<title>Novel white-light interferometer using an electronically scanned Mach-Zehnder interferometer</title>

Abstract

A theoretical analysis and experimental evaluation of a novel Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI), used as a recovery interferometer in an electronically-scanned white-light interferometer is reported. This modified version of a MZI has the advantages of being very simple and compact, with high stability and does not introduce any spatial "misoverlapping" of the beams. In addition, since only one beamsplitter is employed in the interferometer (instead of the usual two used in a conventional MZI), the system is relatively easy to implement and at low cost. Furthermore, this configuration can be simply set to cover a wide range of optical path difference values by simply changing the angle and position of one of the mirrors. This gives the interferometer the advantage of being easily adapted for a range of different measurement applications.Keywords: optical sensors, white light interferometry 1000 CCD PIXEL NUMBER (c) SPIE Vol. 2594 / 165 Downloaded From: http://proceedings.spiedigitallibrary.org/ on 06/24/2016 Terms of Use: http://spiedigitallibrary.org/ss/TermsOfUse.aspx

An All Fiber White Light Interferometric Absolute Temperature Measurement System

“…In spatial fringe formation, the scanning of the OPD of the processing interferometer is achieved by the use of a charge-coupled-device (CCD) array in order to detect the spatial interference fringes formed in the so-called “electronically-scanned” arrangement [7]. Reference [7, 3] used a Michelson interferometer with one of its two mirrors being slightly tilted to form the spatially distributed interference fringes.…”

“…Reference [7, 3] used a Michelson interferometer with one of its two mirrors being slightly tilted to form the spatially distributed interference fringes. Computer simulations of reference [3] showed that the misidentification rate of central fringe was almost “zero” and the resolution of 1/400 fringe was obtained at 26 [dB] SNR.…”

“…Computer simulations of reference [3] showed that the misidentification rate of central fringe was almost “zero” and the resolution of 1/400 fringe was obtained at 26 [dB] SNR. Experiments in reference [7] have demonstrated a repeatability of 0.02K within a 1K temperature range and the repeatability of 0.6K within a 100K temperature range for absolute temperature measurement. One of the main difficulties with the use of these configurations is the so-called spatial “mis-overlapping ' of the beams, i.e.…”

“…One of the main difficulties with the use of these configurations is the so-called spatial “mis-overlapping ' of the beams, i.e. the cross-section of one beam cannot be exactly overlapped on that of the other [7]. As a result, the effective scanning range of the system will be reduced over what may otherwise be achieved.…”