Arizona Board of Regents on Behalf of the University of Arizona

Xiaobo Tian

Rongguang Liang

Junchao Zhang

Jianbo Shao

Snapshot phase-shifting diffraction modules and associated systems and methods are described that enable high spatial and temporal resolution phase imaging with high immunity to environmental factors such as vibrations and temperature changes. One example optical diffraction phase module includes a polarization grating to produce two circularly polarized light beams with opposite polarizations, a first lens to receive the two circularly polarized beams, and a spatial filter positioned at a focal plane of the first lens. The spatial filter includes two openings, one to spatially filter one of the two circularly polarized light beams, and another opening to allow another circularly polarized light beam to pass. The module also includes a second lens to focus the received light onto an image plane and to enable a phase measurement based a plurality of interferograms. The phase module can be incorporated into a microscope system that operates a reflection or a transmission mode.

Phase-shifting diffraction phase interferometry

Methods, apparatus and systems for processing interferograms in metrology applications are described. In one example aspect, a method includes obtaining an input phase image based on the interferograms, segmenting the input phase image by classifying the input phase image into multiple regions based on the phase value and a location of each pixel, assigning an integer value to each of the multiple regions, and constructing an output phase image based on the input phase image and the phase offset of each of the multiple regions.

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Tucson, AZ, United States of America

Xiaobo Tian