Wave Theory of the Mach-Zehnder Interferometer

摘要

A theory of the Mach-Zehnder interferometer is developed using the approach of investigating the history of a wave front produced by an element of an extended light source. Account is taken of the effects of imperfections of the optical components including all the first-order aberrations of the collimating and collecting lenses or mirrors and of the camera lens. The theory can also be applied to other two-beam inter-ferometers.