Abstract

Interferometric surface analysis involves looking at a fringe pattern and deriving information concerning the surface being imaged. By counting the fringes, one is able to find the surface deformation relative to a reference point. But a problem is encountered when the fringes are too dense for the fringe analysis software to count them. This limits the resolution of the system. But if a spatial light modulator (SLM) could modulate the phase profile in one arm of the interferometer so that the spatial frequency of the fringes is decreased enough to be counted, this problem would be solved.

© 1996 Optical Society of America