Phase shifting interferometry using a robust parameter estimation method

The paper proposes a maximum-likelihood (ML) method based on spectral estimation theory for the estimation of phase distribution in interferometry in the presence of nonsinusoidal waveforms, noise, and the miscalibration of the piezoelectric device. The proposed method also allows the use of arbitrary phase steps. ML estimators are asymptotically efficient for large number of data samples. The method is complemented well by the incorporation of global search algorithm known as Probabilistic Global Search Lausanne for minimizing the ML function. The performance of the proposed method is studied in the presence of noise.     

A novel approach for characterizing the nonlinear phase steps of the PZT in interferometry

We propose a novel approach to estimate the phase distribution in the presence of nonlinear response of the PZT. The proposed method is an outcome of two different concepts based on the discrete chirp Fourier transform (DCFT) and the maximum-likelihood estimator for the estimation of nonlinear phase step. The robustness of the proposed method is tested for various magnitudes of nonlinearity and harmonics. Comparison of our proposed method with the bench marking algorithm by Hibino et al.'s six and nine sample algorithm in the presence of noise shows that our method is highly efficient.     

A state space approach in phase shifting interferometry

The paper proposes a state space approach for the determination of phase distribution in an interferogram in the presence of a non-sinusoidal waveform, random noise, and the miscalibration of the piezoelectric device. In this approach we first estimate the phase step imparted to the piezoelectric transducer (PZT) before determining the phase distribution. A denoising procedure is applied with the knowledge of the state-feedback matrix prior to the extraction of the phase step. This step ensures a good estimation of the phase distribution even at low signal-to-noise ratios. The other salient features of the proposed concept lie in its ability to compensate the detector non-linearity and in the use of non-collimated beams. The comparison of the proposed method with other bench-marking algorithms shows that our approach is efficient and robust. The experimental results show the feasibility of the proposed approach.     

Generalized linear prediction method in phase-shifting interferometry in the presence of noise

The effectiveness of phase-shifting interferometry (PSI) techniques employing piezoelectric device PZT in the estimation of phase depends largely on the accuracy with which the phase shifts are imparted to the device and the noise influencing the measurement. Several effective algorithms have been proposed to compute the phase shifts imparted to the device and subsequently obtain the phase using least-squares estimation technique. In this paper, we propose a generalized approach, which accurately estimates the phase shifts in the presence of noise. The method is based on the idea of linear prediction and explores the fact that sampling more data frames yields a reliable phase step estimate in a least-squares sense. We also compare our method with a commonly used generalized phase-shifting method based on histogram analysis and show that our proposed approach is highly effective. We also present simulation and experimental validations of our proposed method.     

Digital speckle interferometry for assessment of surface roughness

In this work, the principle of interferometry is used to assess the surface roughness of the machined surfaces. Interferometry produces an interference fringe pattern when two or more light waves interact with each other. It is one of the important tool for precision optical metrology and testing. Well-known advantages of the phase shifting interferometry include high measurement accuracy, rapid measurement, good result even with low contrast fringes and that the polarity of the wave front can be determined. In fringe projection techniques, a known optical fringe pattern is projected onto the surface of interest. The fringe pattern on the surface is perturbed in accordance with the profile of the test surface, thereby enabling direct derivation of surface profile.In this work, an attempt has been made to assess the surface roughness using a speckle fringe analysis method of five frame phase shift algorithm for machined surface (ground surface). As these fringes are too noisy, advanced filtering technique has been used so as to reduce noise and to get improved wrapped phase map from the phase shifted fringes. A phase unwrapping software has been developed using discrete cosine transform (DCT) to generate the three-dimensional (3-D) profiles. Finally, it is compared with R_a values measured using a mechanical stylus instrument, showing good agreement.     

Multi-colour microscopic interferometry for optical metrology and imaging applications

Interferometry has been widely used for optical metrology and imaging applications because of their precision, reliability, and versatility. Although single-wavelength interferometery can provide high sensitivity and resolution, it has several drawbacks, namely, it fails to quantify large-discontinuities, large-deformations, and shape of unpolished surfaces. Multiple-wavelength techniques have been successfully used to overcome the drawbacks associated with single wavelength analysis. The use of colour CCD camera allows simultaneous acquisition of multiple interferograms. The advances in colour CCD cameras and image processing techniques have made the multi-colour interferometry a faster, simpler, and cost-effective tool for industrial applications. This article reviews the recent advances in multi-colour interferometric techniques and their demanding applications for characterization of micro-systems, non-destructive testing, and bio-imaging applications.     

The new method of topological charge determination of optical vortices in the interference field of the optical vortex interferometer

In this paper, the new method of determination of the topological charge of vortex points in the interference field obtained by three plane waves interference is presented. Such optical fields are used in the optical vortex interferometer (OVI) and the determination of vortex points’ topological charge allows of unique determination of the relative phase between interfering waves (phase unwrapping problem). The new method uses additional plane wave, which produce a characteristic fork-like fringe structure in the neighbourhood of vortex points. By analysing the orientation of these fork-like patterns one can read the sign of the topological charge of the given vortex point. The method is simple and can be used for OVI calibration performed before the measurements.     

Evaluation of a phase shifting method for vortex localization in optical vortex interferometry

The optical vortex interferometer uses a regular lattice of the optical vortices. In the previous papers we showed that changes in vortex lattice geometry can be related to physical quantities of the object being measured. The accuracy of such a measurement depends strongly on the precision of vortex point localization (vortex points are points where wavefront phase is undetermined). In this paper we compared the measurements of object wave tilt calculated from different localization methods applied to real interferograms and evaluate various localization methods.     

Decoherence effects in Bose–Einstein condensate interferometry I. General theory

The present paper outlines a basic theoretical treatment of decoherence and dephasing effects in interferometry based on single component Bose–Einstein condensates in double potential wells, where two condensate modes may be involved. Results for both two mode condensates and the simpler single mode condensate case are presented. The approach involves a hybrid phase space distribution functional method where the condensate modes are described via a truncated Wigner representation, whilst the basically unoccupied non-condensate modes are described via a positive P representation. The Hamiltonian for the system is described in terms of quantum field operators for the condensate and non-condensate modes. The functional Fokker–Planck equation for the double phase space distribution functional is derived. Equivalent Ito stochastic equations for the condensate and non-condensate fields that replace the field operators are obtained, and stochastic averages of products of these fields give the quantum correlation functions that can be used to interpret interferometry experiments. The stochastic field equations are the sum of a deterministic term obtained from the drift vector in the functional Fokker–Planck equation, and a noise field whose stochastic properties are determined from the diffusion matrix in the functional Fokker–Planck equation. The stochastic properties of the noise field terms are similar to those for Gaussian–Markov processes in that the stochastic averages of odd numbers of noise fields are zero and those for even numbers of noise field terms are the sums of products of stochastic averages associated with pairs of noise fields. However each pair is represented by an element of the diffusion matrix rather than products of the noise fields themselves, as in the case of Gaussian–Markov processes. The treatment starts from a generalised mean field theory for two condensate modes, where generalised coupled Gross–Pitaevskii equations are obtained for the modes and matrix mechanics equations are derived for the amplitudes describing possible fragmentations of the condensate between the two modes. These self-consistent sets of equations are derived via the Dirac–Frenkel variational principle. Numerical studies for interferometry experiments would involve using the solutions from the generalised mean field theory in calculations for the stochastic fields from the Ito stochastic field equations.     

三量子位系统的消相干和退纠缠

基于多谐振子热库环境模型,采用求解非马尔可夫近似主方程方法,研究了三量子位系统由于相对位相变化引起的消相干和退纠缠.计算得到了初始态为GHZ-class态、W-class态和WGHZ-class态在演化过程中的消相干和退纠缠时间尺度.结果表明,对初始GHZ-class态,相干性全部丧失,退纠缠完全发生,纠缠度变为0;对初始W-class态,相干性和纠缠度被保持;对初始WGHZ-class态,消相干部分发生,纠缠首先随时间变化最后达到一个渐近值.     

Two-dimensional measurement of laser-induced target movement by face-on interferometry

Initial movement of laser irradiated foil targets has been measured by face-on interferometry with two-dimensional resolution. This interferometric method provides direct and precise information about the initial movement of the rear surface of the target compared with conventional diagnostics. Target movement of 20–500 nm from the original position has been observed.     

Off-axis low coherence interferometry contouring

In this article we present a method to achieve tri-dimensional contouring of macroscopic objects. A modified reference wave speckle interferometer is used in conjunction with a source of reduced coherence. The depth signal is given by the envelope of the interference signal, directly determined by the coherence length of the source. Fringes are detected in the interferogram obtained by a single shot and are detected by means of adequate filtering. With the approach based on off-axis configuration, a contour line can be extracted from a single acquisition, thus allowing to use the system in harsh environment.     

Multi-step phase-shifting algorithms insensitive to linear phase shift errors

We describe and analyse a group of multi-step phase calculation algorithms for evaluation of interferometric measurements using the phase-shifting technique. Phase-shifting algorithms are proposed, with a constant but arbitrary phase shift between captured frames of the irradiance of the interference field. The algorithms are similarly derived as so called Carré algorithm. The phase evaluation process is not dependent on linear phase shift errors. An advantage of the described algorithms is their ability to determine the phase shift value at every point of the detector plane. Moreover, a complex error analysis of proposed algorithms is performed and the algorithms are compared to several common error compensating phase stepping algorithms.     

An integrated optical coupler used in a fibre interferometry system for on-line surface measurements

In this paper, an integrated optical (IO) coupler produced using the technique of silica-on-silicon was described. A fibre interferometry system using the IO coupler was then developed and its performance was tested. The environmental noise and disturbances in this system were reduced significantly after combining a reference interferometer and an all fibre polarisation scrambler so as to produce good stability and repeatability. Furthermore, the measurement mirror was mounted on a piezoelectric transducer (PZT) and disturbances were introduced in the system in order to simulate on-line surface measurements. Both a commercial fibre and the IO couplers were compared using this method. Better experimental results were achieved when the system using the IO coupler than using the fibre one.     

Measurement of small differences in refractive indices of solutions with interferometric optical method

Based on the principles of both surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and heterodyne interferometry, an optical method for measuring small differences in refractive indices of solutions was proposed. On a specially designed probe, two light beams are incident on both reference and test solutions. The phase differences between the p- and s-polarizations of each reflected light under SPR condition are measured simultaneously with heterodyne interferometric technique. The phase values are substituted into special equations derived from Fresnel's equations. Finally, the difference between the refractive indices of these two solutions can be estimated. The feasibility of this method was demonstrated and the measurement sensitivity of refractive index can reach a value of at least 8.57×10⁻⁷. This method should bear the merits of a simple structure, easy operation, high sensitivity and rapid measurement.     

Evaluation of corrosion in electrochemical systems using Michelson interferometry

This work presents the performance of a simple Michelson interferometric configuration, allowing monitoring and evaluation of corrosion and oxide layer growth in aluminium during aqueous corrosion processes in a distilled water solution, without any physical contact with the sample. This alternative experimental arrangement introduces a simpler alignment compared with a preliminary proposal [Habib K. In situ measurement of oxide film growth on aluminium samples by holographic interferometry. Corrosion Sci 2001; 43, 449–55], and the obtained interferograms offer a qualitative and possibly quantitative evaluation of an important physical parameter related to the corrosion process kinetics. Interferograms were obtained as a function of time to register changes related to the corrosion dynamics and oxide growth process. Experimental results correlate with the well-known corrosion process taking place over the aluminium sample under these experimental conditions.     

High dynamic range imaging method for interferometry

We demonstrate a method to easily and quickly extend the dynamic range imaging capabilities of the camera in a typical interferometric approach. The camera dynamic range is usually low and limited to 256 gray levels. Also, it is well known that one may have over or under-exposed regions in the interferogram (due to non-uniform illumination) which makes these image regions not reliable. In our proposed method it is not necessary to obtain or use the non-linear camera response curve in order to extend the camera dynamic range. We obtain a sequence of differently exposed interferograms, typically five or six; after that, we compute the corresponding normalized fringe patterns and modulation maps using a typical normalization method. These normalized patterns are combined through a temporal weighted average using as weights the corresponding modulation maps. We show a set of experimental results that prove the effectiveness of the proposed method.     

Iterative Fourier transform method for phase map recovery in electronic speckle-shearing pattern interferometry

Increasing phase values at the edges of objects under analysis in electronic speckle shearing interferometry (ESSPI) cause errors in the actual recovering methods to obtain the spatially integrated phase. An iterative least minimum squares method is proposed here to recover the phase map from the approximated ESSPI derivatives when the displacement phase is increasing near the object edges. It is based in an iterative Fourier transform method derived from a least-squares phase map recovery algorithm. Experimental results from a rotating cylindrical bar show the validity of our approach.     

Error-compensating algorithms in phase-shifting interferometry: a comparison by error analysis

In this paper, two families of phase-shifting algorithms with π/2 phase steps are studied. In family I, three new algorithms are derived by using the averaging technique based on the Surrel six-sample algorithm with phase shifts of π/2. Family II includes four well-known algorithms derived by the averaging technique based on the conventional four-sample algorithm with π/2 phase steps. A polynomial model of phase-shift errors used to describe general expressions for calculation of the correct object phase via the Fourier spectra analysing method as a function of the harmonic order in the fringe signal is presented. The error-compensating properties of the algorithms in families I and II are investigated by the Fourier spectra analysing method. It is found that the averaging technique, when used in any of the algorithm with π/2 phase steps, can improve the phase-shifting algorithm property: it is insensitive to phase-shift error when the fringe signal contains the first harmonic, but it can't be used to enhance the phase-shifting algorithm properties when the fringe signal contains higher order harmonics (n2). P–V (peak–valley) phase errors are calculated by the computer simulation and tables and plots are presented, from which the algorithms in families I and II are compared. It is shown that the algorithms in family I are more insensitive to phase-shift errors when the fringe signal contains the second harmonic and the algorithms in family II are more insensitive to phase-shift errors when the fringe signal is a sinusoidal waveform.