A simple tool for alignment and wavefront testing

William P. Kuhn

doi:10.1117/12.735477

21 September 2007 A simple tool for alignment and wavefront testing

William P. Kuhn

Proceedings Volume 6676, Optical System Alignment and Tolerancing; 66760F (2007) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.735477
Event: Optical Engineering + Applications, 2007, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

A variety of tools, such as alignment telescopes and interferometers, are used in the alignment of optical systems. Alignment telescopes quantify angles, and connect an optical axis to a mechanical axis, but they are not particularly helpful for quantifying errors in a wavefront. Interferometers, which have exquisite sensitivity and accuracy for wavefront measurement, are often used for the final qualification of an optical system. However, an interferometer is not the most convenient tool for alignment. An alternative tool for alignment is the point source microscope (PSM), which is an example of an autostigmatic microscope. The PSM is a flexible, convenient tool, but like an alignment telescope, it does not quantify the wavefront. On the other hand, the PSM does provide real-time feedback to an operator in a compact tool. In order to complete an alignment process it is necessary to quantify the wavefront quality, and it is desirable to use only a single tool. Methods for quantifying wavefront quality with an autostigmatic microscope, a tool primarily used for alignment, are described.

Citation Download Citation

William P. Kuhn "A simple tool for alignment and wavefront testing", Proc. SPIE 6676, Optical System Alignment and Tolerancing, 66760F (21 September 2007); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.735477

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