The fluctuating phase error analysis in the digital grating phase-shifting profilometry

The nonlinear response of the experimental system and the saturation of fringe patterns can induce the fluctuating phase error in the projection grating phase-shifting profilometry. Two major factors of the fluctuating phase error are discussed by simulation. The fluctuating phase error caused by the nonlinear response of the system is four times the frequency of the fringe pattern when the conventional four-frame phase extracting algorithm is used. However, such error can be decreased by five-frame algorithm. On the other hand, the fluctuating phase error caused by the fringe saturation is five times the frequency of the fringe pattern by using conventional five-frame phase extracting algorithm. A novel phase recovering algorithm is used to decrease the phase error caused by the saturation. Furthermore, the applicability range of the proposed phase recovering algorithm is analyzed by simulation and experiments with different saturation degree of the fringe pattern and nonlinearity of the measurement system.