Patent · US Expired

Scanning interferometer for aspheric surfaces and wavefronts

US7218403B2 · kind B2 · utility

5Cited by
13References
27Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 24, 2005
Grant dateMay 15, 2007
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 3, 2025

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01B2290/70
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

Interferometric scanning method(s) and apparatus for measuring optics either having aspherical surfaces or that produce aspherical wavefronts. A test optic is aligned and moved with respect to a scanning axis relative to the origin of a known spherical wavefront that is generated with a reference surface to intersect the test optic at the apex of the aspherical surface and at radial zones where the spherical wavefront and the aspheric surface possess common tangents. The test surface is imaged onto a space resolving detector to form interferograms containing phase information about the differences in optical path length between the reference surface and the test surface while the axial distance which the test optic moves relative to the spherical reference surface is interferometrically measured. The deviation in the shape of the aspheric surface from its design in a direction normal to the aspheric surface is determined and reported.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.