Interference Imaging of Refractive Index Distribution in Thin Samples

Abstract

There are three versions of interference imaging of refractive index distribution in thin samples suggested in this contribution. These are based on imaging of interference field created by waves reflected from the front and the back sample surface or imaging of interference field of Michelson or Mach-Zehnder interferometer with the sample put in one of the interferometers arm. The work discusses the advantages and disadvantages of these techniques and presents the results of imaging of refrective index distribution in photorefractive record of a quasi-harmonic optical field in thin LiNbO3 crystal sample.

Keywords

• thin
• interference
• interferometer
• optical field.