Interferometry testing of lenses, and systems and devices for same

A lens testing apparatus comprising:

• a coherent light source configured to provide an expanded collimated coherent beam of light;
• a first beam divider configured to split the expanded collimated coherent beam of light incident thereon into a first collimated coherent beam of light and a second collimated coherent beam of light, wherein:
• the first collimated coherent beam of light forms a measurement reference arm that is essentially optically unaltered from the first collimated coherent beam of light;
• and
• the second collimated coherent beam of light forms a test arm;
• an optical path length of the test arm is essentially equal to an optical path length of the reference arm;
• and
• the test arm is vertically oriented for passing light downward therethrough;
• a cuvette that is positioned within the test arm and configured to:
• enclose a lens submersed in a solution in a manner which mitigates optical effects due to gravity;
• and
• propagate the second collimated coherent beam of light downward through a lens;
• a phase modulator configured to alter an optical phase of one of the first collimated coherent beam of light and the second collimated coherent beam of light;
• a second beam divider configured to provide a first combined beam and a second combined beam by combining the first collimated coherent beam of light propagating from the measurement reference arm and the second collimated coherent beam of light propagating from the test arm, wherein:
• the first combined beam propagates in a first direction;
• the second combined beam propagates in a second direction;
• the first combined beam is indicative of an first interference pattern between the first collimated coherent beam of light propagating from the measurement reference arm and the second collimated coherent beam of light propagating from the test arm;
• and
• the second combined beam is indicative of a second interference pattern between the first collimated coherent beam of light propagating from the measurement reference arm and the second collimated coherent beam of light propagating from the test arm;
• a first detector configured to record, at a first resolution and a first field of view, the first interference pattern;
• and
• a second detector configured to record, at a second resolution and a second field of view, the second interference pattern.

A method for aligning detectors of a lens testing apparatus comprising

• a source of coherent light;
• a reference arm that is configured to propagate a first portion of the coherent light within the reference arm;
• a vertical test arm that is configured to propagate a second portion of the coherent light downward within the vertical test arm, wherein an optical path length of the test arm is equal to an optical path length of the reference arm;
• a cuvette that is positioned within the vertical test arm and configured to:
• enclose a lens submersed in a solution;
• and
• propagate the second portion of the coherent light downward through the lens;
• a first detector configured to record, at a first resolution, a first portion of a combination of the first portion of the coherent light propagating from the reference arm and the second portion of the coherent light propagating from the test arm;
• and
• a second detector configured to record, at a second resolution, a second portion of the combination of the first portion of the coherent light propagating from the reference arm and the second portion of the coherent light propagating from the test arm, the method comprising:
• determining a magnification of the first detector;
• determining a magnification of the second detector;
• determining an x-axis location in the first detector corresponding to an x-axis location of zero in the second detector;
• determining a y-axis location in the first detector corresponding to a y-axis location of zero in the second detector;
• determining a rotational angular difference between a coordinate system of the first detector and a coordinate system of the second detector;
• and,
• converting the coordinate system of the second detector to the coordinate system of the first detector in accordance with the determined magnification of the first detector, the determined magnification of the second detector, the determined x-axis location, the determined y-axis location, and the determined rotational angular difference.

A method for testing a lens, the method comprising:

• providing an expanded collimated coherent beam of light;
• splitting the expanded collimated coherent beam of light into a first collimated coherent beam of light and a second collimated coherent beam of light;
• forming a measurement reference arm from the first collimated coherent beam of light that is essentially optically unaltered from the first collimated coherent beam of light;
• forming a test arm from the second collimated coherent beam of light, wherein an optical path length of the test arm is essentially equal to an optical path length of the reference arm;
• vertically orienting the test arm for passing light downward therethrough;
• positioning a cuvette within the test arm;
• enclosing a lens within the cuvette, wherein the lens is submersed in a solution that mitigates optical effects due to gravity;
• propagating the second collimated coherent beam of light downward through the lens;
• combining a portion of the first collimated coherent beam of light propagating from the measurement reference arm and a portion of the second collimated coherent beam of light propagating from the test arm to provide a first combined beam;
• combining a portion of the first collimated coherent beam of light propagating from the measurement reference arm and a portion of the second collimated coherent beam of light propagating from the test arm to provide a second combined beam, wherein:
• propagating the first combined beam in a first direction;
• propagating the first combined beam in a first direction, wherein
• the first combined beam is indicative of an first interference pattern between the first collimated coherent beam of light propagating from the measurement reference arm and the second collimated coherent beam of light propagating from the test arm;
• and
• the second combined beam is indicative of a second interference pattern between the first collimated coherent beam of light propagating from the measurement reference arm and the second collimated coherent beam of light propagating from the test arm;
• recording, at a first detector at a first resolution and a first field of view, the first interference pattern;
• and
• recording, at a second detector at a second resolution and a second field of view, the second interference pattern.