THE GOVERNING EQUATIONS FOR MOIRE INTERFEROMETRY AND THEIR IDENTITY TO EQUATIONS OF GEOMETRICAL MOIRE

The equations prescribing the gradient and inclination of fringes in moire interferometry are derived from the basic laws of diffraction and interference. A vectorial representation of three-dimensional diffraction employs incidence and emergence vectors in the plane of the grating; the representation is especially well suited for this type of analysis. The corresponding equations for geometrical moire are derived by a remarkably direct vectorial method. The analyses prove that the patterns of moire interferometry and geometrical moire are governed by identical relationships.