Binocular fringe projection profilometry for the metrology of meter-scale optical surfaces

Abstract

Demand for better quality, larger quantity, and size of astronomical telescopes from visible to radio frequencies is increasing. More rapid, efficient, and adaptable manufacturing processes are needed to support the needs of growing science and engineering communities in these fields. To aid the development and execution of these new processes, a flexible, accurate, and low-cost metrology system is needed. This paper outlines a variety of fringe projection profilometry (FPP) that has demonstrated high accuracy over large areas, making it a critical tool for manufacturing steel molds for forming primary reflectors and shape verification of the reflectors themselves used for radio astronomy.