To provide a wavefront generating apparatus which can be applied for an aspheric interference measuring apparatus by generating any arbitrary wavefront and achieving measurement of a reflective aspheric area which can not be measured by a conventional method, and to provide a surface profile measuring apparatus and a focus driving apparatus with the above apparatus assembled into them.

The wavefront generating apparatus 20 has an electro-optic element 15 interposed between annular transparent electrodes 21, 22, 23, 31, 32, 33 divided into a plurality of regions in the radial direction, and controls retardation of light transmitting through the regions as desired by controlling voltages applied on the respective transparent electrodes. The wavefront generating apparatus is assembled into the surface profile measuring apparatus and the focus driving apparatus.