Diffraction model of a laser speckle interferometer for measuring micro-displacements of objects with scattering surface

Abstract

On the basis of diffraction transformations of an optical wave field a mathematical model for the formation of speckle modulated interference patterns and signals at the output of a speckle interferometer is developed, which allows us to identify their properties and quantitative parameters. Speckle interferometers based on a Michelson arrangement are considered, where objects with scattering surfaces are used instead of mirrors in the reference and object arms. Results of numerical simulation of speckle modulated interference patterns on the basis of diffraction transformations of wave fields in an interferometer are discussed. Simulated images obtained at the output of the interferometer when focusing laser beams on the scattering surfaces of the controlled and reference objects are considered. Experimental results of using a speckle interferometer with a digital matrix photodetector for measuring the temperature micro-displacements of an object with a scattering surface and a quantitative comparison of experimental data with the results obtained by a numerical experiment using a diffraction model of a speckle interferometer are presented.