Measuring rough optical surfaces using scanning long-wave optical test system. 1. Principle and implementation

Current metrology tools have limitations when measuring rough aspherical surfaces with 1-2 μm root mean square roughness; thus, the surface cannot be shaped accurately by grinding. To improve the accuracy of grinding, the scanning long-wave optical test system (SLOTS) has been developed to measure rough aspherical surfaces quickly and accurately with high spatial resolution and low cost. It is a long-wave infrared deflectometry device consisting of a heated metal ribbon and an uncooled thermal imaging camera. A slope repeatability of 13.6 μrad and a root-mean-square surface accuracy of 31 nm have been achieved in the measurements of two 4 inch spherical surfaces. The shape of a rough surface ground with 44 μm grits was also measured, and the result matches that from a laser tracker measurement. With further calibration, SLOTS promises to provide robust guidance through the grinding of aspherics.