Chapter 8.

Optical Interferometry
Last Lecture
Two-Beam Interference
Youngs Double Slit Experiment
Virtual Sources
Newtons Rings
Multiple-beam interference
This Lecture
Michelson Interferometer
Variations of the Michelson Interferometer
Fabry-Perot interferometer
The Michelson Interferometer
Q
Q
1
Q
2
Beam splitter
Light source
Q
S
The Michelson Interferometer
Hecht, Optics, Chapter 9.
Light
source
Detector
BS
M2
M1
The Michelson Interferometer
Consider the virtual images Q
1
and Q
2
of the
point Q in the source plane. The optical path
difference for the two virtual image points is
Assuming that the beam splitter is
50% reflecting, 50% transmitting,
the interference pattern is
Q
Q
1
Q
2
The Michelson Interferometer
For the bright fringes
For the dark fringes
If o
r
= t as is usually the case because the beam 2 from M
2
undergoes an
external reflection at the beam splitter, then A
r
= /2 and
Bright fringe :
Dark fringe :
Separation of the fringes is sensitive to the optical path difference d.
Near the center of the pattern (cosu ~ 1),
as d varies,
Q
S
The Michelson Interferometer
Hecht, Optics, Chapter 9.
m = m
max
at the center, since u = 0
source
d
The Michelson Interferometer
Assume that the spacing d is such that a dark fringe is formed at the center
For the neighboring fringes the order m is lower
Define another integer p to invert the fringe ordering
since cosu = 1
Example 8-1
8-2. Applications of the Michelson Interferometer
Temperature variation
Determination of wavelength difference
8-2. Applications of the Michelson Interferometer
Twyman-Green Interferometer
Twyman-Green Interferometer
Guenther, Modern Optics
Test
piece
Mach-Zehnder Interferometer
Test
piece
Laser
CCD
mirror
PZT mirror
Spatial filtering
& collimation
Beam splitter
2f 2f
Imaging lens
monitor
Test
sample
Mach-Zehnder Interferometer
()
Ac 0V
0V -> 40V
40V -> 0V
8-4. The Fabry-Perot Interferometer
Inner surfaces polished to flatness of /50 or better, coated with silver or
aluminum films with thickness of about 50 nm. The metal films are partially
transmitting. The outer surfaces of the plates are wedged to eliminate
spurious fringe patterns.
The Fabry-Perot Interferometer
The transmitted irradiance is given by
Maxima in transmitted irradiance occur when
For the air space n
f
= 1, and the condition for maximum transmission is
The Fabry-Perot Interferometer
Extended source, fixed spacing
Point source, variable spacing
The Fabry-Perot Solid Etalon
For analysis of laser spectra, we typically use
solid etalons. The solid etalon is a piece of glass or
fused silica. The two faces are flat and parallel to
each other to /10 or better. Each face has a multi-
layer dielectric coating that is highly reflective at a
given wavelength.
The Fabry-Perot Interferometer:
High-Resolution Air-Spaced
The fringe pattern will shift as the
wavelength of the light is scanned or
as the thickness of the air gap is
varied.
8-5. Fabry-Perot transmission:
Fringe profiles The Airy function
The transmitted irradiance for Fabry-Perot interferometer or etalon is given by
Use the trigonometric identity,
We obtain the transmittance T, the Airy function,
: coefficient of finesse
The coefficient of finesse: F
The coefficient of finesse characterizes
the resolution of the Fabry-Perot device
The fringe contrast is given by
As F increases (due to increasing r)
the fringe contrast increases,
the transmittance minimum goes closer to 0,
And the fringe thickness decreases.
r =0.2
r =0.5
r =0.9
Finesse
1/2
2
2
fsr
FWHM
o
t
o
= Figure of merit for F-P interferometer
1
2
fsr m m
o o o t
+
= : free spectral range (fsr)
8-6. Scanning Fabry-Perot interferometer
d
The transmittance is a maximum whenever
2
2 2 2 , 0, 1, 2, kd d m m
t
o t

| |
= = = =
|
\ .

m
/ 2 d m =
1
/ 2
fsr m m
d d d
+
= =
For example, lets consider two wavelengths
1 1
2 2
2 /
2 /
d m
d m

=
=
( )
( )
2 1 2 1
1 1
2 2
2 /
d d d
m d

= A = ~ A
( )
2 1
= + A
d
d

| |
A = A
|
\ .
Resolving Power
The resolving power of the Fabry-Perot device is directly related to
the full-width-at-half-maximum (FWHM)
The minimum resolvable phase difference between lines with different wavelengths is
o
c
Ao = 2o
c
: resolution criterion
Resolving Power
The phase difference for particular angle u
t
for two different wavelengths is given by
For small wavelength intervals,
1

2
= A
Since we are at a fringe maximum,
Resolving Power
The resolving power is defined as
The fringe number m is given by
To maximize the resolving power,
we need to look near the center of the pattern, cosu
t
~ 1 for m m
max
,
the plate spacing t should be as large as possible,
and the coefficient of finesse should be as large as possible (or, r 1).
= m
( ) ( )
1/2
2 2
2 2 2
fsr
c
F
FWHM
o
t t t
o o
= = = where,
Example 8-3
8-7. Variable-input-frequency Fabry-Perot
interferometer
2 4 2 , 0, 1, 2, kd d m m
c
v
o t t
| |
= = = =
|
\ .

/ 2
m
mc d v =
1
/ 2
fsr m m
c d v v v
+
= =
1/2 1/2
2 2
fsr fsr fsr
FWHM
o o v
o v
= =
A
The finesse in frequency is,
2
1/2
1
2
2
c r
d r
v
t
| |

A =
|
\ .
Quality factor Q of a F-P cavity
2
1/2
2
2 1
d r
Q
c r
v v t
v
| |
= =
|
A
\ .
8-9. Fabry-Perot figures of merit
T
diode
,
diode
37.84 C
1535.737 nm
37.94 C
1535.747 nm
38.05 C
1535.757 nm
38.73 C
1535.821 nm
Etalon FSR
is 10 GHz,
scan shown
corresponds
to 10.67 GHz
in idler
frequency.
Etalon
fringes
display
excellent
contrast.
Solid Etalon Used to Monitor Laser Scanning