Computation of the phase step between two-step fringe patterns based on Gram--Schmidt algorithm

Abstract: We present the evaluation of a closed form formula for the calculation of the original step between two randomly shifted fringe patterns. Our proposal extends the Gram--Schmidt orthonormalization algorithm for fringe pattern. Experimentally, the phase shift is introduced by a electro--mechanical devices (such as piezoelectric or moving mounts).The estimation of the actual phase step allows us to improve the phase shifting device calibration. The evaluation consists of three cases that represent different pre-normalization processes: First, we evaluate the accuracy of the method in the orthonormalization process by estimating the test step using synthetic normalized fringe patterns with no background, constant amplitude and different noise levels. Second, we evaluate the formula with a variable amplitude function on the fringe patterns but with no background. Third, we evaluate non-normalized noisy fringe patterns including the comparison of pre-filtering processes such as the Gabor filter banks and the isotropic normalization process, in order to emphasize how they affect in the calculation of the phase step.