Novel holographic shearing interferometer for measuring lens lateral aberration

Area of Science:

• Optics and Photonics
• Optical Metrology
• Holography

Background:

• Lens aberrations impact optical system performance.
• Accurate measurement of lateral aberrations is crucial for lens design and quality control.
• Existing interferometric methods may have limitations in precision or direct mapping capabilities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a new holographic shearing interferometer design.
• To enable direct mapping of lens lateral aberration curves.
• To enhance measurement precision using a multiple-beam approach.

Main Methods:

• Development of a holographic shearing interferometer with a vertical tilt between output beams.
• Implementation of a multiple-beam system utilizing multiple-exposure holograms.
• Theoretical analysis of the interferometer's operational principles.
• Experimental validation using a prototype system.

Main Results:

• The interferometer directly maps lateral aberration curves through output fringes.
• A multiple-beam configuration significantly improves measurement precision.
• Experimental results demonstrate the system's effectiveness in characterizing lens aberrations.

Conclusions:

• The described holographic shearing interferometer offers a precise and direct method for measuring lens lateral aberrations.
• The multiple-beam enhancement provides superior accuracy compared to single-beam systems.
• This technique is valuable for optical testing and lens metrology.