Suppressing phase errors from vibration in phase-shifting interferometry

A general method for reducing the influence of vibrations in phase-shifting interferometry corrects the surface phase map through a spectral analysis of a ''phase-error pattern,'' a plot of the interference intensity versus the measured phase, for each phase-shifted image. The method is computationally fast, applicable to any phase-shifting algorithm and interferometer geometry, has few restrictions on surface shape, and unlike spatial Fourier methods, high density spatial carrier fringes are not required, although at least a fringe of phase departure is recommended. Over a 100x reduction in vibrationally induced surface distortion is achieved for small amplitude vibrations on real data.