Fast-acting interference devices for surface roughness diagnostics

The relationship between statistical structure parameters of rough surface and associated correlation parameters of scattered field is used to develop a method for rough surface diagnostics. The treatment is based on the model of random phase object with inhomogeneity phase dispersion. The proposed diagnostic methods are applicable to surfaces with roughness period comparable to the radiation wavelength employed, low-reflectance and arbitrarily shaped surfaces, and surfaces of a thin plane-parallel plate. The sensitivity limit of the methods in measuring the standard deviation of surface profile form base line is about 0.003 mm.