Dynamic low-coherence interferometry using a double Fizeau cavity.

Area of Science:

• Optical Engineering
• Metrology
• Interferometry

Background:

• Achieving anti-vibration and common optical paths simultaneously in dynamic Fizeau interferometry presents significant challenges.
• Existing methods often struggle to maintain precision under dynamic or vibrating conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose and validate a novel dynamic low-coherence interferometry (DLI) method.
• To overcome the limitations of traditional Fizeau interferometry in vibration-prone environments.
• To enable high-precision phase measurement in dynamic scenarios.

Main Methods:

• Development of a double Fizeau cavity dynamic low-coherence interferometry (DLI) system.
• Utilizing a low-coherence light source and optical path matching.
• Constructing a common-path p-polarized Fizeau cavity (p-FC) and a carrier-frequency s-polarized Fizeau cavity (s-FC).
• Calculating relative tilt phases from s-FC carrier frequency interferograms.
• Retrieving the final phase using relative tilt phases and p-FC interferograms.

Main Results:

• The proposed DLI method successfully integrates anti-vibration capabilities with a common optical path.
• Experimental validation demonstrated high-precision phase measurement.
• The system effectively operates in a vibration environment.

Conclusions:

• The dynamic low-coherence interferometry (DLI) method offers a viable solution for precise phase measurement in dynamic Fizeau interferometry.
• The double Fizeau cavity design effectively addresses the challenge of combining anti-vibration and common optical path requirements.
• This technique holds promise for applications requiring accurate measurements under adverse conditions.