Investigation of smooth wave fronts using SLM-based phase retrieval and a phase diffuser

A phase retrieval technique using a spatial light modulator (SLM) and a phase diffuser for a fast reconstruction of smooth wave fronts is demonstrated experimentally. Diffuse illumination of a smooth test object with the aid of a phase diffuser (maximum phase shift, Df = 0.85p) results in a significant diversity in the intensity measurements which, in turn, is beneficial for a non-stagnating iterative phase reconstruction. The use of the SLM enables accurate and fast speckle intensity recording and active correction of misalignments in the setup. The effectiveness of the technique is demonstrated in the optical testing of lenses.Comment: The paper has been presented in 1st EOS Topical Meeting on Micro-and Nano-Optoelectronic Systems, Bremen, Germany, 7 - 9 December 201

Media 1: Vibration detection using focus analysis of interferograms

Originally published in Applied Optics on 20 March 2012 (ao-51-9-1431