Absolute surface figure testing by shift-rotation method using Zernike polynomials

Abstract

In surface figure testing, most of them are relative tests, and the reference surface usually limits the accuracy of test results. Absolute calibration is one of the most important and efficient techniques to reach subnanometer accuracy in surface figure testing. An absolute testing method, a shift-rotation method using Zernike polynomials, is presented, which can be used to calibrate both flat and spherical surfaces (concave or convex). Calibration contains at least three position measurements: one basic position, one rotation, and one lateral shift of the test surface. Experiments show that the repeatability of this method is 0.13 nm RMS, and pixel-to-pixel comparison with the two-sphere method is 0.2 nm RMS.