Physical Optics Model to Evaluate Mid-Spatial Frequency Errors on the Point Spread Function

Abstract

The influence of low-spatial frequency errors of an optical component of an imaging system on the point spread function can be quantified using Zernike polynomials. High-spatial frequency errors cause strong scattering due to which the focused energy is reduced but the shape of the point spread function is mainly preserved. In contrast, the influence of mid-spatial frequency errors is more difficult to quantify. Using a scalar diffraction model we evaluate the point-spread function in the presence of such errors and compare the results with experiments.