Prototype results of a phase-shifting interferometer capable of measuring the complex index and profile of a test...

Results are presented from a prototype phase-shifting interferometer capable of measuring both the real and the imaginary part of the complex index of refraction and the surface profile of a test surface. The three parameters of interest are extracted from the measured data by maximum-likelihood estimation theory. The performance of the system is quantitatively assessed with Cramer-Rao lower bounds. The results are shown to be strongly dependent on the quantization of the interferograms from the 8-bit CCD camera, the incident electric field amplitude, and the relative amplitude and phase difference of each polarized component through each arm of the interferometer.