Refractive index distribution measuring method and apparatus using position measurement and a reference object

A manufacturing method of an optical element, the method comprising:

• a molding step of molding the optical element;
• and
• an evaluating step of evaluating the optical element,
• wherein the evaluating step measures an internal refractive index distribution of the optical element using a refractive index distribution measuring method comprising:
• a first measuring step of placing the optical element in a first medium having a first refractive index lower than a refractive index of the optical element, and of causing reference light to enter the optical element to measure a first transmitted wavefront of the optical element;
• a second measuring step of placing the optical element in a second medium having a second refractive index lower than the refractive index of the optical element and different from the first refractive index, and of causing the reference light to enter the optical element to measure a second transmitted wavefront of the optical element;
• a position measuring step of measuring a first placement position where the optical element is placed in the first medium and a second placement position where the optical element is placed in the second medium;
• and
• a calculating step of calculating the internal refractive index distribution of the optical element using the measured results of the first and second transmitted wavefronts,
• wherein the calculating step calculates the internal refractive index distribution from which a shape component of the object is removed using (a) the measured the first and second transmitted wavefronts, (b) a first reference transmitted wavefront of a reference object to be placed in the first medium at a position identical to the first placement position, and (c) a second reference transmitted wavefront of the reference object to be placed in the second medium at a position identical to the second placement position, the reference object having a shape identical to that of the optical element and a specific internal refractive index distribution.

A refractive index distribution measurement apparatus comprising:

• a transmitted wavefront measuring device comprising a first light source, a pinhole, and a sensor, wherein the transmitted wavefront measuring device (a) causes reference light to enter an object, which is placed in a first medium having a first refractive index lower than a refractive index of the object, to measure a first transmitted wavefront of the object, and (b) cause the reference light to enter the object, which is placed in a second medium having a second refractive index lower than the refractive index of the object and different from the first refractive index, to measure a second transmitted wavefront of the object;
• a position measuring device comprising a second light source and a splitter, wherein the position measuring device measures a first placement position where the object is placed in the first medium and a second placement position where the object is placed in the second medium;
• and
• a microcomputer programmed to calculate an internal refractive index distribution of the object using the measured first and second transmitted wavefronts,
• wherein the microcomputer calculates the internal refractive index distribution from which a shape component of the object is removed using (a) the measured first and second transmitted wavefronts, (b) a first reference transmitted wavefront of a reference object to be placed in the first medium at a position identical to the first placement position and (c) a second reference transmitted wavefront of the reference object to be placed in the second medium at a position identical to the second placement position, the reference object having a shape identical to that of the object and a specific internal refractive index distribution.

A refractive index distribution measuring method comprising:

• a first measuring step of placing an object in a first medium having a first refractive index lower than a refractive index of the object, and of causing reference light to enter the object to measure a first transmitted wavefront of the object;
• a second measuring step of placing the object in a second medium having a second refractive index lower than the refractive index of the object and different from the first refractive index, and of causing the reference light to enter the object to measure a second transmitted wavefront of the object;
• a position measuring step of measuring a first placement position where the object is placed in the first medium and a second placement position where the object is placed in the second medium;
• and
• a calculating step of calculating a refractive index distribution of the object using the measured first and second transmitted wavefronts,
• wherein the calculating step (a) calculates a first wavefront aberration, which is a difference between the measured first transmitted wavefront and a transmitted wavefront of a reference object having a shape identical to the object and a specific refractive index distribution when the reference object is placed at a position identical to the measured first placement position, (b) calculates a second wavefront aberration, which is a difference between the measured second transmitted wavefront and a transmitted wavefront of the reference object when the reference object is placed at a position identical to the measured second placement position, and (c) calculates a refractive index distribution of the object with a removal of a shape component of the object based on the calculated first and second wavefront aberrations.

A refractive index distribution measurement apparatus comprising:

• a transmitted wavefront measuring device comprising a first light source, a pinhole, and a sensor, wherein the transmitted wavefront measuring device (a) causes reference light to enter an object, which is placed in a first medium having a first refractive index lower than a refractive index of the object, to measure a first transmitted wavefront of the object, and (b) causes the reference light to enter the object, which is placed in a second medium having a second refractive index lower than the refractive index of the object and different from the first refractive index, to measure a second transmitted wavefront of the object;
• a position measuring device comprising a second light source and a splitter, wherein the position measuring device measures a first placement position where the object is placed in the first medium and a second placement position where the object is placed in the second medium;
• and
• a microcomputer programmed to calculate a refractive index distribution of the object using the measured first and second transmitted wavefronts, wherein the microcomputer (a) calculates a first wavefront aberration, which is a difference between the measured first transmitted wavefront and a transmitted wavefront of a reference object having a shape identical to the object and a specific refractive index distribution when the reference object is placed at a position identical to the measured first placement position, (b) calculates a second wavefront aberration, which is a difference between the measured second transmitted wavefront and a transmitted wavefront of the reference object when the reference object is placed at a position identical to the measured second placement position, and (c) calculates a refractive index distribution of the object with a removal of a shape component of the object based on the calculated first and second wavefront aberrations.