Point-Diffraction Interferometry As A Diagnostic For Alignment

Raymond N. Smartt

doi:10.1117/12.943125

13 August 1984 Point-Diffraction Interferometry As A Diagnostic For Alignment

Raymond N. Smartt

Proceedings Volume 0483, Optical Alignment II; (1984) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.943125
Event: 1984 Technical Symposium East, 1984, Arlington, United States

Abstract

The Point-Diffraction Interferometer (PDI) forms a spherical reference wavefront at the image of a point source, as produced by some optical system under test, by diffraction at a point-like discontinuity. The reference wavefront interferes with the directly transmitted light, forming an interference pattern that represents a direct and accurate measure of the wavefront aberration. Fringe visibility can approach unity by appropriate design of the interferometer. These principles and performance characteristics are briefly reviewed. By virtue of its operation, the PDI provides precise information about the location of an image relative to the interferometer aperture, with measurement precision intrinsic to two-beam interferometry. It is shown that high internal and external alignment precision of an optical system is possible using a PDI.

Citation Download Citation

Raymond N. Smartt "Point-Diffraction Interferometry As A Diagnostic For Alignment", Proc. SPIE 0483, Optical Alignment II, (13 August 1984); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.943125

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