Optical heterodyne fourier transform interferometer

A method for interferometric analysis, comprising:

• generating first and second light beams from a light source;
• interacting the first light beam with an object under inspection;
• forming, from light emanating from the object under inspection in response to the interacting, an image of the light source on an image sensor;
• converting, between said generating and said projecting, the second light beam into a plurality of heterodyne light beams;
• projecting the heterodyne light beams on the image on the image sensor, the combination of the light emanating from the object under inspection and the heterodyne light beams forming a collective image on the image sensor;
• and
• applying a Fourier transform to the collective image formed on the image sensor, thereby forming a phase image containing at least a plurality of wavefront maps of the object under inspection;
• isolating a plurality of wavefront maps of the object under inspection from within the phase image;
• and
• generating a final wavefront map of the object under inspection based on the plurality of wavefront maps.

An interferometer system configured to generate a wavefront map of an object, comprising:

• a light source;
• an image sensor;
• an optical system configured to:
• direct a first light beam from said light source onto the object;
• direct light interacting with the object on said image sensor;
• convert a second light beam from the light source into at least one heterodyne beam;
• and
• direct the at least one heterodyne beam onto the image sensor;
• the image sensor being disposed in the plane in which an image of said light source as modified by said optical system and said object will be in its best focus approximately preferably within plus or minus one depth of focus;
• wherein the image of the light source and the heterodyne beams form a collective image on the image sensor.

An interferometer system configured to generate a wavefront map of an object, comprising:

• a light source;
• an image sensor;
• an optical system configured to:
• direct a first light beam from said light source onto the object;
• direct light interacting with the object on said image sensor;
• convert a second light beam from the light source into a plurality of heterodyne beams;
• and
• direct the plurality of heterodyne beams onto the image sensor;
• the image sensor being disposed in the plane in which an image of said light source as modified by said optical system and said object will be in its best focus approximately within plus or minus one depth of focus;
• wherein the image of the light source and the heterodyne beams form a collective image on the image sensor.