Fizeau interferometer with polarization phase shifting for automatic data acquisition and analysis

Aim of project
The aim of the project is the development and implementation of automatic acquisition and processing of data acquired in the laboratory-workshop Fizeau interferometer. Among interferogram analysis methods the active phase shifting method (temporal phase stepping between the interferograms sequentially recorded in time) is proposed for implementation. The optical system of the Fizeau interferometer is of a common path type. This fact suggests search solutions using polarized light techniques. They might use mutually orthogonal circularly polarized beams and a rotational polarizer or an electro-optic modulator introducing the phase shift between orthogonal linear components. For metrological assessment of the system the lattice-site representation of the phase step angle is proposed to detect the phase step angle, detector nonlinearity, average intensity changes, noise level and intensity quantization errors. A comparative analysis of phase calculation algorithms will be given. The next project tasks concern optical and mechanical design

modifications of the Fizeau IL200 system (IMiF PW), software development for automatic system operation and data processing, and conducting measurements of reflection and transmission components for system performance verification.

Expected results
Implementation of the temporal phase stepping method for automatic interferogram analysis in the Fizeau interferometer (type IL200). Expected flat surface measurement repeatability: P-V 0.1λ; RMS 0.02λ. The project results will be useful for domestic optics entities possessing IL200 system (modernization off er). Publication in renown international scientific journals.