One of the challenges in surface defects evaluation of large fine optics is to detect defects of microns on surfaces of tens or hundreds of millimeters. Sub-aperture scanning and stitching is considered to be a practical and efficient method. But since there are usually few defects on the large aperture fine optics, resulting in no defects or only one run-through line feature in many sub-aperture images, traditional stitching methods encounter with mismatch problem. In this paper, a feature-based multi-cycle image stitching algorithm is proposed to solve the problem. The overlapping areas of sub-apertures are categorized based on the features they contain. Different types of overlapping areas are then stitched in different cycles with different methods. The stitching trace is changed to follow the one that determined by the features. The whole stitching procedure is a region-growing like process. Sub-aperture blocks grow bigger after each cycle and finally the full aperture image is obtained. Comparison experiment shows that the proposed method is very suitable to stitch sub-apertures that very few feature information exists in the overlapping areas and can stitch the dark-field microscopic sub-aperture images very well.

© 2013 OSA

1. S. Gomez, K. Hale, J. Burrows, and B. Griffiths, “Measurements of surface defects on optical components,” Meas. Sci. Technol.9(4), 607–616 (1998). [CrossRef]
2. H. Ota, M. Hachiya, Y. Ichiyasu, and T. Kurenuma, “Scanning surface inspection system with defect-review SEM and analysis system solutions,” Hatachi Review55, 78–82 (2006).
3. M. Gebhardt, H. Truckenbrodt, and B. Harnisch, “Surface defect detection and classification with light scattering,” Proc. SPIE1500, 135–143 (1991). [CrossRef]
4. F. Rainer, R. K. Dickson, R. T. Jennings, J. F. Kimmons, S. M. Maricle, R. P. Mouser, S. Schwartz, and C. L. Weinzapfel, “Development of practical damage mapping and inspection systems,” Proc. SPIE3492, 556–563 (1999). [CrossRef]
5. Y. Yang, C. Lu, J. Liang, D. Liu, L. Yang, and R. Li, “Microscopic dark-field scattering imaging and digitalization evaluation system of defects on optical devices precision surface,” Guangxue Xuebao/Acta Opt. Sin.27, 1031–1038 (2007).
6. D. Liu, Y. Y. Yang, L. Wang, Y. M. Zhuo, C. H. Lu, L. M. Yang, and R. J. Li, “Microscopic scattering imaging measurement and digital evaluation system of defects for fine optical surface,” Opt. Commun.278(2), 240–246 (2007). [CrossRef]
7. D. Sun, Y. Yang, F. Wang, L. Yang, and R. Li, “Microscopic scattering imaging system of defects on ultra-smooth surface suitable for digital image processing,” H. Xun, Y. Jiahu, C. W. James, W. Hexin, and H. Sen, eds. (SPIE, 2006), p. 615012.
8. N. Wei, J. You, K. Friehs, E. Flaschel, and T. W. Nattkemper, “In situ dark field microscopy for on-line monitoring of yeast cultures,” Biotechnol. Lett.29(3), 373–378 (2007). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
9. K. Rebner, M. Schmitz, B. Boldrini, A. Kienle, D. Oelkrug, and R. W. Kessler, “Dark-field scattering microscopy for spectral characterization of polystyrene aggregates,” Opt. Express18(3), 3116–3127 (2010). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
10. S. Muramatsu, Y. Kobayashi, K. Takahashi, and E. Shimizu, “Development of template matching hardware and its high-speed processing strategy,” Electron. Commun. Jpn. Part III Fundam. Electron. Sci.84(11), 1–10 (2001). [CrossRef]
11. M. Ghodsi, M. Hajiaghayi, M. Mahdian, and V. Mirrokni, “Length-constrained path-matchings in graphs,” Networks39(4), 210–215 (2002). [CrossRef]
12. J. Cohen, P. Fraigniaud, J. Konig, and A. Raspaud, “Optimized broadcasting and multicasting protocols in cut-through routed networks,” IEEE Trans. Parallel Distrib. Syst.9(8), 788–802 (1998). [CrossRef]
13. A. Mehnert and P. Jackway, “An improved seeded region growing algorithm,” Pattern Recognit. Lett.18(10), 1065–1071 (1997). [CrossRef]
14. D. Chaudhuri and A. Samal, “A simple method for fitting of bounding rectangle to closed regions,” Pattern Recognit.40(7), 1981–1989 (2007). [CrossRef]
15. M. Stepanova, S. Dew, M. Mohammad, M. Muhammad, and S. Dew, “Fundamentals of electron beam exposure and development,” in Nanofabrication (Springer, 2012), pp. 11–41.
16. V. Y. Guzhov, “Ion-beam etching technology in the production of optical elements,” J. Opt. Technol.69(9), 685 (2002). [CrossRef]

Biotechnol. Lett.

• N. Wei, J. You, K. Friehs, E. Flaschel, and T. W. Nattkemper, “In situ dark field microscopy for on-line monitoring of yeast cultures,” Biotechnol. Lett.29(3), 373–378 (2007). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Electron. Commun. Jpn. Part III Fundam. Electron. Sci.

• S. Muramatsu, Y. Kobayashi, K. Takahashi, and E. Shimizu, “Development of template matching hardware and its high-speed processing strategy,” Electron. Commun. Jpn. Part III Fundam. Electron. Sci.84(11), 1–10 (2001). [CrossRef]

Guangxue Xuebao/Acta Opt. Sin.

• Y. Yang, C. Lu, J. Liang, D. Liu, L. Yang, and R. Li, “Microscopic dark-field scattering imaging and digitalization evaluation system of defects on optical devices precision surface,” Guangxue Xuebao/Acta Opt. Sin.27, 1031–1038 (2007).

Hatachi Review

• H. Ota, M. Hachiya, Y. Ichiyasu, and T. Kurenuma, “Scanning surface inspection system with defect-review SEM and analysis system solutions,” Hatachi Review55, 78–82 (2006).

IEEE Trans. Parallel Distrib. Syst.

• J. Cohen, P. Fraigniaud, J. Konig, and A. Raspaud, “Optimized broadcasting and multicasting protocols in cut-through routed networks,” IEEE Trans. Parallel Distrib. Syst.9(8), 788–802 (1998). [CrossRef]

J. Opt. Technol.

• V. Y. Guzhov, “Ion-beam etching technology in the production of optical elements,” J. Opt. Technol.69(9), 685 (2002). [CrossRef]

Meas. Sci. Technol.

• S. Gomez, K. Hale, J. Burrows, and B. Griffiths, “Measurements of surface defects on optical components,” Meas. Sci. Technol.9(4), 607–616 (1998). [CrossRef]

Networks

• M. Ghodsi, M. Hajiaghayi, M. Mahdian, and V. Mirrokni, “Length-constrained path-matchings in graphs,” Networks39(4), 210–215 (2002). [CrossRef]

Opt. Commun.

• D. Liu, Y. Y. Yang, L. Wang, Y. M. Zhuo, C. H. Lu, L. M. Yang, and R. J. Li, “Microscopic scattering imaging measurement and digital evaluation system of defects for fine optical surface,” Opt. Commun.278(2), 240–246 (2007). [CrossRef]

Opt. Express

• K. Rebner, M. Schmitz, B. Boldrini, A. Kienle, D. Oelkrug, and R. W. Kessler, “Dark-field scattering microscopy for spectral characterization of polystyrene aggregates,” Opt. Express18(3), 3116–3127 (2010). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Pattern Recognit.

• D. Chaudhuri and A. Samal, “A simple method for fitting of bounding rectangle to closed regions,” Pattern Recognit.40(7), 1981–1989 (2007). [CrossRef]

Pattern Recognit. Lett.

• A. Mehnert and P. Jackway, “An improved seeded region growing algorithm,” Pattern Recognit. Lett.18(10), 1065–1071 (1997). [CrossRef]

Proc. SPIE

• M. Gebhardt, H. Truckenbrodt, and B. Harnisch, “Surface defect detection and classification with light scattering,” Proc. SPIE1500, 135–143 (1991). [CrossRef]
• F. Rainer, R. K. Dickson, R. T. Jennings, J. F. Kimmons, S. M. Maricle, R. P. Mouser, S. Schwartz, and C. L. Weinzapfel, “Development of practical damage mapping and inspection systems,” Proc. SPIE3492, 556–563 (1999). [CrossRef]

Other

• D. Sun, Y. Yang, F. Wang, L. Yang, and R. Li, “Microscopic scattering imaging system of defects on ultra-smooth surface suitable for digital image processing,” H. Xun, Y. Jiahu, C. W. James, W. Hexin, and H. Sen, eds. (SPIE, 2006), p. 615012.
• M. Stepanova, S. Dew, M. Mohammad, M. Muhammad, and S. Dew, “Fundamentals of electron beam exposure and development,” in Nanofabrication (Springer, 2012), pp. 11–41.

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