on table-top instrument. In addition to providing an introduction to interferometer physics and optical hardware, the experiment also focuses on precision measurement techniques including servo control, signal modulation, phase-sensitive detection, and different types of signal averaging. After students assemble, align, and characterize the interferometer, they then use it to measure nanoscale motions of a simple harmonic oscillator system, as a substantive example of how laser interferometry can be used as an effective tool in experimental science.

background contribution method result interpretation main claim

What the classifier reports for each sentence. The number is the probability it gave the label.
#sentencerolethe authors' own workstates the main conclusionstrength
s0 We describe a laser interferometer experiment for the undergraduate teaching laboratory that achieves picometer sensitivity in a hands-on table-top instrument. contribution 0.99 0.91 0.60 asserted 1.00
s1 In addition to providing an introduction to interferometer physics and optical hardware, the experiment also focuses on precision measurement techniques including servo control, signal modulation, phase-sensitive detection, and different types of signal averaging. method 0.56 0.39 0.08 asserted 1.00
s2 After students assemble, align, and characterize the interferometer, they then use it to measure nanoscale motions of a simple harmonic oscillator system, as a substantive example of how laser interferometry can be used as an effective tool in experimental science. method 0.73 0.49 0.22 asserted 1.00

What kind of paper the classifier reports this is: method or tool 1.00 · evidence from observation or experiment 1.00.

What was examined, and what was not

sources read
  • arXiv listing abstract v1
not examined
  • full text
  • figures and tables
  • references and citing sentences
  • relations to other papers
levels run
  • P abstract
not run
  • S sections
  • T body sentences
  • C citations
  • R cross-paper relations

Every quoted sentence on this record is the authors'. Every label is from Pith's closed vocabulary, with the probability shown beside it. Every number in the measurements table is the authors', checked by code. Record as JSON

The paper
Original abstract

We describe a laser interferometer experiment for the undergraduate teaching laboratory that achieves picometer sensitivity in a hands-on table-top instrument. In addition to providing an introduction to interferometer physics and optical hardware, the experiment also focuses on precision measurement techniques including servo control, signal modulation, phase-sensitive detection, and different types of signal averaging. After students assemble, align, and characterize the interferometer, they then use it to measure nanoscale motions of a simple harmonic oscillator system, as a substantive example of how laser interferometry can be used as an effective tool in experimental science.

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What this paper does with the arXiv papers it cites

Each citing sentence is taken from the citing paper's LaTeX source and typed by Pith's classifier. A label appears at probability 0.8 or more (0.95 for support), a contest at 0.7 or more; the quoted words are the citing authors'. How each label was checked · JSON

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