Method and apparatus for determining the influencing of the state of polarization by an optical system, and an analyser

Abstract

A method and an apparatus for determining the influencing of the state of polarization of optical radiation by an optical system under test, wherein radiation with a defined entrance state of polarization is directed onto the optical system, the exit-side state of polarization is measured, and the influencing of the state of polarization is determined by the optical system with the aid of evaluation of the exit state of polarization with reference to the entrance state of polarization. An analyser arrangement which can be used for this purpose is also disclosed. The method and the apparatus are used, e.g., to determine the influencing of the state of polarization of optical radiation by an optical imaging system of prescribable aperture, the determination being performed in a pupil-resolved fashion.

1 . A method for image correction, comprising 
 providing a pupil image of an optical imaging system of prescribed aperture, and    determining and correcting a distortion of the pupil image by at least one of optical computation and measurement acquisition.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of determining and correcting the pupil image distortion comprises at least one of optical ray tracing computation, imaging of reference patterns in a pupil of the optical system, Moiré measurement technique, phase difference measurement of interference fringes, and phase difference comparison of interference fringes with computationally estimated desired positions on a detector element.  
   
   
       3 . An apparatus for image correction, comprising 
 a device for providing a pupil image of an optical system of prescribed aperture, and    a device for determination and correction of a distortion of the pupil image using at least one of optical computation and measurement acquisition.    
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the device for determination and correction of the pupil image distortion comprises at least one of a computational ray tracing device, a device for imaging of reference patterns in the pupil of the optical system, a Moiré measurement device, a device for phase difference measurement of interference fringes, and a device of phase difference comparison of interference fringes with computationally estimated desired positions on a detector element.