Foucault Test Analysis - English Version

introduction

Welcome to Foucault Test Analysis!

Foucault Test Analysis is a freeware-software for the evaluation of the readings taken in the Foucault test. You can download it here.
Besides the foucault-test the program supports the lateral wire test as well as the caustic test.

Foucault Test Analysis calculates the Waveerror P/V, as well as the RMS and Strehl-ratio on the basis of the longitudinal and/or lateral measurements. The waveerror-profile-diagram tells you which mirror-zones needs further correction. For getting an impression about the validity of your own measurements the program offers the Monte Carlo analysis.

Additionally the program simulates the shade pictures on the basis of your own readings. For viewing the shade pictures you can choose between the classical knife edge, the Ronchi grating or a thin wire (wire test). Additionally the test-masks (couder-mask, pin-stick, hole mask for caustic testing) can be simulated, too. With this feature you can try to reproduce your own readings.

The mirror data can be loaded, modified and saved at any time. In order to track the state of mirror correction, the readings can be stored in a logfile.

After over one year version 2.0B is ready now. Main part was implementing the caustic- and lateral wire test. Further, not so obvious changes are:

Within the window "mirror setup" you can decide wether the measurement-values becomes smaller or higher when moving the test apperatus sidewards or towards the mirror. With this feature the manual turn over of the measurements is obsolete.
If you keyed in multiple series of measurements for one reading you can calculate the mirror-results for each single measurement now.
Your logfile-entries can be displayed and edited within the main-window now. Just check "show Log Entry".
Regarding the shadowgram-simulation the new tests (caustic-test, lateral wire test) are simulated, too. The single measurement-points can be found by pressing the "Find Measure Point"-button.
Within the settings-window you can choose between "Linear Splines" and "Cubic Splines" as Interpolation-method. With "Linear Splines" you get nearly the same results as with FigureXP for paraboloidal mirrors (conic constant = -1).

Questions, Wishes, praise/criticism: andreas.reifke@web.de

Have much fun with the program !

Andreas Reifke

version history

*12.02.2006*	Version 2.0B released. Major changes are: New test methods: lateral wire test and caustic test Within the window "mirror setup" you can decide wether the measurement-values becomes smaller or higher when moving the test apperatus sidewards or towards the mirror. With this feature the manual turn over of the measurements is obsolete if the measurement device is pointing towards the mirror, for example. If a reading consists of multiple measurements, it is possible to evaluate each single measurement now. The shadowgram-simulation supports the lateral wire test as well as the caustic test. The measurement-points can be found by pressing the button "Find Measure Point". For better legibility the log entries can be displayed and edited in the main window. With "Linear Splines" as new interpolation method you get nearly the same test results as with FigureXP for paraboloidal mirrors (conic constant = -1). Monte-Carlo-Analysis: layout revised.
*06.04.2005*	Minor Bugfix for Version 2.0A: Within the dialog "Screenshot: Mirror Evaluation" false values for the "ideal readings" were showed if previously the button "Best Conic Constant" was pressed. When loading different mirror-files one behind the other it could happen that the field "Inner Mask" wasn't filled.
*29.10.2004*	Version 2.0A released. Major changes are: Program window uses the complete size of the monitor (at least 17-inch-monitor required). Mirror log as "navigation bridge" situated on the left side of the program window. Toggling between single measurements is an easy. New evaluation reports: relative transverse aberration and Millies LaCroix-Plot Quick change between ideal and best-fit conic constant helps evaluating the correctional state of the mirror. Evaluation reports can be saved as Jpeg-files with full mirror data or copied into the windows-clipboard.
*22.08.2004*	Version 1.0D released. Major changes are: In the wavefront-graph now both mirrorhalfes are displayed. Complete redesign of the imput-logic: Values will be checked now if you leave the input-box and not during the input. The program uses the Decimal-separator deposited in the country-settings. Label Best Focus renamed in Best ROC. Input-box Reference Line renamed in Wavefront Scale.
*08.06.2004*	Bugfix for Version 1.0C: Bugfix: It was possible to enter negative readings but it wasn't possible to load mirror-files with such values. The error-message "The mirror data file is currupted" appeared when trying so. The entry of negative readings is fully supported now. You can enter readings in the range from -10000 to 10000 mm/cm/inches now.
*21.03.2004*	Bugfix for Version 1.0C: Bugfix: If the mirror-file is opened without the file-open-dialog (last four, mirror-file opens on programm start, doubleclick on mirror-file), new readings can't be stored.
*17.03.2004*	Version 1.0C released. Major changes are: Functional improvements: New input-box for the conic constant Calculation of the best-fit conic constant to judge the correctional state (under- or overcorrected) of the mirror The best-fit focus can be changed to find the ideal waveerror-profile for further mirror-correction. Look and Feel: The mirror-files are associated with the program. Doubleclick the mirror file to open the program and the selected mirror-file. File-menu: Display of the last four opened mirror-files The last mirror-file can be opened on program start automatically Table-cells (Couder Screen/Pin Stick, Readings, ...) can be leaved with the TAB-key now.
*23.02.2004*	Bugfix/improvements for Version 1.0B: Bugfix: In dependency of the country-settings the entry of values in the zone radius table ends up with the error-message "Run Time Error 13, Type Mismatch". Bugfix: Window "Setup Ronchi Grating", Entry-Field: "Width of Ronchi grating Lines": Only full numbers were allowed. Bugfix: In the Example file the decimal mark is in the wrong place in the readings. The mirror results came out very bad this way. The Date and Time on the register "Readings" matches the country-settings now.
*29.06.2003*	Bugfix/improvements for Version 1.0B: Problems with country-settings fixed: With county-settings for the USA the decimal seperator shifted several digits to the right after entering a value. The mirror log can be saved now without beeing forced to enter the measurements for the mirror first.
*08.03.2003*	Version 1.0B released. Major changes are: The morror-results are calculated according to Jim Burrows now. Texerau will be no longer offerd because no RMS and Strehl-ratio can be calculated with this method (the reference-parabola touches only the two highest spots of the wavefront-profile). In the first version of the program I have calculated the RMS and strehl-ratio on basis of Texerau by running the reference parabola through the whole wavefront-profile (method of least squares), but I have discarted this method since I have not found any evidence for this method on the web. Monte-Carlo-Analysis: Faulty calculation of mean and standard deviation fixed. The measurement units and the wavelength are now saved with the other mirror data so this values must not be adapted again and again after loading the mirror file. Support of the Everest-pin-stick besides the Couder-screen (mirror-analysis and simulation of shadowgrams). All graphics (waveerror-profile, Monte-Carlo-diagram, shadowgrams) can be saved now. The previous version of the program was not runnable without MS-Office installed (Runtimeerror 7). In this version all dependencies with MS-Office are removed. The window for the simulation of small wavefront-defects was removed due to it's complexity.
*20.10.2002*	First version of the program made available as a release candidate (1.0A). Except the missing HTML assistance the program is complete. Please test the program and give feedback !

download

The setup-files are self-extracting EXEcutables and contain the actual programm as well as all necessary Windows-controls. Since the program needs the runtime-environment for Visual Basic 6.0, I offer the VB-runtime-environment for download as well.
Due to security reasons of my provider I am forced to wrap my EXEcutables in a ZIP-file.

File name	Date	File size	Description	Downloads since 03.03.2004
fouc20b.zip	12.02.2006	2.236 KB	Foucault Test Analysis 2.0B Windows Controls
fouc20a.zip	06.04.2005	2.205 KB	Foucault Test Analysis 2.0A Windows Controls
fouc10d.zip	22.08.2004	2.098 KB	Foucault Test Analysis 1.0D Windows Controls
vbrun60sp6.zip	22.08.2004	1.004 KB	Visual Basic Runtime 6.0 SP6

screenshots

Click on the pictures to enlarge !

Entry of mirror data

Within the window Mirror Setup you enter the data of the primary-mirror (diameter, radius of curvature) as well as the radii of the Couder mask or Everest-pin-stick. In addition you specify the most important test parameters here:

units of measurement: centimeter, millimeter, inches
conic constant
Choice between foucault test, caustic test and lateral wire test
You can decide wether the measurement-values becomes smaller or higher when moving the test apperatus sidewards or towards the mirror. With this feature the manual turn over of the measurements is obsolete.
Effective zone radius of the Couder screen: Indicates, which radius is accepted representatively for the entire zone width. Depending on your choice you receive different test results for the mirror.

Mirror Log / Entry of measurements

The Mirror Log on the left side of the program window contains all measurements prompted in up to now. A single mouse click on a mirror log entry opens the evaluation window whereas a double click opens a seperate window where the measurements are keyed in. Mirror log entrys can be deleted at any time using via the context menue (right click on the mirror log).

Mirror evaluation

A single mouse click on a mirror log entry opens the mirror evaluation window. The program supplies the following three evaluation reports:

- waveerror profile (Waveerror P/V, Root Mean Square, Strehl-Ratio)
- relative transverse aberration
- Millies LaCroix-plot

The evaluation reports may be saved as Jpeg-file or copied into the windows-clipboard (with full mirror data).
For easier legibility the log entries can be displayed and edited within the main-window.

Register Monte Carlo Analysis

The purpose of the Monte Carlo analysis is to give the user a feeling for his own measuring errors.
With the Monte Carlo analysis several thousand (up to 10000) series of readings are simulated, whereby all simulated readings are distributed around the mean value and are within the standard deviation of your own readings.
The Waveerror, RMS and Strehl-ratio are calculated for each series of simulated readings. The results are collected and consolidated to a histogram.

Shadowgram simulation

Within the window shadowgram simulation the shade pictures are simulated on the basis of your own readings. The mirror can be viewed either with the knife edge, a thin wire, or a Ronchi grating.
The light-source is either fixed or moving, alternatively you can test with a light-source at infinity.
If you want, you can put the Couder mask or Everest-pin-stick on the virtual mirror and then take the readings in order to re-enter them into the program. Pressing the button "Find Measure Point" you can easily find the measure points for each mirror zone.

Program settings

The program-settings, for example the units of measurements, the color of the couder-mask or the wavelength of light can be changed and saved so that you don't have to specify this settings again and again. The stored settings will take effect with the next start of the program.

With Linear Splines as new interpolation method you get nearly the same test results as with FigureXP for paraboloidal mirrors (conic contant = -1).