Photorefractive moiré-like patterns for the multifringe projection method in Fourier transform profilometry

In the present paper, the method of simultaneous moiré-like fringe pattern projection for Fourier transform profilometry is described. The photorefractive holographic interferometric process produces controlled moiré-like patterns with two or more different variation directions. Each low spatial frequency fringe pattern is experimentally obtained as a result of the superposition of two high spatial frequency sinusoidal gratings, with slightly different pitches, for each fringe variation direction. These dynamic moiré-like patterns are induced due to an optical holographic beating of the sinusoidal induced gratings in the volume of the photorefractive Bi₁₂TiO₂₀ (BTO) crystal sample used as dynamic holographic medium. Two or more moiré-like fringe patterns, with at least two different variation directions, simultaneously (or not), are projected onto the object surface. Thus, this is the 2D fringe projection stage of our proposed Fourier transform procedure to determine the profile of a simple object.