Congratulations Di Xu and Team for their recently publication featuring work funded by CeFO in the very early stages of the project.
Abstract: Freeform optical components enable dramatic advances for optical systems in both performance and packaging. Surface form metrology of manufactured freeform optics remains a challenge and an active area of research. Towards addressing this challenge, we previously reported on a novel architecture, cascade optical coherence tomography (C-OCT), which was validated for its ability of high-precision sag measurement at a given point. Here, we demonstrate freeform surface measurements, enabled by the development of a custom optical-relay-based scanning mechanism and a unique high-speed rotation mechanism. Experimental results on a flat mirror demonstrate an RMS flatness of 14 nm (∼λ/44 at the He-Ne wavelength). Measurement on a freeform mirror is achieved with an RMS residual of 69 nm (∼λ/9). The system-level investigations and validation provide the groundwork for advancing C-OCT as a viable freeform metrology technique.Read More…