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A diffraction theory of the Zernike test is developed for the case where the dimensions of the light source are negligibly small, and applied to estimate the sensitiveness of the test for detecting local zones in an otherwise true mirror. The effects of varying the size of the phase-retarding disc on the appearance under test of a true mirror are considered, and the conclusion is drawn that it is these effects, rather than considerations of sensitivity, which mainly determine the upper limit to the useful size of the disc.
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E. H. Linfoot (1946) studied this question.
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