Complex division as a common basis for calculating phase differences in electronic speckle pattern interferometry in one step

Fourier analysis of two-stage phase-shifting algorithms

Differential phase-shifting algorithms (DPSAs) and sum phase-shifting algorithms (SPSAs) recover directly the phase difference and the phase sum, respectively, encoded in two patterns. These algorithms can be obtained, for instance, by an appropriate combination of phase-shifting algorithms (PSAs), which makes unnecessary the previous calculation and subtraction or addition of each individual optical phase by means of conventional PSAs. A filtering process in the frequency domain is presented that allows us to obtain in a simple and elegant manner a qualitative characterization with a Fourier description of the two-stage phase-shifting evaluation that reveals possible phase shifter miscalibration errors and unexpected harmonics in the signal.

Error propagation in differential phase evaluation

In many metrological applications the data being measured is associated to the phase difference codified in two fringe patterns. This phase difference can be recovered directly with what are called Differential Phase Shifting Algorithms (DPSAs) by using a combination of irradiance values from both patterns in the arctangent argument. Use of such algorithms requires characterisation mechanisms to inform of their sensitivity to the various random and systematic error sources, which is the same as for well-studied Phase Shifting Algorithms (PSAs). Thus, we present a new analysis of error propagation for DPSAs taking into account the frequency shifting property of the employed arctangent function. The general analysis is verified for significant specific cases associated to large errors that appear during phase difference evaluation using the Monte Carlo method, which provides a characterisation of a DPSA's sensitivity; this is an alternative to spatial and temporal techniques but has wholly coinciding results. Monte Carlo simulation opens up the possibilities for the analysis of other error types for any DPSA.

Spatiotemporal approach for real-time absolute shape measurements by use of projected fringes

A spatiotemporal approach for fast absolute shape measurements is formulated. In principle, the Takeda method is used in combination with the reduced temporal phase-unwrapping scheme to calculate the absolute phase. Three different measurements are performed: a flat surface, steps, and a curved beam with varying cross sections. The performance in standard deviation is improved, and the success rate is approximately the same as that obtained with a strict temporal solution for which a four-bucket phase algorithm is used. The multichannel approach is also used. Then only one static image is needed. It should therefore be possible to measure objects in motion.

Robustness of reduced temporal phase unwrapping in the measurement of shape

The predictions of success rate and depth uncertainty for the negative exponential sequence used for temporal phase unwrapping of shape data are generalized to include the effect of a reduced sequence and speckle noise in single-channel and multichannel systems, respectively. To cope with the reduction of the sequence, a scaling factor is introduced. A thorough investigation is made of the performance of this algorithm, called the reduced temporal phase-unwrapping algorithm. Two different approaches are considered: a single-channel approach in which all the necessary images are acquired sequentially in time and a multichannel approach in which the three channels of a color CCD camera are used to carry the phase-stepped images for each fringe density in parallel. The performance of these two approaches are investigated by numerical simulations. The simulations are based on a physical model in which the speckle contrast, the fringe modulation, and random noise are considered the sources of phase errors. Expressions are found that relate the physical quantities to phase errors for the single-channel and the multichannel approaches. In these simulations the single-channel approach was found to be the most robust. Expressions that relate the measurement accuracy and the unwrapping reliability, respectively, with the reduction of the fringe sequence were also found. As expected, the measurement accuracy is not affected by a shorter fringe sequence, whereas a significant reduction in the unwrapping reliability is found as compared with the complete negative exponential sequence.

Temporal phase unwrapping applied to wavelength-scanning interferometry

We demonstrate the use of temporal phase unwrapping in combination with wavelength-scanning interferometry. Two unwrapping strategies are considered: fitting to a reversed exponential sequence and complex Fourier-transform ranging. Measurement of a 10-microm step by use of an external-cavity laser diode is discussed.

Digital speckle-pattern interferometry: fringe retrieval for large in-plane deformations with digital speckle photography

The compensation of large in-plane motions in digital speckle-pattern interferometry (DSPI) with the use of digital speckle photography (DSP) is demonstrated. Ordinary recordings of DSPI are recombined and analyzed with DSP. The DSP result is used to compensate for the bulk speckle motion prior to calculation of the phase map. This results in a high fringe contrast even for deformations of several speckle diameters. In addition, for the case of an in-plane deformation, it is shown that the absolute phase change in each pixel may be unwrapped by use of the DSP result as an initial guess. The principles of this method and experiments showing the in-plane rotation of a plate and the encounter of two rounded plates are presented.