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introduction

Welcome to Foucault Test Analysis!

Foucault Test Analysis for Windows is a program for the evaluation of the readings taken in the Foucault test and will be offered as freeware. You can download it here.

Foucault Test Analysis calculates the Waveerror P/V, as well as the RMS and Strehl-ratio on the basis of the measured longitudinal abberations. 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 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). You also can put the couder mask or pin-stick on the mirror and 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.

Nearly five month after the first release the program is now BETA. The major change is that the mirror results are calculated according to Jim Burrows now. Furthermore several bugs were removed and program handling was improved. See version history for details.
I have tested my software carefully. But if you find still a bug or if you have suggestions for following versions I would be glad hearing from you. The missing HTML-Help-file will be included in the final version of this program.

Have much fun with the program

Andreas Reifke
andreas.reifke@web.de

version history

*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-file is a self-extracting EXE and contains 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.

File name	Date	File size	Description
fouc10b.exe	08.03.2003	2.082 KB	Foucault Test Analysis 1.0B Windows Controls
vbrun60sp5.exe	08.03.2003	1.024 KB	Visual Basic Runtime 6.0 SP5

screenshots

Click on the pictures to enlarge !

Register Mirror Setup

On the register 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
Choice between Couder screen and Everest-pin-stick
moving/fixed lightsource
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.

Register Readings

Here you enter your readings determined in the Foucault test. If you want, you can enter a comment and store your readings in a logfile.
Logfile entries can be changed and deleted at any time.

Register Test Results

On this register you receive a graphical evaluation of the waveerror.
Besides the waveerror P/V the RMS and Strehl-ratio are calculated. The Strehl-ratio is determined approximately on basis of the RMS value.
The best focus indicates the focal length of the mirror, with which the located errors are minimal.

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.
The histogram shows, how good the mirror is best- and worst-case and where the mean value lies.

Register Shadowgram

On this register the shade pictures are simulated on 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 on the register readings.

Register 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.