Concept and application of the three-dimensional transfer function in optical surface topography measurement

Abstract The concept of the three-dimensional optical transfer function (3D-TF) has become an increasingly important tool in understanding and modeling the measurement behavior of modern optical surface metrology systems, particularly in the context of coherence scanning interferometry (CSI). The 3D-TF enables a comprehensive description of how spatial frequency components, both lateral and axial, of electromagnetic fields are transmitted through the optical system. This opens up a wide range of applications: from fast simulation of the measurement processes to enhanced signal analysis and surface reconstruction techniques, and to the full characterization and calibration of measurement systems. In this paper we describe our attempts to determine the 3D-TF, which was already calculated analytically, also in practice.