Interferometric waviness detection systems

1. An interferometer detection system, comprising:

a beam splitter configured to receive a collimated light signal and split the collimated light signal into a first light signal traveling along a first path and a second light signal traveling along a second path;

a first mirror configured to receive and reflect the first light signal along the first path;

a device under test comprising:

a touch panel disposed on a front surface of the device under test, the touch panel comprising a transparent optical material having a thickness, a flatness and a refractive index across an area thereof;

a digital display disposed rearward of the touch panel, the digital display comprising a second mirror configured to receive and reflect the second light signal along the second path via the transparent optical material that is located along the second path between the beam splitter and the second mirror; and

a case which encloses the digital display and frames the touch panel; and

a 2D photosensor array configured to receive from the beam splitter the reflected first light signal along the first path merged with the reflected second light signal double passing through the transparent optical material along the second path and generate an interference fringe pattern;

wherein the beam splitter, first mirror, second mirror and 2D photosensor array are configured and arranged to provide one of a non-sinusoidal interference fringe pattern and a sinusoidal interference fringe pattern,

the non-sinusoidal interference fringe pattern being provided when a non-uniformity in is present in the transparent optical material, the non-uniformity being found in at least one of the flatness, the thickness and the refractive index of the transparent optical material, the non-sinusoidal interference fringe pattern arising from geometrical variation between a first wavefront of the reflected first light signal along the first path and a second wavefront of the reflected second light signal double passing through the transparent optical material along the second path,

the sinusoidal interference fringe pattern being provided when the non-uniformity is not present in the transparent optical material, the sinusoidal interference fringe pattern arising from the absence of geometrical variation between the first and second wavefronts.

2. The interferometer detection system of claim 1 , wherein a first distance between the first mirror and the beam splitter along the first path is equal to a second distance between the second mirror and the beam splitter along the second path.

3. The interferometer detection system of claim 1 , wherein the second light signal travels from the beam splitter and through the transparent optical material before reflecting off the second mirror and double passes through the transparent optical material before reaching the beam splitter.

4. The interferometer detection system of claim 1 , wherein a change in phase between the first wavefront of the reflected first light signal along the first path and the second wavefront of the reflected second light signal double passing through the transparent optical material along the second path is indicated by more than one peak or valley in the interference fringe pattern.

5. The interferometer detection system of claim 1 , wherein a plane of the transparent optical material is parallel to a plane of the second mirror.

6. The interferometer detection system of claim 1 , wherein a sinusoidal interference fringe pattern indicates no abnormal variation in phase between the first wavefront of the reflected first light signal along the first path and the second wavefront of the reflected second light signal double passing through the transparent optical material along the second path.

7. The interferometer detection system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a light source generating a light signal that is collimated to produce the collimated light signal.

8. The interferometer detection system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a first quarter-wave plate positioned between the first mirror and the beam splitter; and

a second quarter-wave plate positioned between the second mirror and the beam splitter.

9. The interferometer detection system of claim 8 , wherein the device under test also includes a circular polarizer, disposed between the touch panel and the digital display.

10. The interferometer detection system of claim 9 , wherein the circular polarizer further includes the second quarter-wave plate, and a polarizer.

11. The interferometer detection system of claim 1 , further comprising a computing device coupled to the 2D photosensor array, the computing device programmed to analyze the interference fringe pattern and, based on whether the sinusoidal interference fringe pattern is sinusoidal or non-sinusoidal, to provide an indication of the non-uniformity of the transparent optical material.

12. The interferometer detection system of claim 1 , wherein the device under test is configured to display images.

13. The interferometer detection system of claim 12 , wherein the device under test comprises the transparent optical material, a display layer configured to display pixel images, and a circular polarizer.

14. The interferometer detection system of claim 1 , wherein the non-sinusoidal interference fringe pattern includes at least one irregularity indicative of the non-uniformity, the at least one irregularity including more than one peak or valley, a peak off-shifted from the center of the interference fringe pattern, an X-shaped valley instead of a uniform peak, at least two X-shaped valleys, or a non-uniform phase variation between fringes.

15. The interferometer detection system of claim 1 , wherein the device under test comprises a circuit board and a battery contained within the case.