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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 26, 2026

Characterization of Surface Modifications by White Light Interferometry: Applications in Ion Sputtering, Laser Ablation, and Tribology Experiments

Characterization of Surface Modifications by White Light Interferometry: Applications in Ion Sputtering, Laser Ablation, and Tribology Experiments

Published on: February 27, 2013

Angle spread function degradation by surface roughness in imaging optics.

Fabio E Zocchi¹

¹Media Lario Technologies, Località Pascolo, 23842 Bosisio Parini (LC), Italy. fabio.zocchi@media-lario.com

|January 20, 2009

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Surface roughness in optical systems broadens the angle spread function. This study derives a new formula, showing roughness slope variance is key and challenging common calculation methods for optical system performance.

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Area of Science:

Optics
Optical Engineering
Surface Science

Background:

Surface roughness degrades the performance of imaging optical systems.
Existing models often rely on approximations for surface roughness effects.

Purpose of the Study:

Derive a formula for the total width of the angle spread function in systems with surface roughness.
Investigate the contribution of scattering from surface roughness without small roughness approximations.

Main Methods:

Utilized the scalar theory of diffraction.
Developed a derivation not limited by the small roughness approximation.

Main Results:

The contribution of scattering from surface roughness depends solely on the variance of the roughness slope.
Identified an inaccuracy in the common method of calculating the total angle spread function width.

Conclusions:

A novel formula for angle spread function width is established.
The variance of roughness slope is a critical parameter for understanding scattering effects.
The conventional square-sum rule for combining scattering and specular components is shown to be inadequate.