An improved phase retrieval algorithm for optical aspheric surface measurement

In order to overcome the measurement and calculation difficulty for aspheric surface with phase retrieval technology, an improved phase retrieval algorithm was proposed. Due to significant departure from sphere surface, reflected light from different part of the aspheric surface under test will overlap in some areas in the collected images by CCD with general phase retrieval measurement setup, which will lead to the failure to recover the surface phase. The proposed algorithm will only use those areas without light overlapping in each image in the iteration process and employ several defocused images to recover the whole surface. This algorithm can improve the measurement range for aspheric surface with phase retrieval technology. The experimental system was established and a 180 mm diameter, f/1.6 parabolic mirror and a 180 mm effective diameter, f/1.33 hyperboloid mirror were tested by the proposed method. The experimental results show that the retrieved surface errors are in good consistent with that obtained by interferometer, which confirms the validity of the proposed algorithm.

Research Highlights
► We tested aspheric surface with phase retrieval technology.
► The intensity images are divided into valid and invalid areas according to geometry optics.
► The proposed algorithm only use those areas without light overlapping in each image in the iteration process and employ several defocused images to recover the whole surface. This algorithm can improve the measurement range for aspheric surface with phase retrieval.