Phase shifting method for non-sinusoidal interference fringes with phase shift error

Abstract

When applying phase shifting interferometry to practical phase measurement, the wave may become non-sinusoidal, and could include some phase shift errors. Prior phase shift algorithms are primarily used for sinusoidal cases, and can cause system errors when used for these non-sinusoidal interference. We propose two phase recovery methods for non-sinusoidal interference fringes: specifically, a least-squares-based fitting algorithm that eliminates system errors using a sufficient number of measured images, and a Fourier transform-based method that effectively suppresses system errors using a lower (or insufficient) number of images. Simulation and experimental results verify the efficacy of the proposed methods.