A self-scanned 1024 element photodiode array and minicomputer are used to measure the phase (wavefront) in the interference pattern of an interferometer to lambda/100. The photodiode array samples intensities over a 32 x 32 matrix in the interference pattern as the length of the reference arm is varied piezoelectrically. Using these data the minicomputer synchronously detects the phase at each of the 1024 points by a Fourier series method and displays the wavefront in contour and perspective plot on a storage oscilloscope in less than 1 min (Bruning et al. Paper WE16, OSA Annual Meeting, Oct. 1972). The array of intensities is sampled and averaged many times in a random fashion so that the effects of air turbulence, vibrations, and thermal drifts are minimized. Very significant is the fact that wavefront errors in the interferometer are easily determined and may be automatically subtracted from current or subsequent wavefrots. Various programs supporting the measurement system include software for determining the aperture boundary, sum and difference of wavefronts, removal or insertion of tilt and focus errors, and routines for spatial manipulation of wavefronts. FFT programs transform wavefront data into point spread function and modulus and phase of the optical transfer function of lenses. Display programs plot these functions in contour and perspective. The system has been designed to optimize the collection of data to give higher than usual accuracy in measuring the individual elements and final performance of assembled diffraction limited optical systems, and furthermore, the short loop time of a few minutes makes the system an attractive alternative to constraints imposed by test glasses in the optical shop.

Digital wavefront measuring interferometer for testing optical surfaces and lenses

Fringe projection techniques: Whither we are?

Two-dimensional windowed Fourier transform for fringe pattern analysis: Principles, applications and implementations

Phase shifting algorithms for fringe projection profilometry: A review

Temporal phase unwrapping algorithms for fringe projection profilometry: A comparative review

We present an analysis of a spatial carrier-fringe pattern in three-dimensional (3-D) shape measurement by using the wavelet transform, a tool excelling for its multiresolution in the time- and space-frequency domains. To overcome the limitation of the Fourier transform, we introduce the Gabor wavelet to analyze the phase distributions of the spatial carrier-fringe pattern. The theory of wavelet transform profilometry, an accuracy check by means of a simulation, and an example of 3-D shape measurement are shown.

Spatial carrier-fringe pattern analysis by means of wavelet transform: wavelet transform profilometry

A multiscale windowed Fourier transform for phase extraction of fringe patterns is presented. A local stationary length of signal is used to control the window width of a windowed Fourier transform automatically, which is measured by an instantaneous frequency gradient. The instantaneous frequency of the fringe pattern is obtained by detecting the ridge of the wavelet transform. The numerical simulation and experiment have proved the validity of this method. The combination of the windowed Fourier transform and the wavelet transform makes the extracted phase more precise than other methods.

Multiscale windowed Fourier transform for phase extraction of fringe patterns

A simple and robust technique for absolute phase measurement based on number theory is presented. The new, to our knowledge, technique, which is compared with the Gushov-Solodkin algorithm, surmounts the shortcomings in the Gushov-Solodkin algorithm. The technique permits the three-dimensional shape measurement of objects that have discontinuous height steps and has resulted in a new and more powerful method of measuring surface absolute profile. Experimental results are presented that demonstrate the validity of the principle.

Absolute phase-measurement technique based on number theory in multifrequency grating projection profilometry

We describe a numerical reconstruction technique for digital holography by means of the two-dimensional Gabor wavelet transform (2D-GWT). Applying the 2D-GWT to digital holography, the object wave can be reconstructed by calculating the wavelet coefficients of the hologram at the peak of the 2D-GWT automatically. At the same time the effect of the zero-order diffraction image and the twin image are eliminated without spatial filtering. Comparing the numerical reconstruction of a holographic image by the analysis of the one-dimensional Gabor wavelet transform (1D-GWT) with the 2D-GWT, we show that the 2D-GWT method is superior to the 1D-GWT method, especially when the fringes of the hologram are not just along the y direction. The theory and the results of a simulation and experiments are shown.

Jingang Zhong

Papers

Spatial carrier-fringe pattern analysis by means of wavelet transform: wavelet transform profilometry

Multiscale windowed Fourier transform for phase extraction of fringe patterns

Absolute phase-measurement technique based on number theory in multifrequency grating projection profilometry

Phase reconstruction of digital holography with the peak of the two-dimensional Gabor wavelet transform.