We explore the effect that an image-formation system’s point-spread function (PSF) has on measurement of the orientation and position of step edges. The theory of locales is used for numerical computation of bounds on precision as a function of PSF size and shape. It is shown that in the noise-free case the PSF should be 0.5–0.9 pixel in radius for optimal precision to be achieved. PSF shape is shown to have a much lesser effect on precision. A one-dimensional noisy-edge model is analyzed, and results similar to the no-noise case are obtained.
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