Interferometer and method for compensating the dispersion or for increasing the spectral resolution of such an interferometer

摘要

The invention concerns a double-beam interferometer (1) for electromagnetic radiation and a method for the compensation of dispersion or increase in the spectral resolution of such an interferometer. Using a polarizer (8), which is brought into the optical radiation path, a defined polarization state P1/20 is produced for the electromagnetic partial waves flowing into the arms of the interferometer. This polarization state is wavelenght-independent and can vary for both partial beams. Optical elements (11, 12) modify the polarization state P1/20 of the electromagnetic partial waves as a function of wave-length lambda and each spectral component lambda i is coded with a polarization P1/2 ( lambda i). An analyzer (9), fitted to the output of the interferometer, transmits an adjustable polarization state Pdet, whereby an additional wavelength-dependent phase difference gamma ( lambda ) occurs between the partial waves of the spectral components. gamma ( lambda ) can be adjusted to obtain compensation of dispersion or an increase in the spectral resolution of the interferometer.