Specification and characterization of CGHs for interferometrical optical testing

Abstract

Computer-generated holograms (CGHs) are increasingly used in optical shop testing, especially for testing aspheric surfaces. For precise interferometrical measurements the error influence of the CGHs must be known and needs to be characterized. Different error types of two-level binary CGHs are identified and their contribution to the reconstructed wavefront are discussed: pattern errors of the CGH structure, duty cycle errors, surface figure errors of the CGH-substrate, etching depth variations in phase holograms and thickness variations of the chromium layer of amplitude chrome-type holograms. Methods to determine all these different errors are explained and an error budget of the total CGH error is given. Since the pattern error of a CGH is the most critical error it will be discussed in detail. This error depends on the writing technology (e-beam, laser beam) and on the type of the CGH (inline, off-axis). As examples of the two CGH-types a test method for measuring the pattern errors of Fresnel zone plates and linear gratings is presented. Experimental results of the tests are discussed.