Theory and measurements of speed-of-light effects in long cavity fiber Fabry-Perot scanning interferometers

Author

Hsu, Kevin ; Miller, Calvin M.

Author_Institution

Micron Opt. Inc., Atlanta, GA, USA

Volume

11

Issue

7

fYear

1993

fDate

7/1/1993 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

1204

Lastpage

1208

Abstract

Analytical and experimental results for high-resolution, long-cavity, fiber Fabry-Perot scanning interferometers show an inverse square-root dependence of bandwidth on cavity length when the scan time per fringe approaches the inverse bandwidth of the interferometer. In this regime transmission fringe distortions due to the finite speed of light occur even at moderate scanning rates of 2 to 10 ms per free spectral range for cavity lengths of 5 to 25 m, respectively. A numerical model incorporating propagation and mirror losses in a Fabry-Perot cavity demonstrates good agreement with experimentally observed rise-time increase, fall-time ringing, and overall attenuation of the bandpass function for very long cavity interferometers

Keywords

fibre optic sensors; light interferometers; optical fibre theory; optical losses; bandpass function; bandwidth; cavity length; fall-time ringing; inverse bandwidth; inverse square-root dependence; long cavity fiber Fabry-Perot scanning interferometers; mirror losses; moderate scanning rates; numerical model; overall attenuation; propagation losses; rise-time; scan time per fringe; speed-of-light effects; theory; transmission fringe distortions; Bandwidth; Distortion measurement; Fabry-Perot; Interferometers; Mirrors; Numerical models; Optical fiber theory; Optical propagation; Propagation losses; Velocity measurement;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Lightwave Technology, Journal of

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0733-8724

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/50.238082

Filename

238082