Abstract: A differential Shack-Hartmann curvature sensor for measuring a curvature including principal curvatures and directions of a wavefront. The curvature sensor includes a Shack-Hartmann sensor with an input beam and an optical element to split said input beam into three output beams traveling in different directions. Three lenslet arrays in each of the three beam paths produce corresponding Hartmann grids. A shearing device shears two of the three Hartmann grids in two perpendicular directions a differential difference. A measuring device measures the Hartmann grid coordinates generated by said three beams to determine various curvatures of the wavefront at each of the Hartmann grid points.

Abstract: A first polarization controller controls a polarization state of measured light. A second polarization controller controls a polarization state of an optical sampling pulse. The measured light and the optical sampling pulse having the polarization states controlled are input to an optical fiber. An optical signal output from the optical fiber is transmitted to a polarizer. A first control unit adjusts the first polarization controller based on the measured light output from the optical fiber and the measured light output from the polarizer. A second control unit adjusts the second polarization controller based on an optical sampling pulse output from the optical fiber. Waveform measurement is performed by using the output of the polarizer.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed that facilitate tolerating and/or correcting light beam misalignment in a light-emitting device, such as a light curtain. Attributes of the light beam can be assessed and compared to predetermined threshold values to evaluate whether the light beam is misaligned, and corrective feedback can be generated to adjust the position of one or more transmissive apertures generated on an LCD, through which light is permitted to pass, in order to re-align the light beam.

Abstract: A beam catcher (3) for a light beam (1) includes a photodetector (6) having a plurality of photodiodes (8) which are offset along a line in a defined manner with respect to a reference point (7), an evaluating unit (11) having a parameter set (P) of at least one associated line laser transmitter (2) for emitting the light beam, a quantity determining module (13) for determining an energy quantity associated with the detected light energy E of the light beam (1), and an error estimating module (14) for estimating an error estimate value (F) depending upon the energy quantity, and an offset display (9) for displaying the offset of the light bean (1) with respect to the reference point (7).

Abstract: The disclosed technology provides a dynamic interconnection system which allows to couple a pair of optical beams carrying modulation information. In accordance with the disclosed technology, two optical beams emanate from transceivers at two different locations. Each beam may not see the other beam point of origin (non-line-of-sight link), but both beams can see a third platform that contains the system of the disclosed technology. Each beam incident on the interconnection system is directed into the reverse direction of the other, so that each transceiver will detect the beam which emanated from the other transceiver. The system dynamically compensates for propagation distortions preferably using closed-loop optical devices, while preserving the information encoded on each beam.

Abstract: A method, system and computer program product for determining a geometric parameter of an optical spot of a light beam are disclosed. A method comprises: providing a calibration target, the calibration target including a systematic variation in a parameter; measuring the calibration target with respect to the systematic variation using the light beam to obtain a plurality of measurements; and analyzing the measurements and the systematic variation to determine the geometric parameter of the optical spot.

Abstract: A method, system and computer program product for determining a geometric parameter of an optical spot of a light beam are disclosed. A method comprises: providing a calibration target, the calibration target including a systematic variation in a parameter; measuring the calibration target with respect to the systematic variation using the light beam to obtain a plurality of measurements; and analyzing the measurements and the systematic variation to determine the geometric parameter of the optical spot.

Abstract: An aberration measurement apparatus measures the aberration of an imaging optical system. The apparatus includes an illumination system, a separation member, and a measurement unit. The illumination system supplies the imaging optical system with measurement light used to measure an aberration of the imaging optical system and background light different from the measurement light. The separation member separates the measurement light and the background light which have passed through the imaging optical system. The measurement unit measures the aberration of the imaging optical system on the basis of the measurement light separated by the separation member.

Abstract: A measurement apparatus configured to measure a light intensity distribution in a plane to be measured includes a mask including an opening having a dimension smaller than a wavelength of light for forming the light intensity distribution, and a light-shielding portion being configured to substantially shield the light; a first photoelectric conversion element configured to receive the light passing through the opening and output a light intensity signal; and a second photoelectric conversion element arranged at a position apart from the first photoelectric conversion element, and configured to receive the light transmitted through the light-shielding portion and output a light intensity signal. The mask, and the first and second photoelectric conversion elements are moved along the plane to be measured. The light intensity distribution in the plane to be measured is calculated on the basis of the light intensity signals respectively output from the first and second photoelectric conversion elements.

Abstract: An assembly is provided for the direct measurement of a vertical intensity profile through a plane of focus along an illuminating beam, a determination of a depth of the focal plane and a maximum intensity of the intensity profile. The assembly includes a plurality of focusing indicia fixed relative to a substrate, the focusing indicia being distributed at different locations along the illuminating beam. The focusing indicia are configured to be illuminated with an intensity corresponding to the position relative to the plane of focus along the axis of the illuminating beam. The location of the respective focusing indicia can be predetermined, such as along a given scale at a given inclination of the scale and the path of the illuminating beam, or not initially known and subsequently determined.

Abstract: A method of increasing the spatial uniformity of the detected intensity of a beam of light from a laser in a system including the laser and a light detector. In one embodiment the method includes the steps of generating a beam of light with the laser; and moving the beam of light and the light detector relative to each other, such that the detector averages the spatial intensity of the beam of light over time. In another embodiment the invention relates to a system for increasing the detected spatial uniformity of the intensity of a beam of light. In one embodiment the system comprises a light detector; a laser source for generating the beam of light; and a means for moving the beam of light and the detector relative to one another such that the detector averages the intensity of the light beam over time.

Abstract: A simulator of an optical intensity distribution includes a field divider dividing an exposure field on a substrate into a first and second fields, the first field being to be directly exposed to a light incident at the maximum incident angle, the second field being prevented from being directly exposed to the light by a protrusion on the substrate, a first optical intensity calculator calculating an optical intensity of the first field by using a direct incident light component of the light, a second optical intensity calculator calculating an optical intensity of the second field by using a reflected light component of the light reflected from a sidewall of the protrusion, and a projected image simulation engine simulating an optical intensity distribution of a projected image of a mask pattern on the substrate, based on the optical intensities of the first field and the second field.

Abstract: The present invention provides an exposure apparatus which exposes a substrate via a liquid, comprising a measurement substrate includes a transmission part configured to transmit a light beam having passed through a projection optical system, a light-receiving unit including a light-receiving surface configured to receive the light beam transmitted through the liquid and the transmission part, and a calculator configured to arithmetically convert a light intensity distribution, on the light-receiving surface, of the light beam received by the light-receiving surface into a light intensity distribution on a pupil plane of the projection optical system, based on information indicating a correlation between a position coordinate on the light-receiving surface and a position coordinate on the pupil of the projection optical system.

Abstract: An illumination mask (10a) for a device for the range-resolved determination of scattered light, having one or more scattered-light measuring structures (11a) which respectively include an inner dark-field zone which defines a minimum scattering range, to an associated image-field mask and a corresponding device is provided. Also provided is an associated operating method and a microlithography projection-exposure system having such a device. The scattered-lighter measuring structure in the illumination mask has a scattered-light marker zone (20a) in the form of a bright-field zone, which on the one hand borders the inner dark-field zone and on the other hand borders an outer dark-field zone, which defines a maximum scattering range. The device may optionally be designed for the multi-channel measuring of scattered light by using a suitable image-field mask and also for multi-channel wavefront measurement, and the detection part may contain an immersion medium.

Abstract: A sequential wavefront sensor comprises a light beam scanning module, a sub-wavefront focusing lens, a detector with more than one photosensitive area and a processor for calculating the sequentially obtained centroids of a number focused light spots from the sub-wavefronts to determine the aberration of the input wavefront. A sequential wavefront sensing method comprises the steps of; sequentially projecting a number of sub-wavefronts onto a sub-wavefront focusing lens and a detector with more than one photosensitive areas, calculating the centroid of the focused light spot from each sub-wavefront, and processing the centroid information to determine the aberration of the wavefront.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are described for of measuring amplitude and phase variations in a spatially coherent beam of light. A beam of coherent light is made incident upon a spatial array of phase modulating elements displaying a pixellated first phase distribution. In a measuring region of said spatial array, the phase distribution is changed to a new value while retaining the first phase distribution outside the measuring region, for example by flashing a single pixel. The change in intensity resulting from the change in phase distribution is then determined.

Abstract: Methods and devices are provided for profiling a beam of light that includes a wavelength ?. The beam of light is received. Secondary light is generated at a wavelength ?? different from wavelength ? by fluorescing a material with the received beam of light. The secondary light is separated from the received beam of light. The separated secondary light is optically directed to a sensor.

Abstract: A method of measuring the angular intensity distribution of an illumination beam produced by an illumination system of a lithographic apparatus includes measuring an angular intensity distribution, placing a first optical element above an object plane of the illumination system which causes light therefrom to be deflected in a first direction, and measuring the intensity distribution at said detector, placing a second optical element above said object plane which cases light from said illumination system to be deflected in a second direction, and measuring the intensity distribution at said detector, determining the change in intensity in said first and second directions, and the angular intensity distribution of said illumination beam from the measurements. There is also provided a mask for use in such a method, the mask comprising a plurality of modules, each module comprising a pinhole and an optical element mounted above the pinhole.

Abstract: A multiple laser head projector includes a sensor that senses the presence or absence of a laser beam from a first of the laser heads and signals a switching device to switch to a second laser head when a laser beam is not detected by the sensor from the first laser head. Thus, the multiple laser head projector may be utilized to provide continuous operation of the multiple head laser projector when one of the lasers fails. The multiple head laser projector may also be utilized for diagnostic testing of the laser heads, such as during start-up. Further, the multiple head laser projector may be utilized to signal the power output of the laser heads and thus the expected remaining life of the laser heads.

Abstract: An adaptive light-path surface tilt sensing configuration is provided that identifies when a ray bundle is projected along a direction normal to a workpiece surface. As a result, the tilt of the workpiece surface may be determined. The surface tilt sensor may comprise an illumination and detector portion and an objective lens. The illumination and detector portion may comprise a light source, a collimating lens, a beamsplitter, a controllable ray bundle position control portion, and a photodetector configuration. These elements are configured to provide a ray bundle alignment sensing arrangement that provides a signal indicating when a projected ray bundle and a reflected ray bundle have the best degree of alignment, in addition to other functions. The best degree of alignment corresponds to a ray bundle that is projected along the direction normal to the workpiece surface provides.

Abstract: For determining aberrations of an optical imaging system (PL), a test object (12,14) comprising at least one delta test feature (10) is imaged either on an aerial scanning detector (110) or in a resist layer (71), which layer is scanned by a scanning device, for example a SEM. A new analytical method is used to retrieve from the data stream generated by the aerial detector or the scanning device different Zernike coefficients (Zn).

Abstract: A vehicle includes a headlight comprising a light source configured to emit light and a device to produce an image pixel in a display image in front of the vehicle. The image projected by the headlight can provide the driver with information, such as onto a roadway on which the vehicle is traveling.

Abstract: A measure of the quality of a laser beam is obtained by comparing the power of a theoretical Gaussian beam through a (certain sized area) pinhole to the power of a test beam through a same sized (area) pinhole. The theoretical surrogate Gaussian beam with the same second moment of intensity as the test beam is used to determine the “bucket size” used in “power-in-the-bucket” techniques. The bucket size is an interaction area determined by the wavelength of the laser light, the focusing distance, and the 1/e2 radius of the near field intensity. The beam quality is determined by taking the square root of the ratio of the theoretical power through a bucket and the actual power through a pinhole with the same size as the bucket. The beam quality of different types of beam profiles can be obtained with a single method or measure.

Abstract: A wavefront sensor for measuring a wavefront contains an array of lenslets, a detector array, and a mask having a temporally fixed pattern containing one or more opaque regions that are substantially opaque to light from the wavefront. The mask comprises one or more transmissive regions that are transmissive of light from the wavefront. The mask and the array of lenslets are disposed such that light from the wavefront that is transmitted by the transmissive regions is focused by onto the detector array by the array of lenslets. The mask is adapted to be selectably disposed to any one of a plurality of predetermined positions, wherein a different group of lenslets from the array focuses light from the wavefront onto the detector array depending on which of the plurality of predetermined positions is selected.

Abstract: Linear spot velocity or position variations are measured in a scanning system by a process and apparatus.

Abstract: An illumination mask (10a) for a device for the range-resolved determination of scattered light, having one or more scattered-light measuring structures (11a) which respectively include an inner dark-field zone which defines a minimum scattering range, to an associated image-field mask and a corresponding device is provided. Also provided is an associated operating method and a microlithography projection-exposure system having such a device. The scattered-lighter measuring structure in the illumination mask has a scattered-light marker zone (20a) in the form of a bright-field zone, which on the one hand borders the inner dark-field zone and on the other hand borders an outer dark-field zone, which defines a maximum scattering range. The device may optionally be designed for the multi-channel measuring of scattered light by using a suitable image-field mask and also for multi-channel wavefront measurement, and the detection part may contain an immersion medium.

Abstract: A measure of the quality of a laser beam is obtained by comparing the power of a theoretical Gaussian beam through a (certain sized area) pinhole to the power of a test beam through a same sized (area) pinhole. The theoretical surrogate Gaussian beam with the same second moment of intensity as the test beam is used to determine the “bucket size” used in “power-in-the-bucket” techniques. The bucket size is an interaction area determined by the wavelength of the laser light, the focusing distance, and the 1/e2 radius of the near field intensity. The beam quality is determined by taking the square root of the ratio of the theoretical power through a bucket and the actual power through a pinhole with the same size as the bucket. The beam quality of different types of beam profiles can be obtained with a single method or measure.

Abstract: A method of increasing the spatial uniformity of the detected intensity of a beam of light from a laser in a system including the laser and a light detector. In one embodiment the method includes the steps of generating a beam of light with the laser; and moving the beam of light and the light detector relative to each other, such that the detector averages the spatial intensity of the beam of light over time. In another embodiment the invention relates to a system for increasing the detected spatial uniformity of the intensity of a beam of light. In one embodiment the system comprises a light detector; a laser source for generating the beam of light; and a means for moving the beam of light and the detector relative to one another such that the detector averages the intensity of the light beam over time.

Abstract: A differential Shack-Hartmann curvature sensor for measuring a curvature including principal curvatures and directions of a wavefront. The curvature sensor includes a Shack-Hartmann sensor with an input beam and an optical element to split said input beam into three output beams traveling in different directions. Three lenslet arrays in each of the three beam paths produce corresponding Hartmann grids. A shearing device shears two of the three Hartmann grids in two perpendicular directions a differential difference. A measuring device measures the Hartmann grid coordinates generated by said three beams to determine various curvatures of the wavefront at each of the Hartmann grid points.

Abstract: A system and method for inspecting an article, the system includes a spatial filter that is shaped such as to direct output beams towards predefined locations and an optical beam directing entity, for directing the multiple output beams toward multiple detector arrays. The method includes spatially filtering multiple input light beams to provide substantially aberration free output light beams; and directing the multiple output beams by an optical beam directing entity, toward multiple detector arrays.

Abstract: A measurement apparatus disclosed that has a radiation source configured to provide a measurement beam of radiation such that an individually controllable element of an array of individually controllable elements capable of modulating a beam of radiation, is illuminated by the measurement beam and redirects the measurement beam, and a detector arranged to receive the redirected measurement beam and determine the position at which the redirected measurement beam is incident upon the detector, the position at which the redirected measurement beam is incident upon the detector being indicative of a characteristic of the individually controllable element.

Abstract: A metal halide lamp (10) includes a light-transmissive envelope (12) which encloses a metal halide pool (30) for generating a discharge when spaced apart electrodes (20, 22) within the envelope are supplied with an electric current. A multi-layer coating (40) is deposited on a surface (42) of the envelope. The coating includes several layers of at least two materials of different refractive index, which, in combination, reflect radiation in the UV region of the electromagnetic spectrum. Rather than optimizing the coating for a normal (i.e., 0°) angle of incidence on the coating, the multi-layer coating is optimized at an angle which is selected to be within 10° of the mean angle (?) of incidence of the UV radiation on the arctube surface, thereby increasing the amount of UV radiation which is returned to the metal halide pool.

Abstract: A system operable to detect a light beam generated by a light source includes a substrate that is operable to be coupled to a photomask. One or more image sensors are disposed outwardly from the substrate. An image sensor of the one or more image sensors is operable to detect a light beam and generate a sensor signal representing the detected light beam.

Abstract: An evaluation apparatus of optical parts has a holder having a frame which can hold a lens fixedly and another lens movably, a chart having a first transmission hole group and a second transmission hole group arranged on circumferences of concentric circles, a light source which irradiates the chart with a luminous flux, a CCD camera for picking up an image of the luminous flux transmitted through the first and second transmission hole groups, a processor, and a driving unit. By using a result picked up by the CCD camera, the processor computes coordinates of a center of each circle, on a circumference of which the luminous flux is imaged, and then it calculates an amount movement for the movably held lens by computing a distance between the respective centers of the circles. The driving unit moves the lens on the basis of this calculated amount of movement.

Abstract: A wavefront analysing device, of the Hartmann or Shack-Hartmann type, comprises in particular a set of sampling elements arranged in an analysis plane, and forming as many micro-lenses for sampling the incident wavefront, and a diffraction plane wherein are analysed the Airy discs of the different micro-lenses illuminated by the incident wavefront. The shape of each micro-lens is such that the associated diffraction figure has in the diffraction plane one or several preferential axe(s), and the microlenses are oriented in the analysis plane such that the preferential axe(s) of the diffraction figure of a micro-lens are offset relative to the preferential axes of the diffraction figures of neighbouring micro-lenses, thereby enabling to limit the overlapping of the diffraction figures.

Abstract: Methods and systems are described for a system for measuring aberrations in a wave front. In the improved system multiple closely-spaced, small-aperture laser beams traverse an aberrating flow that introduces deflections of small-aperture laser beams from which aberrated wavefronts can be constructed. These beams may then be focused on position sensing devices using focusing lenses. The position sensing devices may then detect the positions of these beams and a difference between the detected position and the unaberrated position of the beams detected. This information may then be used to determine information regarding the optical aberrations introduced by the flow that may be used, for example, in improving communications systems and/or laser weapon systems.

Abstract: A system capable of determining wavefront characteristics, such as air induced wavefront aberrations, includes a field programmable gate array (FPGA) device executing a phase diversity algorithm. The FPGA device can be a stand-alone device or comprise multiple FPGAs. The device receives an “in-focus” and an “out-of-focus” image having a known optical difference from that of the “in-focus” image. The device then performs as many phase diversity algorithm iterations as desired to reach an expression for the wavefront aberrations induced on the collected image data. The resulting wavefront data may be used to produce an enhanced image of the original image data. Example applications include remote sensors and targeting systems, and both passive imaging and active projection systems that compensate for wavefront anomalies.

Abstract: An array tester (10) characterizes individual ones (111) of a semiconductor devices of an array (11) based on polarization-resolving an optical far-field measurement of the individual chips (111) as a function of angular position. Two pairs of TM and TE detectors (41a-b and 42a-b) or one pair displaceable by ninety degrees, move in vertical and horizontal arc paths or fixed around a fixed position of a selected device of an array to sample the far-fields.

Abstract: A hemispherical goniophotometer is disclosed, in which two pivoting arms are articulated on a revolving rotating arm and are each fitted with a measurement head. The geometry of the arrangement is chosen such that the measurement heads can move along the envelope surface of a hemisphere during rotating of the rotating arm through 360° and pivoting of the pivoting arms through 180°.

Abstract: An assembly is provided for the direct measurement of a vertical intensity profile through a plane of focus of a confocal microscope, a determination of a depth of the confocal plane and a maximum intensity of the intensity profile. The assembly includes a transparent substrate in which is embedded a scale having a graduated length, wherein the scale is inclined relative to a local portion of an illuminating beam on an illuminating path of the confocal microscope. The graduated scale is configured to be illuminated with an intensity corresponding to the position within the plane of focus along the axis of the illuminating beam. The inclination of the scale and the path of the illuminating beam are at a predetermined angle. The graduated scale can be fluorescently dyed to illuminate with an absorption frequency relevant to a light source or illuminating beam of the confocal microscope. An algorithm employing trigonometric functions and calculating the confocal plane depth of the specimen is disclosed.

Abstract: A mechanism for always measuring the spatial intensity distribution of a laser beam and displacement of the optical axis of the laser beam is provided so that a measured signal is processed when the laser beam incident on a laser beam shaping optical element is out of a predetermined condition. The shape, diameter and incidence position of the laser beam incident on the laser beam shaping optical element are always kept in the predetermined condition by a spatial filter disposed at the position of a focal point of lenses forming a beam expander disposed in the optical axis, on the basis of a result of the signal processing. In this manner, silicon thin films uniform in crystallinity can be formed stably with a high yield on an insulating substrate which forms display panels of flat panel display devices.

Abstract: A system for the automated determination of retroreflectivity values for reflective surfaces disposed along a roadway repeatedly illuminates an area along the roadway that includes at least one reflective surface using a strobing light source. Multiple light intensity values are measured over a field of view which includes at least a portion of the area illuminated by the light source. A computer processing system is used to identifying a portion of the light intensity values associated with a reflective surface and analyze the portion of the light intensity values to determine at least one retroreflectivity value for that reflective surface.

Abstract: An improved wavefront sensor for characterizing phase distortions in incident light including optical elements that spatially sample the incident light and form a dispersed spot with a fringe pattern corresponding to samples of the incident light. An imaging device captures an image of the dispersed spot with said fringe pattern formed by said optical elements. And an image processor that analyzes the spectral components of the fringe pattern of a given dispersed spot to derive a measure of the local phase distortion without ambiguity in the corresponding sample of incident light. The optical elements may comprise refractive elements, diffractive elements or a combination thereof (such as a grism). The wavefront sensor may be part of an adaptive optic system (such as a large-aperture space telescope) to enable the measurement and correction of large phase steps across adjacent mirror segments of a deformable mirror.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for measuring the light intensity of an object or object portion. The device comprises a dioptric central portion and a catadioptric peripheral portion that are independent from each other and that are suitable for delivering, from the light diffused by the object, two non-intersecting beams of the same kind, and a two-dimensional video sensor associated with an imaging device in order to obtain an image of the beams.

Abstract: An optical field sensing system and an associated method are provided that are tolerant of scintillation. The system includes a wavefront sensor that measures gradients across a wavefront at a first resolution defined by the subapertures of the wavefront sensor. The system also includes an intensity sensor that measures the intensity across the wavefront at a higher resolution. The system further includes a wavefront processor that determines respective phases across the wavefront. In addition to the gradients and the intensity measurements, the wavefront processor may determine the respective phases based also upon the noise affiliated with the measurements. In this regard, the wavefront processor may determine the respective phases across the wavefront at least partially based upon the gradients as adjusted by weights that are based upon the intensity measured by the intensity sensor and are influenced by evidence of scintillation.

Abstract: This invention provides a dynamic interconnection system which allows to couple a pair of optical beams carrying modulation information. In accordance with this invention, two optical beams emanate from transceivers at two different locations. Each beam may not see the other beam point of origin (non-line-of-sight link), but both beams can see a third platform that contains the system of the present invention. Each beam incident on the interconnection system is directed into the reverse direction of the other, so that each transceiver will detect the beam which emanated from the other transceiver. The system dynamically compensates for propagation distortions preferably using closed-loop optical devices, while preserving the information encoded on each beam.

Abstract: An agile optical beam profiler using a two-dimensional small tilt digital micromirror device/chip, a translation stage, and single photodetector or pair of photodetectors. A method of profiling an optical beam includes positioning a programmable spatial light modulator in an incident optical beam and sequentially moving the spatial light modulator to at least one position in a first planar direction in a displacement increment less than a pixel width of the spatial light modulator. The method also includes directing respective portions of the optical beam to a photodetector at each position of the spatial light modulator. The method may also include calibrating the photodetectors by directing a portion of the beam to the photodetector, then directing the entire beam, or a remaining portion of the beam, to the photodetector, and normalizing the detected power of the portion with the detected power of the entire beam, or remaining portion, respectively.

Abstract: A light intensity distribution measuring method for measuring the light intensity distribution of a laser beam emitted by a semiconductor laser comprises the steps of measuring light intensities at a plurality of locations in a laser beam emitted by a semiconductor laser and applying their measurement results to a t distribution function to calculate the light intensity distribution. A light intensity distribution measuring device is also described.

Abstract: An object pattern is imaged by an imaging system onto the image plane of the imaging system at a location where a reference pattern suited to the object pattern is situated in order to measure the imaging fidelity of an optical imaging system, for example, an eyeglass lens, a photographic lens, or a projection lens, for use in the visible spectral range. The resultant, two-dimensional, superposition pattern is detected in a spatially resolved manner in order to determine imaging parameters therefrom. The object pattern is generated with the aid of at least one electronically controllable pattern generator that serves as a self-luminous, electronically configurable, incoherent light source and may, for example, have a color monitor. The measuring system allows rapidly, flexibly, checking optical imaging systems with minimal time and effort spent on the mechanical setup required.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for quantitative determination of the phase of a radiation wave field is disclosed. A representative measure of the rate of change of intensity of the radiation wave field over a selected surface extending generally across the wave field is transformed to produce a first integral transform representation. A first filter is applied to the first integral transform representation corresponding to the inversion of a first differential operator reflected in the measure of rate of change of intensity to produce a first modified integral transform representation. An inverse of the first integral transform is applied to the first modified integral transform representation to produce an untransformed representation. The untransformed representation is corrected based on a measure of intensity over said selected surface and again transformed to produce a second integral transform representation.