Multiple plane reference mirror for interferometric testing of optical systems
AssigneeRaytheon Company
InventorConrad Stenton
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An interferometric testing system for testing an optical system includes an interferometer which outputs a light beam and analyzes the returned light beam, and a multiple plane reference mirror which reflects the light beam corresponding to the image point transmitted by the optical system back through the optical system to thereby generate the interference. According to one aspect of the invention, the multiple plane reference mirror reflects the light beam back along the arrival path of the light beam. According to another aspect of the invention, the multiple plane reference mirror comprises a holographic multiple plane reference mirror. The interferometric testing method is also described.
Claims8
A method of operating an interferometric testing system including a multiple plane reference mirror to thereby evaluate an optical system under test, the method comprising:
- generating an image point at a selected one of N predetermined test points;
- passing light corresponding to the image point from the image side of the optical system under test to the object side;
- reflecting light corresponding to the image point from the object side of the optical system under test to the image side using a multiple plane reference mirror;
- collecting data corresponding to the reflected light;
- repeating the generating, passing, reflecting, and collecting steps for each of the N predetermined test points;
- and
- analyzing the collected data for all of the N predetermined test points.
An interferometric testing system for testing an optical system, comprising:
- an interferometer which outputs a light beam and analyzes a selected light beam;
- a reference sphere which generates an image point in an image plane of the optical system responsive to the light beam;
- and
- a multiple plane reference mirror which reflects the light beam corresponding to the image point transmitted by the optical system back through the optical system to thereby generate the selected light beam, wherein:
- the multiple plane reference mirror reflects the light beam back along the arrival path of the light beam irrespective of the separation between the image point and the centerline of the optical system.
An interferometric testing system for testing an optical system, comprising:
- first means for outputting a light beam;
- second means for analyzing a selected light beam;
- third means for generating an image point in an image plane of the optical system responsive to the light beam;
- and
- fourth means including a multiple plane reference mirror for reflecting the light beam corresponding to the image point transmitted by the optical system back through the optical system to thereby generate the selected light beam, wherein:
- the fourth means reflects the light beam back along the arrival path of the light beam irrespective of the separation between the image point and the centerline of the optical system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.