A single-image method of aberration retrieval for imaging systems under partially coherent illumination

摘要

We propose a method for retrieving small lens aberrations in optical imaging systems under partially coherent illumination, which only requires to measure one single defocused image of intensity. By deriving a linear theory of imaging systems, we obtain a generalized formulation of aberration sensitivity in a matrix form, which provides a set of analytic kernels that relate the measured intensity distribution directly to the unknown Zernike coefficients. Sensitivity analysis is performed and test patterns are optimized to ensure well-posedness of the inverse problem. Optical lithography simulations have validated the theoretical derivation and confirmed its simplicity and superior performance in retrieving small lens aberrations.