Angular displacement and deformation analyses using a speckle-based wavefront sensor

Wavefronts incident on a random phase plate are reconstructed via phase retrieval utilizing axially displaced speckle intensity measurements and the wave propagation equation. Retrieved phases and phase subtraction facilitate the investigations of wavefronts from test objects before and after undergoing a small rotation or deformation without sign ambiguity. Angular displacement (Delta theta) between incident planar wavefronts is determined from the light source vacuum wavelength (lambda) divided by the fringe spacing (Lambda). Fourier analysis of the wavefront phase difference yields a peak frequency that is inversely proportional to Lambda, and the sign gives the direction of rotation. Numerical simulations confirm the experimental results. In the experiments, the smallest Delta theta measured is 0.031 degrees. The technique also permits deformation analysis of a reflecting test object under thermal loading. The technique offers simple, high resolution, noncontact, and whole field evaluation of three-dimensional objects before and after undergoing rotation or deformation. (C) 2009 Optical Society of America