Limitations of the Shack–Hartmann sensor for testing optical aspherics

Abstract

Aspheric lenses and surfaces are increasingly used in modern high-quality optics. Therefore, new measuring methods for an accurate quantification of these aspheres are also necessary. The current approach to quantify aspheres is to apply null systems such as computer-generated holograms as a part of a null lens in a interferometer. An alternative to this method is the Shack–Hartmann wavefront sensor. The dynamic range of this sensor can be adjusted by the optical parameters of the applied microlens array. Hence, large wavefront aberrations can be measured directly without a null lens. However, there are basic limitations in the dynamic range of a Shack–Hartmann sensor (SHS) depending on the curvature of the incident wavefront. In this paper, an analytical expression to determine the strongest wavefront curvature which can be measured with a defined microlens array of an SHS is derived. It allows to calculate the microlens parameters required to measure the wavefront of a test lens. Particularly, the influence of rotational symmetric aspherical wavefront shapes to the dynamic range of an SHS has been studied. A comparison between interferometry and the SHS has been accomplished. Numerical solutions using scalar diffraction theory illustrate the analytical predictions.