Interferometric Optics

Interferometric Optics

N-Slit Laser Interferometer

Interferometric Optics introduces its N-Slit Laser Interferometer (NSLI) applicable to:

Assessment of transmission gratings and optical surfaces
Interferometric imaging
Interferometric microdensitometry
Interferometric microscopy
N-slit interference
N-slit interferometry

Based on multiple-prism beam expansion and digital detection the N-slit interferometer allows for the rapid interferometric characterization of transmission optical surfaces in general. A significant advance over traditional point-by-point incoherent microdensitometers and point-by-point incoherent microscopes. Specifications are given in [PDF].

Specific applications include the rapid characterization of:

Arrays of micro holes and/or micro nozzles
Biomedical and organic molecular arrays
Crystalline surfaces
Molecular, and digital, imaging surfaces
Optical surfaces
Textiles
Transmission gratings

Spatial resolution depends on the selected CCD or CMOS detector. As explained in the references, the resolution provided by the detector array can be enhanced, via quantum interferometric calculations, into the submicrometer or nanometer regime.

References

F. J. Duarte, Beam shaping with telescopes and multiple-prism beam expanders, J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 4, P30 (1987).
F. J. Duarte and D. J. Paine, Quantum mechanical description of N-slit interference phenomena, in Proceedings of the International Conference on Lasers '88, R. C. Sze and F. J. Duarte (Eds.) (STS, McLean, Va, 1989) pp. 42-47.
F. J. Duarte, Dispersive dye lasers, in High Power Dye Lasers, F. J. Duarte (Ed.) (Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1991) Chapter 2.
F. J. Duarte, Electro-optical interferometric microdensitometer system, US Patent 5255069 (1993).
F. J. Duarte, On a generalized interference equation and interferometric measurements, Opt. Commun. 103, 8-14 (1993).
F. J. Duarte, Interferometric imaging, in Tunable Laser Applications, F. J. Duarte (Ed.) (Marcel-Dekker, New York, 1995) Chapter 5.
F. J. Duarte, Interference, diffraction, and refraction, via Dirac's notation , Am. J. Phys. 65, 637-640 (1997).
F. J. Duarte, Interference of two independent sources, Am. J. Phys. 66, 662-663 (1998).
F. J. Duarte, Secure interferometric communications in free space, Opt. Commun. 205, 313-319 (2002).
F. J. Duarte, Tunable Laser Optics (Elsevier-Academic, New York, 2003) Chapter 2 (Dirac optics).
F. J. Duarte, Comment on "Reflection, refraction, and multislit interference," Eur. J. Phys. 25, L57-L58 (2004).
F. J. Duarte, Secure interferometric communications in free space: enhanced sensitivity for propagation in the metre range, J. Opt. A: Pure Appl. Opt. 7, 73-75 (2005).
F. J. Duarte, Interferometric imaging, in Tunable Laser Applications, 2nd Ed., F. J. Duarte (Ed.) (CRC, New York, 2009) Chapter 12.
F. J. Duarte, T. S. Taylor, A. B. Clark, and W. E. Davenport, The N-slit interferometer: an extended configuration, J. Opt. 12, 015705 (2010).

Interferometric Optics
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Optical Metrology for Inkjet Printers and Laser Printers
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Published on the 13th of September, 2009; updated on the 30th of March, 2010.