System and method for profiling of a surface with lateral scanning interferometer the optical axis of which is perpendicular to the surface. In-plane scanning of the surface is carried out with increments that correspond to integer number of pixels of an employed optical detector. Determination of height profile of a region-of-interest that is incomparably larger than a FOV of the interferometer objective is performed in time reduced by at least an order of magnitude as compared to time required for the same determination by a vertical scanning interferometer.

System and method for profiling of a surface with lateral scanning interferometer the optical axis of which is perpendicular to the surface. In-plane scanning of the surface is carried out with increments that correspond to integer number of pixels of an employed optical detector. Determination of height profile of a region-of-interest that is incomparably larger than a FOV of the interferometer objective is performed in time reduced by at least an order of magnitude as compared to time required for the same determination by a vertical scanning interferometer.

A measurement apparatus (10) for determining a shape of an optical surface. An illumination module (16) produces an illumination wave (34), an interferometer (18) splits the wave into a test wave (50), which is directed onto the optical surface, and a reference wave (52). The relative tilt between the waves produces a multi-fringe interference pattern (66) in a detection plane (62) of the interferometer when the waves are superposed. A pupil plane (28) of the illumination module is arranged in a Fourier plane of the detection plane and the illumination module is configured to produce the illumination wave so that the intensity distribution thereof in the pupil plane includes at least one spatially isolated and contiguous surface region (38) such that a rectangle (74) with the smallest possible area fitted to the surface region or the totality of surface regions has an aspect ratio of at least 1.5:1.

A white light interferometric metrology device operates in the image plane and objective pupil plane. The interferometric metrology device extracts the electric field with complex parameters and that is a function of azimuth angle, angle of incidence and wavelength from interferometric data obtained from the pupil plane. Characteristics of the sample are determined using the electric field based on an electric field model of the azimuth angle, the angle of incidence and the wavelength that is specific for a zero diffraction order. A center of the pupil in the pupil plane may be determined based on a Fourier transform of the interferometric data at each new measurement and used to convert each pixel from the camera imaging the objective pupil plane into a unique set of angle of incidence and azimuth angle of light incident on the sample.

An interferometer for areally measuring an optically smooth surface is presented, including means for illuminating a surface region with a plurality of discrete object waves from different directions and comprising means which, on a detector, superimpose object waves reflected at the surface onto a reference wave that is coherent with a plurality of object waves in order to form an interferogram. The interferometer is distinguished by virtue of it being configured to illuminate the surface with a plurality of object waves at the same time and produce the reference wave by way of a Fizeau beam splitter plate or a Fizeau objective, and by virtue of the interferometer including an interferometer stop that is arranged in the beam path upstream of the detector, and imaging optics, wherein the interferometer stop is situated within, or slightly outside of, the Fourier plane of the imaging optics and said interferometer stop filters the object waves reflected by the surface.

The present invention relates to an arrangement for the generation of images of optical sections of a three-dimensional (3D) volume in space such as an object, scene, or target, comprising: an illumination unit, an optical arrangement for the imaging of the object onto at least one spatially resolving detector, a scanning mechanism for scanning the entire object and a signal processing unit for the implementation of a method for digital reconstruction of a three-dimensional representation of the object from images of said object as obtained by said detector (which may be in a form of a hologram), wherein the optical arrangement includes a diffractive optical element (herein a phase pinhole), realized using a Spatial Light Modulator (SLM) configured to mimic an actual physical pinhole, while allowing the formation of a three-dimensional representation for a specific point of interest in said object, such that for each scanning position a single hologram or an image is recorded.

A white light interferometric metrology device operates in the image plane and objective pupil plane. The interferometric metrology device extracts the electric field with complex parameters and that is a function of azimuth angle, angle of incidence and wavelength from interferometric data obtained from the pupil plane. Characteristics of the sample are determined using the electric field based on an electric field model of the azimuth angle, the angle of incidence and the wavelength that is specific for a zero diffraction order. A center of the pupil in the pupil plane may be determined based on a Fourier transform of the interferometric data at each new measurement and used to convert each pixel from the camera imaging the objective pupil plane into a unique set of angle of incidence and azimuth angle of light incident on the sample.

Disclosed are several technical approaches of using low coherence interferometry techniques to create an autofocus apparatus for optical microscopy. These approaches allow automatic focusing on thin structures that are positioned closely to reflective surfaces and behind refractive material like a cover slip, and automated adjustment of focus position into the sample region without disturbance from reflection off adjacent surfaces. The measurement offset induced by refraction of material that covers the sample is compensated for. Proposed are techniques of an instrument that allows the automatic interchange of imaging objectives in a low coherence interferometry autofocus system, which is of major interest in combination with TDI (time delay integration) imaging, confocal and two-photon fluorescence microscopy.

The present invention provides a novel simple, portable, compact and inexpensive approach for interferometric optical thickness measurements that can be easily incorporated into an existing microscope (or other imaging systems) with existing cameras. According to the invention, the interferometric device provides a substantially stable, easy to align common path interferometric geometry, while eliminating a need for controllably changing the optical path of the beam. To this end, the inexpensive and easy to align interferometric device of the invention is configured such that it applies the principles of the interferometric measurements to a sample beam only, being a single input into the interferometric device.

Disclosed are several technical approaches of using low coherence interferometry techniques to create an autofocus apparatus for optical microscopy. These approaches allow automatic focusing on thin structures that are positioned closely to reflective surfaces and behind refractive material like a cover slip, and automated adjustment of focus position into the sample region without disturbance from reflection off adjacent surfaces. The measurement offset induced by refraction of material that covers the sample is compensated for. Proposed are techniques of an instrument that allows the automatic interchange of imaging objectives in a low coherence interferometry autofocus system, which is of major interest in combination with TDI (time delay integration) imaging, confocal and two-photon fluorescence microscopy.