Shear inducing beamsplitter for interferometric image processing

Abstract

A shearing generator comprising: an input light source; an image generator that generates two images of the input light source at an output plane, the image generator comprising a beam splitter that splits light from the input source into at least one pair of interfering light waves at an output thereof, and defines different optical paths for the light propagation of the light waves, said optical paths including at least one phase shifting element that provides for a different phase shift for the two paths.

1 . A shearing generator comprising: 
 an input light source;    an image generator that generates two images of the input light source at an output plane, the image generator comprising a beam splitter that splits light from the input source into at least one pair of interfering light waves at an output thereof, and defines different optical paths for the light propagation of the light waves, said optical paths including at least one phase shifting element that provides for a different phase shift for the two paths.    
   
   
       2 . A shearing generator according to  claim 1  wherein the phase shifting element comprises a coating at said beam splitter.  
   
   
       3 . A shearing generator according to  claim 2  wherein the phase shifting element comprises a phase shifting element in one of the paths.  
   
   
       4 . A shearing generator according to  claim 3  wherein the phase shifting element is a coating on an external surface of an optical block containing the beam splitter.  
   
   
       5 . A shearing generator according to  claim 1 , wherein the light waves form coplanar images at said output, said waves propagating normally to said output, the images being provided without reflection except from said beam splitter.  
   
   
       6 . A mirror-less shearing generator comprising: 
 an input source;    an image generator that generates two images of the input light source at an output plane, the image generator comprising a beam splitter that splits light from the input source into at least one pair of interfering light waves at an output thereof, and defines different optical paths for the light propagation of the light waves, neither of said optical paths including a reflecting surface, except for said beam splitter.    
   
   
       7 . A shearing generator according to  claim 6 , wherein the beam splitter provides two non-parallel waves and including at least one refractive element that refracts at least one of the waves, so that the waves are parallel.  
   
   
       8 . A shearing generator according to  claim 7  wherein the refractive elements are interfaces at outer walls of the beam splitter.