Testing of rod objects by grazing-incidence interferometry: experiment

A grazing-incidence interferometer for the testing of technical surfaces fo r macroscopic surface deviations is described. Computer-generated holograms serve as beam splitters and references for the workpieces tested. The sens itivity of the interferometer depends on the period of the computer-generat ed holograms. The method is demonstrated at a rod object of convex profile. Using phase-stepping techniques, the grazing-incidence interferometer prov ides fast measurements of the entire mantle surface of the test sample with submicrometer precision. (C) 1999 Optical Society of America.