Interferometric Optics

INTERFEROMETRIC IMAGING

Since 1987

These are references on the optics derived from the application of Dirac's bra-ket notation to N-slit interferometry. As explained in the references Dirac's quantum approach is applicable to the propagation of a single photon or to the propagation of ensembles of indistinguishable photons.

Extremely expanded laser beam illumination (up to 3000:1)

Synonym: Extremely elongated Gaussian beam illumination


Optical architecture for the multiple-prism beam expander microscope/nanoscope (MPBEM/N). The beam incident on the object can be, for example, 25-60 mm wide X 20 µm high. This is an extremely elongated beam (in the plane of propagation) with a width to height ratio in the range of 1000:1 to 3000:1. This concept was first applied to microscopy in 1987 and to nanoscopy in 1995.

Comparisons between theory and experiments, in the NSLI configuration, have been performed for even values (N = 2, 4, 6...) and odd values (N = 3, 5, 7...) of N. This includes the cases of two-slit interference, three-slit interference, four-slit interference, etc. (Duarte, 1991, 2002, 2005). For reviews see Tunable Laser Optics and Tunable Laser Applications).

The 1991 and 1993 papers also reported, for the first time, on the use of quantum mechanics techniques, via Dirac's notation, in the field of imaging. In addition, these papers illustrated the prediction of measured interferograms using interferometric equations derived using Dirac's quantum notation.

It should be noted that this class of very thin one-dimensional illumination has also become known in the community as light sheet illumination and selective plane illumination and is mainly accomplished via the use of cylindrical lenses. However, the use of cylindrical lenses does not provide the extreme expansion ratios achieved via the use of multiple-prism beam exansion.



















Keywords: double-slit interference, double-slit interferometer, double-slit interferometry, four-slit interference, four-slit interferometer, four-slit interferometry, N-slit interference, N-slit interferometer, N-slit interferometry, quantum, quantum imaging, two-slit interference, two-slit interferometer, two-slit interferometry, three-slit interference, three-slit interferometer, three-slit interferometry, triple-slit interference, triple-slit interferometer, triple-slit interferometry, quantum interference




Page published on the 9th of July, 1997. Updated on the 27th of August, 2023.