A method for measuring the radiation wave front by using a three-wave lateral shearing interferometer

An analysis of and some corrections to the technique of phase distribution measurement by means of a three-wave lateral shearing interferometer are made. The technique offers high precision and a wide dynamical range; it is also rather simple and handy when applied to various fields. The device for the wave front reconstruction and the data-processing algorithm is described. The results of the model simulation of the wave front meter as well as the experimental results are presented.