Generalized method for wave-front analysis

We suggest and demonstrate a new method for wave-front analysis based on common-path phase-shift interferometry. We introduce a formalism and an iterative mathematical algorithm in which the wave front is transformed, modified, and-inversely transformed. The resulting intensity data are sufficient to reconstruct the entire wave front. In a more restricted case, in which the wave-front modifications are arbitrarily applied over arbitrary spatial regions of the wave front, the wave front is reconstructed semianalytically by use of a model that allows a local solution, followed by an iterative algorithm. Measurement results indicating that the suggested approach has an improved measurement accuracy with respect to existing quantitative phase measurement in methods are presented. (C) 2004 Optical Society of America.