Slope measurement of a phase object using a polarizing phase-shifting high-frequency Ronchi grating interferometer

Abstract

An interferometric method to measure the slope of phase objects is presented. The analysis was performed by implementing a polarizing phase-shifting cyclic shear interferometer coupled to a 4-f Fourier imaging system with crossed high-frequency Ronchi gratings. This system can obtain nine interference patterns with adjustable phase shifts and variable lateral shear. In order to extract the slope of a phase object, it is only analyzed using four patterns obtained in a single shot, and applying the classical method of phase extraction.