•Lecture 5 ECE 4606 Undergraduate Optics Lab

–Interferometers

Interferometers
Outline

• Basics of interference
• Interference testing of lenses
• Types of interferometers
– Amplitude division
– Wavefront division
• Fourier transform spectroscopy
– Coherence length

Robert R. McLeod, University of Colorado Pedrotti3, Chapters 7, 8, 9 59

•Lecture 5 ECE 4606 Undergraduate Optics Lab
–Basics of interference

Basics of interference
Interfering plane waves
r r 2
I = E1 + E2
r r r
= E1eˆ1e ( j ω1t − k1 ⋅r +φ1 ) + E eˆ e j (ω2t −k2 ⋅rr +φ2 ) 2 E1, E2 ∈ Real
2 2
r r r
( ) [
= E + E + 2 eˆ1 ⋅ eˆ E1 E2 cos (ω1 − ω2 )t − k1 − k 2 ⋅ r + (φ1 − φ2 )
1
2 2
2
*
2 ( ) ]
Summation of intensities Interference

Typically we define
eˆ1 ⋅ eˆ2* = 1 Identical polarization states

ω1 − ω2 = 0 Stationary fringes
r r r 2π
K G ≡ k1 − k 2 = Kˆ G Fringes of period Λ and direction K̂ G
Λ
Φ = φ1 − φ2 Phase shift

Yielding
r r
I = I1 + I 2 + 2 I1I 2 cos K G ⋅ r + Φ [ ] Fringe visibility, V
I
I max Λ I max − I min 2 I1 I 2
V≡ =
I min I max + I min I1 + I 2
x
Φ KG 0 ≤V ≤1
Robert R. McLeod, University of Colorado 60
•Lecture 5 ECE 4606 Undergraduate Optics Lab
–Basics of interference

Fringe visibility
What it looks like

Hecht, Optics, p. 561

Robert R. McLeod, University of Colorado 61

•Lecture 5 ECE 4606 Undergraduate Optics Lab
–Basics of interference

Basics of interference
Interfering spherical waves
r r 2
I = E1 + E2
r r r r 2
E1 j (ωt − k r − r1 +φ1 ) E2 j (ωt − k r − r2 +φ 2 )
= r r
r −r 1
eˆ1e + r r
r −r 2
eˆ2 e

= ( ) + ( ) + 2(eˆ ⋅ eˆ )
E1 2
R1
E2 2
R2 1
* E1 E2
2 R1 R2 cos[k (R1 − R2 ) − Φ ]

Summation of intensities Interference

Typically we define
r
Ri ≡ r − ri Distance from focus

k (R1 − R2 ) − Φ = 2n π Maxima when path length difference = n λ

k (R1 − R2 ) − Φ = (2n + 1)π Minima

Can sketch interference pattern by “connecting the dots”:

Hyperbolas

R1

R2

Robert R. McLeod, University of Colorado 62

•Lecture 5 ECE 4606 Undergraduate Optics Lab
–Basics of interference

Optical phase
relation to thickness
 2π 
j  ωt − nz +φ 
r
E (t , r ) = E0 e j (ωt −kz +φ ) = E0 e  λ0 

Optical phase accumulates like nz.

Transmission
n Optical path length = sum of index times distance
z4

S ≡ ∫ n(ζ )dζ = 1( z1 − z 0 ) + n( z 2 − z1 ) + 1( z3 − z2 ) + 1( z 4 − z3 )
z0
z4

S ≡ ∫ n(ζ )dζ = 1( z1 − z0 ) + n( z 2 − z1 ) + n( z3 − z 2 ) + 1( z 4 − z3 )
z0

∆S ≡ (n − 1)( z3 − z 2 ) = (n − 1) d [m]
2π 2π
d ∆φ = ∆S = (n − 1) d [radians]
z0 z1 z2 z3 z4 λ0 λ0

Reflection

∆S = 2 d [m]
2π 2π
∆φ = ∆S = 2d [radians]
λ0 λ0

For glass, n~1.5, transmission creates ~1/4 the phase shift.

Robert R. McLeod, University of Colorado 63

•Lecture 5 ECE 4606 Undergraduate Optics Lab
–Aberration testing via interference

Wavefront aberrations
General picture

Reference
sphere

Wavefront
Ray
aberration

Object Paraxial focus

Entrance pupil Exit pupil

• A spherical wavefront in the exit pupil forms a perfect focus

• The difference between the actual wavefront and the reference
sphere is the “wavefront aberration”.
• Non-spherical wavefronts cause rays to cross the optical axis
NOT at the paraxial focus = “ray aberration”

Robert R. McLeod, University of Colorado 64

•Lecture 5 ECE 4606 Undergraduate Optics Lab
–Aberration testing via interference

Spherical aberration
∆W = W040 ρ 4

Wavefront error in pupil

W040 = 1

-1 1
-2
∆W -3 0.5

-4
-1 0
-0.5 y
0 -0.5

x 0.5

Interferogram 1
-1

x
Robert R. McLeod, University of Colorado 65
•Lecture 5 ECE 4606 Undergraduate Optics Lab
–Aberration testing via interference

Spherical aberration at CLC

(
∆W = W040 ρ 4 − 32 ρ 2 )
Wavefront error in pupil
W040 = 1

0.5

0 1

∆W -0.5 0.5

-1
-1 0 y
-0.5

-0.5
x 0

0.5
Interferogram 1
-1

x
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•Lecture 5 ECE 4606 Undergraduate Optics Lab
–Aberration testing via interference

Coma
∆W = W131 x0 ρ 3 cosθ = W131 x0 x ρ 2

Wavefront error in pupil

W131 = 1

1 1

∆W -1
0
0.5

-2
-1

-0.5
0
y
0 -0.5

x 0.5

Interferogram 1
-1

x
Robert R. McLeod, University of Colorado 67
•Lecture 5 ECE 4606 Undergraduate Optics Lab
–Aberration testing via interference

Astigmatism
∆W = W222 x02 ρ 2 cos 2 θ = W222 x02 x 2

Wavefront error in pupil

W222 = 1

-0.25
1

∆W -0.5
0.5
-0.75

-1
-1 0
y
-0.5

-0.5
x 0

0.5
Interferogram 1
-1

x
Robert R. McLeod, University of Colorado 68
•Lecture 5 ECE 4606 Undergraduate Optics Lab
–Aberration testing via interference

Astigmatism at CLC
(
∆W = W222 x02 ρ 2 cos 2 θ − 12 ρ 2 = W222 x02 ) ( 1
2 x 2 − 12 y 2 )
Wavefront error in pupil
W222 = 1

0.5

0.25
1

∆W -0.25
0
0.5

-0.5
-1 0
y
-0.5

0 -0.5
x 0.5
Interferogram 1
-1

x
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•Lecture 5 ECE 4606 Undergraduate Optics Lab
–Aberration testing via interference

Field curvature
∆W = W220 x02 ρ 2

Wavefront error in pupil

W220 = 1

-0.5
1

∆W -1

-1.5 0.5

-2
-1 0 y
-0.5

0 -0.5
x 0.5
Interferogram 1
-1

x
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•Lecture 5 ECE 4606 Undergraduate Optics Lab
–Aberration testing via interference

Distortion
∆W = W311 x03 ρ cos θ = W311 x03 x

Wavefront error in pupil

W311 = 1

0.5 1

∆W -0.5
0
0.5

-1
-1

-0.5
0
y
0 -0.5

x 0.5

Interferogram 1
-1

x
Robert R. McLeod, University of Colorado 71
•Lecture 5 ECE 4606 Undergraduate Optics Lab
–Types of interferometers

Amplitude division
Finite-impulse response interferometers

∆S

∆S / 2

Twyman
Green
Michelson Mach-Zender

∆S ≡ ∫ n( z ) dz Optical path length

I = E1 + E2 + 2 E1 E2 cos[k 0 ∆S ]
2 2

2 2  2πν 
= E1 + E2 + 2 E1 E2 cos  ∆S 
 c 
c
ν0 = Free-spectral range
∆S
1

0 .8

0 .6
I
0 .4

0 .2

0
- 2 - 1 0 1 2

ν ν0
Robert R. McLeod, University of Colorado 72
•Lecture 5 ECE 4606 Undergraduate Optics Lab
–Types of interferometers

Amplitude division
Infinite-impulse response interferometers
Fabry-Perot interferometer, aka “Etalon”
Partially-
reflecting
Plane wave in mirrors
Summation of
exit waves

d
r r
S = 2nd cos θ
[
Etrans = Einc tt + trrte − jk0 S + trrrrte − jk0 2 S + ... ]
This is a geometric series. Writing R=|r|2, T=|t|2

I trans 1 4R c c
T= = F= ν0 = =
I inc 1 + F sin 2  π ν  (1 − R )2 S 2nd cos θ
 ν 0 

1

F=1
0.8

0.6

T 0.4
F=10
0.2

0 F=100
0 1 2 3
ν ν0
Robert R. McLeod, University of Colorado 73
•Lecture 5 ECE 4606 Undergraduate Optics Lab
–Types of interferometers

Wavefront division
E.g.: single and double slits
x′

r  L
Etot (r ′) = Sinc k x 
L  2
 π x′ L 
= Sinc 
 λ f 
r
Eap (r ) = rect (x / L ) f Screen

x′

r  L   d 2 ′
L Etot (r ′) = Sinc k x  cos k x x 
 2   f 
d π L  π d 
L = Sinc x′  cos x′ 
λ f  λ f 

r
Eap (r ) = rect (x / L ) f Screen
r
A(r ) = δ (x − d 2 ) + δ (x + d 2 )
1

0 . 5

- 0 . 5

- 1
- 2 - 1 0 1 2

Robert R. McLeod, University of Colorado 74

•Lecture 5 ECE 4606 Undergraduate Optics Lab
–Coherence

Fourier transform spectroscopy

w/ Michelson interferometer

x/2 Path-length change

Power spectrum
P(k )

I ( x) Detected

∞
I (x ) = ∫ (1 + cos k x )P(k )dk
Integrate interference over all
wave-numbers
0
∞
1
= I 0 + ∫ P(k ) e jkx dk I(x) is Fourier transform of P(k)
2 −∞
∞
P(k ) = ∫ [ ( ) ] − jkx So P(k) is inverse Fourier
I x − I 0 e dk transform of I(x)
−∞

I ( x) P(k )

F-1

Robert R. McLeod, University of Colorado 75

•Lecture 5 ECE 4606 Undergraduate Optics Lab
–Coherence

Coherence length
Important app of FT spectroscopy
Important definitions and relations.
∆t
∆t Coherence time: duration of single-frequency operation

∆ν ≅ 1 ∆t Bandwidth: single line width or multi-mode oscillation

∆l = c ∆t Coherence length: coherence time measured in [m]

≅ c ∆ν ≈ λ2 ∆λ

Example: rectangular spectrum of bandwidth ∆ν

k + ∆k / 2
1 0  1  ∆k x  
2 k0 −∫∆k / 2
I (x ) = I 0 + e jkx
dk + cc = I 01 + sinc   cos (k 0 x )
 2  2  

P(k ) I ( x) Visibility
2π
∆k = ∆ν
c I0

k x
k0 0 xo

Fringe visibility V goes to zero at:

x0 = 2π ∆k = c ∆ν = ∆l ≈ c∆t Don’t need to FT to get this

important parameter

Robert R. McLeod, University of Colorado 76