The Big LIFT - Coffee Wizz Xavier LEVECQ, CSO Imagine Optic
Channel: Imagine Optic
Date: 22/04/2021

What about this new LIFT technology ?

We have decided to develop the LIFT because we realized that, if we had a greater spatial resolution, we could cover more applications and be of use to more people.

Obviously, we want to keep Shack-Hartmann as a base because it’s a great measuring instrument; it has super precision, enormous dynamics, it'sinsensitive to vibrations and it’s achromatic. On top of this, we add phase retrieval for high spatial resolution.


How is the LIFT operated?

The LIFT is the association of Shack-Hartmann with 1-image phase retrievial applied to each micro-lense. We analyze the deformation of each spot produced by each microlens to find not only the tilt in front of the microlens, but also the shape of the wavefront in front of each microlens. This way, we increase the spatial resolution in an amazing way.

How will you be releasing it? 

We have decided to start with two sensors: the HASO LIFT 272, with a resolution of 272 by 200 points, and its big brother, the HASO Lift 680; with a 680 by 500 points resolution. This allows for high resolution measurement in the spectral, visible and near infrared band.

It works really well – so well that we decided to expand the range. But that, I will tell you about a little later.

How is the LIFT operated??

We have decided to integrate the LIFT into the WaveView4 software to benefit from all its functionalities, starting with the SpotTracker, which allows automatic alignment as well as reconstruction on Zernike, PSFs, and all measurements of the MTF on-axis/off-axis.

We have also decided to integrate the HASO LIFT into the R-FLEX2, to characterize concave mirrors, to characterize objectives in terms of wavefront and FTM on-axis/off-axis, and also to the R-FLEX LA, which opens many doors for scientific and industrial applications.

What are these scientific and industrial applications ?

As you see, the LIFT includes high precision, great dynamics and incomparable spatial resolution. And that's perfect for doing freeform or metasurface metrology. And if we envision the integration of the LIFT with the R-FLEX LA, you have a system that acts exactly like a Fizeau interferometer, but with a lot of additional advantages: it has a very high dynamic – what a Fizeau interferometer doesn’t have – it’s insensitive to vibrations, and in addition to that, you can choose the wavelength with which you will work. And that opens up all the applications of multispectral interferometry.