12.

7 INTERFEROMETRIC TESTING OF OPTICAL

COMPONENTS

We have developed a facility for testing the precision optical

components. The testing facility consists of classical
interferometers such as Fizeau interferometer, Twyman Green
i n t erfero m et er and New ton i nterferomete r u s in g
monochromatic sources of light such as sodium lamp and
cadmium lamp. We have also developed several laser
interferometers such as Jamin interferometer, Mach-Zehnder
interferometer for measuring the homogeneity of optical
materials in addition to the measurement of wedge angle
of nearly parallel plates of glass. We have several parallel
plate interferometers using He-Ne laser as a source of light
for checking the laser beam collimation of various apertures.
For testing of concave spherical surfaces, we have
developed Ronchi test and scatter plate interferometer. We
have a phase measuring Zygo interferometer using laser
source to measure the wavefront emerging out of a good
quality lens or spherical mirror. The system accuracy is λ/20
for plane surfaces and λ/10 for spherical surfaces. The phase
map of the actual surface under test can be measured along
with Peak-to-Valley (P-V) deviation and the root mean square
(rms) deviations from the ideal plane or spherical surface using
the Zygo interferometer.

The phase map and surface contour of a flat surface

under test recorded using the Zygo interferometer.
and L1C form the zoom lens objective of the peri-
scope.

R.P. Shukla, D.V. Udupa, Optics & Laser Technology 32, 355 (2000)

Physical Sciences BARC HIGHLIGHTS 133