A High Precison Phase Extraction Algorithm from a Single Shot Interferogram

Abstract

Abstract. Phase shifting interferometry is an optical metrology with a high precision, but it usually requires the expensive high precision phase shifter. Therefore, low cost methods of extracting phase from a single shot interferogram were very valuable, but available algorithms are usually effective only in a limited conditions. To solve these problems, a novel method is presented in this work. Based on this method, the interference fringe is retrieved to a wrapped phase and divided into different regions and the index of the pixel is calculated. The pixels in the same region have the same parity and the PSF’s gravity center of part wavefront so as to solve the sign ambiguity. The theoretical simulation results indicate that the PV of wavefront error is 0.00054λ and the rms is 0.000125λ,which is much better than the results from the Fast Fourier Transformation method. The experimentally measured interferogram is also used to validate the method. It has the advantages of simplicity, high precision and effective for both open and closed interferometer fringes.