Amazing scatterplate interferometer

James C. Wyant

doi:10.1117/12.2570914

21 August 2020 Amazing scatterplate interferometer

James C. Wyant

Proceedings Volume 11479, Roland V. Shack Memorial Session: A Celebration of One of the Great Teachers of Optical Aberration Theory; 1147907 (2020) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2570914
Event: SPIE Optical Engineering + Applications, 2020, Online Only

Abstract

The scatterplate interferometer is an amazing instrument invented by James M. Burch in 1953 for testing optical components and it is especially good for testing concave mirrors. This interferometer requires no high-quality optical components and it generates its own reference wavefront without having a reference surface. The light source does not have to be a point source or monochromatic - almost any light source will work. The path lengths of the two interferometer paths are automatically matched and, regardless of the reflectance of the test mirror, the light intensities of the two interfering beams are matched. The interferometer is not very sensitive to vibration and it is inexpensive to build. There are several ways to use phase-shifting techniques with the interferometer. This talk will describe and explain the properties of the amazing scatterplate interferometer.

Conference Presentation

Citation Download Citation

James C. Wyant "Amazing scatterplate interferometer", Proc. SPIE 11479, Roland V. Shack Memorial Session: A Celebration of One of the Great Teachers of Optical Aberration Theory, 1147907 (21 August 2020); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2570914

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available