Phase shift effects in Fabry-Perot interferometry

Abstract

A method is demonstrated for utilizing in Fabry-Perot interferometry the data on reflection phase shift dispersion obtained from fringes of equal chromatic order. Unknown wavelengths can be calculated from the Fabry-Perot patterns obtained with a large etalon spacing, even without prior knowledge of the phase shift of the reflecting surfaces. When the theoretical phase shift as a function of wavelength is known approximately, then the correct orders of interference can be determined for both the Fabry-Perot fringes and fringes of equal chromatic order. From the wavelengths of the latter the phase shift dispersion can be measured to an accuracy of about 10 A. The method is especially useful for reflectors with large dispersion of phase shift, such as multilayers. Results in the visible spectrum are reported for aluminum films and a pair of dielectric 15-layer broadband reflectors.