Abstract: A microinterferometer applies low coherent measurement light, which travels along an optical axis in a converging manner, to a front surface of a flange. A part of the measurement light is reflected inside an interferometric optical system, and becomes reference light. Apart of the measurement light passed through the interferometric optical system is reflected from the front surface of the flange, and is incident again upon the interferometric optical system. By combining the reflected light with the reference light, interference light is obtained. While a sample rotating stage rotates a sample lens through 360 degrees, a first imaging camera having one-dimensional image sensor captures 3600 images of the interference light, i.e., the image of the interference light is captured every time the sample lens is rotated by 0.1 degrees. Based on the images of interference fringes, the shape of the front surface of the flange is analyzed.

Abstract: Disclosed is an omnidirectional imaging apparatus capable of obtaining substantially the same amount of image data per unit azimuth angle in subject information within the same azimuth angle range, in the entire image region of an omnidirectional image, and forming a high-quality panoramic image over the entire image region. A line sensor of an imaging unit is rotated on an imaging surface to perform scanning, thereby sequentially acquiring image data of an omnidirectional image in all directions that is formed by an imaging optical system. A panoramic image forming unit forms a panoramic image on the basis of the image data of the omnidirectional image sequentially acquired in all directions.