Abstract:
Method and systems are presented for analyzing a wavefront using a spectral wavefront analyzer to extract optical phase and spectral information at a two dimensional array of sampling points across the wavefront, wherein the relative phase information between the sampling points is maintained. Methods and systems are also presented for measuring an eye by reflecting a wavefront of an eye and measuring the wavefront at a plurality of angles to provide a map of the off-axis relative wavefront curvature and aberration of the eye. The phase accuracy between wavelengths and sample points over a beam aperture offered by these methods and systems have a number of ocular applications including corneal and anterior eye tomography, high resolution retinal imaging, and wavefront analysis as a function of probe beam incident angle for determining myopia progression and for designing and testing lenses for correcting myopia.
Abstract:
A method for measuring a wavefront of an optical system. A first step of the method includes directing electromagnetic radiation uniformly at an object plane having a first grating positioned therein. Lines of the first grating comprise a plurality of dots. A second step of the method includes projecting an image of the first grating onto a focal plane having a second grating positioned therein. A third step of the method includes measuring the wavefront of the optical system based on a fringe pattern produced by the second grating.
Abstract:
Method and systems are presented for analysing a wavefront using a spectral wavefront analyser to extract optical phase and spectral information at a two dimensional array of sampling points across the wavefront, wherein the relative phase information between the sampling points is maintained. Methods and systems are also presented for measuring an eye by reflecting a wavefront of an eye and measuring the wavefront at a plurality of angles to provide a map of the off-axis relative wavefront curvature and aberration of the eye. The phase accuracy between wavelengths and sample points over a beam aperture offered by these methods and systems have a number of ocular applications including corneal and anterior eye tomography, high resolution retinal imaging, and wavefront analysis as a function of probe beam incident angle for determining myopia progression and for designing and testing lenses for correcting myopia.
Abstract:
The present invention is directed to the provision of an interferometer and a phase shift amount measuring apparatus that can precisely operate in the EUV region. The interferometer according to the invention comprises an illumination source for generating an illumination beam, an illumination system for projecting the illumination beam emitted from the illumination source onto a sample, and an imaging system for directing the reflected beam by the sample onto a detector. The illumination system includes a first diffraction grating for producing a first and second diffraction beams which respectively illuminate two areas on the sample where are shifted from each other by a given distance, and the imaging system includes a second grating for diffracting the first and second diffraction beams reflected by the sample to produce a third and fourth diffraction beams which are shifted from each other by a given distance.
Abstract:
A wavelength shift measuring apparatus of the present invention is a wavelength shift detection sensor (WLCD1) which measures a shift of a wavelength of a light beam emitted from a light source, and includes a beam splitter (BS2) splitting the light beam emitted from the light source into a plurality of light beams and to synthesize two light beams among the plurality of light beams to generate an interference light, a spacer member (SP) provided so that an optical path length difference of the two light beams split by the beam splitter (PBS2) is constant, and a plurality of photoelectric sensors (PD) detecting the interference light generated by the beam splitter (BS2). The plurality of photoelectric sensors (PD) output a plurality of interference signals having phases shifted from one another based on the interference light to calculate a wavelength shift using the plurality of interference signals.
Abstract:
A wavefront sensor for detecting the slope of an input wavefront. A surface acoustic wave reflective diffraction grating is positioned at a focal point of the wavefront, and generates surface acoustic waves at two primary frequencies f.sub.1 and f.sub.2. The reflective diffraction grating produces a first AC shearing interferogram between two like diffraction orders generated by the f.sub.1 and f.sub.2 surface acoustic waves. A photodetector array is positioned to detect the shearing interferogram at a two dimensional array of zones, and the phase of the output signal for each zone is representative of the local slope of the wavefront in the direction of shearing, thus producing the slope in one direction. Complete two dimensional wavefront slope information is obtained by shearing the wavefront in a second orthogonal direction in substantially the same manner utilizing a second surface acoustic wave diffraction grating and a second photodetector array.
Abstract:
Interferometry-based methods and apparatus are presented for analyzing one or more wavefronts from a sample, in which the sample wavefronts are interfered with two or more reference wavefronts to produce two or more interferograms in a sufficiently short time period for the interferograms to be captured in a single exposure of an image capture device such as a CCD array. Each interferogram has a unique carrier frequency dependent on the angle between a respective pair of sample and reference wavefronts. In certain embodiments multiple sample and/or reference wavefronts are generated using scanning mirrors, while in other embodiments utilizing multi-wavelength beams multiple sample and/or reference wavefronts are generated with wavelength dispersive elements. The methods and apparatus are suitable for measuring aberrations at one or more positions on the retina of an eye.
Abstract:
A wavelength shift measuring apparatus of the present invention is a wavelength shift detection sensor (WLCD1) which measures a shift of a wavelength of a light beam emitted from a light source, and includes a beam splitter (BS2) splitting the light beam emitted from the light source into a plurality of light beams and to synthesize two light beams among the plurality of light beams to generate an interference light, a spacer member (SP) provided so that an optical path length difference of the two light beams split by the beam splitter (PBS2) is constant, and a plurality of photoelectric sensors (PD) detecting the interference light generated by the beam splitter (BS2). The plurality of photoelectric sensors (PD) output a plurality of interference signals having phases shifted from one another based on the interference light to calculate a wavelength shift using the plurality of interference signals.
Abstract:
A parallel light ray measuring apparatus invention measures the parallelism of a light beam by: receiving a light beam which has passed through two gratings having the same grating period by means of at least two photoelectric converting elements, and by detecting the light intensity obtained from those aforementioned photoelectric converting elements and the phase difference between the periodic signals obtained when either of the gratings is moved, using the at least photoelectric converting elements. Further, the parallel light ray measuring apparatus includes: a first grating; a second grating having the same grating period as that of the first grating, and being disposed such that the grating lines of the second grating are in parallel with those of the first grating; a light pick-up screen for receiving a light beam which has passed through both gratings, whereby the light intensity distribution appearing on the light pick-up screen is detected so as to measure the parallelism of the light beam.
Abstract:
A method for measuring an optical length of light path based on use of multiple-beam interference of light and carried into effect by forming an original light beam with two collinear components having mutually independent polarizations and different frequencies in such a manner that when forming each of the following interfering light beams from the preceding one, polarizations of the light components having different frequencies are mutually converted, whereupon the interfered light is converted into an electric signal and its phase is measured, by which the light path optical length is determined. A laser interferometer carrying said method into effect comprises: a laser and arranged consecutively along the direction of run of the light beam: a device for offsetting the frequency of one of the light components, reflecting elements, a polarizing element for separating the light of the interfering beams according to polarization, and a photoelectric converter of the interfered light into an electric signal, as well as a unit for measuring the phase of an electric signal, connected to the photoelectric converter and also a birefringent plate located between the reflecting elements and adapted for mutual conversion of polarizations of the two light components.