Multi-channelled white-light interferometry for real-time dispersion measurements

A white-light source, a two-wave interferometer and a spectrometer are associated in order to analyze the dispersion (refractive index as a function of wavelength) of a prismatic sample. This set-up behaves like a multi-channelled device: simultaneous monochromatic interferograms are stored in a single bi-dimensional interferogram in the hybrid spatial-spectral domain. Real-time, direct determination of refractive index at every resolved wavelength is provided with high precision (up to 10(-6)). (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.