Compact snapshot multiwavelength interferometer.

Abstract

We propose a snapshot and compact multiwavelength interferometer for real-time testing of optical surfaces with large slopes. A color camera with a micropolarizer array simultaneously captures the phase-shifted interferograms of multiple wavelengths, from which four interferograms with π/2 phase shift at each wavelength are extracted for multiwavelength phase-shifting interferometric measurement. The accuracy of the proposed system is validated experimentally, and the testing of freeform surface with large slopes is also demonstrated. The proposed system provides a feasible way to obtain the instantaneous online measurement of freeform surfaces while minimizing environmental disturbance.