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2π ambiguity-free optical distance measurement with subnanometer precision with a novel phase-crossing low-coherence interferometer

Publication ,  Journal Article
Yang, C; Wax, A; Dasari, RR; Feld, MS
Published in: Optics Letters
January 15, 2002

We report a highly accurate phase-based technique for measuring arbitrarily long optical distance with sub-nanometer precision. The method employs a Michelson interferometer with a pair of harmonically related light sources, one cw and the other low coherence. By slightly detuning (∼2 nm) the center wavelength of the low-coherence source between scans of the target sample, we can use the phase relationship between the heterodyne signals of the cw and the low-coherence light to measure the separation between reflecting interfaces with subnanometer precision. As this technique is completely free of 2π ambiguity, an issue that plagues most phase-based techniques, it can be used to measure arbitrarily long optical distances without loss of precision. We demonstrate one application of this technique, the high-precision determination of the differential refractive index. © 2002 Optical Society of America.

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Published In

Optics Letters

DOI

ISSN

0146-9592

Publication Date

January 15, 2002

Volume

27

Issue

2

Start / End Page

77 / 79

Related Subject Headings

  • Optics
  • 0906 Electrical and Electronic Engineering
  • 0206 Quantum Physics
  • 0205 Optical Physics
 

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Yang, C., Wax, A., Dasari, R. R., & Feld, M. S. (2002). 2π ambiguity-free optical distance measurement with subnanometer precision with a novel phase-crossing low-coherence interferometer. Optics Letters, 27(2), 77–79. https://doi.org/10.1364/OL.27.000077
Yang, C., A. Wax, R. R. Dasari, and M. S. Feld. “2π ambiguity-free optical distance measurement with subnanometer precision with a novel phase-crossing low-coherence interferometer.” Optics Letters 27, no. 2 (January 15, 2002): 77–79. https://doi.org/10.1364/OL.27.000077.
Yang, C., et al. “2π ambiguity-free optical distance measurement with subnanometer precision with a novel phase-crossing low-coherence interferometer.” Optics Letters, vol. 27, no. 2, Jan. 2002, pp. 77–79. Scopus, doi:10.1364/OL.27.000077.
Journal cover image

Published In

Optics Letters

DOI

ISSN

0146-9592

Publication Date

January 15, 2002

Volume

27

Issue

2

Start / End Page

77 / 79

Related Subject Headings

  • Optics
  • 0906 Electrical and Electronic Engineering
  • 0206 Quantum Physics
  • 0205 Optical Physics