Multiple reflections in a wide-angle Michelson interferometer

Abstract

The effect of multiple reflections from a semireflecting surface such as an interference filter located in front of or behind a wide-angle Michelson interferometer (WAMI) is examined. By considering the instrument as a complex operator on the incident electric field, theoretical results are obtained which describe a large variety of configurations. Experimental results are presented which are consistent with these results. It is concluded that since the presence of these reflections changes the form of the observed fringes and affects measurements of the phase and visibility of the fringes, care must be taken to avoid such reflections in designing WAMIs.