1λ Ronchi tester to obtain the wave front aberration in converging optical systems using phase shifting interferometry

We implement a device to verify in a quantitative way the quality of any converging optical system by making an improvement to the source illumination of the Ronchi test and by implementing the phase shifting interferometry technique (PSI). We describe the design, implementation and verification of this specific device which has the capability to obtain the transversal aberration in two perpendicular directions. Illumination source was a set of LEDs powered with constant current to eliminate variations in the irradiance collected by the camera (CCD), and varying the voltage to increase the intensity of each different wavelength LED we test surfaces with different roughness. The PSI technique was developed by giving movements to the Ronchi ruling with step motors. The device has the capability to test any converging optical systems of either small or large f numbers, and working distances until 5000 mm. Aberrated wavefront with a precision of 1λ was computed when the light source is off axis for any rotationally symmetric mirror.

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