Profile measurement of a one-dimensional phase boundary sample using a single shot phase-step method

Phase shifting interferometry is a preferred technique for high-resolution phase profile measurement, but the difficulty in generating the requested shifted pattern has limited the use of the technique to low-noise environment and in case accurate calibration of the phase shifting device is available. In the present experiment, a sample having one-dimensional straight phase boundary is mounted in one arm of an interferometer. One single image of the fringe pattern is recorded, a simple image process is applied generating phase shifted patterns from the original image. Using the appropriate phase shift algorithms, a phase map of the sample is obtained which gives a quantitative measurement of the topographical structure with the resolution of the phase shift method but a single shot recorded pattern.