Tilt scanning interferometry: a numerical simulation benchmark for 3D metrology

Tilt scanning interferometry (TSI) is a novel experimental technique that allows the measurement of multicomponent displacement fields inside the volume of a sample. In this paper, we present a simulation model that allows for the evaluation of the speckle fields recorded in TSI when this technique is applied to the analysis of semitransparent scattering materials. The simulation is based on the convolution of the optical impulsive response of the optical system and the incident field amplitude. Different sections of the simulated imaging system are identified and the corresponding optical impulsive responses are determined. To evaluate the performance of the proposed model, a known internal displacement field as well as the illumination and detection strategies in a real TSI system are numerically simulated. Then, the corresponding depth-resolved out-of-plane and in-plane changes of phase are obtained by means of the data processing algorithm implemented in a TSI system.