Post by Prof. Dr. Matthias Eifler

New publication in Applied Optics: “Characterization of Topographic Lateral Resolution in Coherence Scanning Interferometry Based on a Virtual Instrument” by Runzhou Hou, Xiaoyue Qiao, Sotero Ordones, Jeremy Coupland, Matthias Eifler, Mingjun Ren, and Rong Su In this work, we present a virtual-instrument-based approach for quantitatively characterizing the topographic lateral resolution of coherence scanning interferometry (CSI). By leveraging the instrument's three-dimensional transfer function, the proposed method enables calibration of the spatial frequency response and provides deeper insight into the fidelity and limitations of measured surface topographies. The study demonstrates the approach on a commercial CSI system and investigates the influence of defocus on measurement performance, with experimental validation using reference sinusoidal gratings. This publication is also the result of a successful international collaboration with the Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics (SIOM), Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Loughborough University. https://lnkd.in/eW4mZCqj #OpticalMetrology #SurfaceMetrology #Interferometry #CoherenceScanningInterferometry #SurfaceCharacterization #Research #Engineering #Optics