Non-Contact Optical Metrology in Reflective and Refractive Systems

Abstract

This dissertation investigates two projects relating to non-contact optical metrology in reflective and refractive systems. The first project is the development of an efficiency test for a custom diffraction grating for the Aspera mission. The test was simulated and predicted a grating efficiency of 26.25 +\- 0.9978%. The hardware for the test was assembled in preparation for extreme ultraviolet vacuum tank conditions. Although the test was not actually conducted due to management decisions, the equipment and procedure were prepared and stored for future use. The second project describes the development of an on-axis deflectometry system for the measurement of the wavefront error of thin meniscus lenses. This system was proposed, built, and tested and the results were compared to those from a commercial interferometer producing wavefront error measurements with primary spherical terms within 15 nm of the interferometer measured values. Additionally the system demonstrated repeatability to within $\pm$ 5 nm RMS measurements. Both of these projects display the versatility of non-contact optical metrology concepts in reflective and refractive systems and their practical applications.