Development of a measurement station for large conformal windows using FORM: Flexible Optical Ray Metrology

Arizona Optical Systems has developed the breakthrough technology FORM (Flexible Optical Ray Metrology) that measures complex aspheric windows in transmission. {The FORM system for window metrology uses multiple CCD cameras that look through the window at modulated images on a digital display.} Powerful tomographic software and careful calibration are used to determine the surface irregularity of both surfaces of the window. Having performed the key demonstration of the FORM technique, we now propose to implement the technology to build a general purpose window metrology station that includes hardware, software, and procedures for system calibration and measurement of both surfaces of a wide range of window shapes. In Phase I we will create a prototype system and demonstrate measurement of an 8 steeply curved freeform window. In Phase II, we will build a robust system complete with stages and internal metrology to measure a range of windows up to 24.