Phase-shifting determination and pattern recognition using a modified Sagnac interferometer with multiple reflections

Abstract

This work has implemented a diverse modification of the Sagnac interferometer to accommodate various measurement requirements, including phase shifting, pattern recognition, and a morphological analysis. These modifications were introduced to validate the adaptability and versatility of the system. To enable phase shifting using the multiple light reflection technique, a half-wave plate (HWP) was utilized with rotations at 0, π/8, π/4, and 3π/8 radians, generating four interference patterns. It is possible to observe a distinct circular fringe width as the polarized light experiences diffraction at the interferometer’s output as it travels through a circular aperture with various diameters ranging from 0.4 to 1 mm. Further modifications were made to the setup by inserting a pure glass and a fluoride-doped tin oxide (FTO) transparent substrate into the common path. This modification aimed to detect and analyze a horizontal fringe pattern. Subsequently, the FTO substrate was replaced with a bee leg to facilitate morphology recognition. A deep learning-based image processing technique was employed to analyze the bee leg morphology. The experimental results showed that the proposed scheme succeeded in achieving the phase shift, measuring hole diameters with errors smaller than 1.6%, separating distinct transparent crystals, and acquiring the morphological view of a bee’s leg. The method also has successfully achieved an accurate surface area and background segmentation with an accuracy over 87%. Overall, the outcomes demonstrated the potential of proposed interferometers for various applications, and the advantages of the optical sensors were highlighted, particularly in microscopic applications.