Sinusoidal Targets

Sinusoidal patterns are designed specifically for evaluating the MTF of imaging lenses and other system components. This is accomplished by analyzing the ability of imaging components to reproduce the contrast of the sinusoidal target. MTF analysis is necessary when evaluating components to confirm that they meet design specifications and performance expectations. MTF evaluation is one of the best methods to determine overall image quality, not just absolute limitations. Implementation of MTF testing procedures can reduce costs by ensuring that neither under-specification nor over-specification occurs. The advantage of a sinusoidal target is that it relays image quality information over a full range of frequencies instead of only the maximum obtainable resolution. By using the different frequencies on the target, baselines can be established that directly relate to system requirements. The grayscales on the target are used as references for denoting the contrast levels of the sinusoidal frequencies.