Open AccessPolarization delivery in heterodyne interferometry
Author(s) -
Enrico Massa,
Giovanni Mana,
J. Krempel,
M. Jentschel
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.21.027119
Subject(s) - optics , interferometry , physics , polarization (electrochemistry) , phase noise , beat (acoustics) , jitter , heterodyne detection , astronomical interferometer , laser , extinction ratio , phase modulation , amplitude , light beam , telecommunications , chemistry , computer science , wavelength
Optically heterodyned laser interferometry, as applied to measuring linear displacements, requires different optical frequencies to be encoded onto unique polarization states. To eliminate non-linear contributions to the interferometer signal, the frequency difference must be introduced after beam splitting and the interfering beams must be recombined via spatially separated paths. The polarization jitter of the frequency-shifted beams still originates a noise in the beat-signal phase. A formula is given expressing the noise amplitude in terms of the illuminating beam's extinction ratio.