Interferometer

1002202-78

[DEFINITION]
An apparatus that reunites two or more electromagnetic or sonic wave coming from the same source via different paths, to produce interference between them.

[DESCRIPTION]
Adding to the optical interferometer, X-rays, electron beam, and ultrasonic interferometer are also used. Interferometers are effective to measure small displacements or subtle differences in reflective index, and are used to measure surface geometry, deformation, displacement, vibration, changes in density. Typical optical interferometers are Michelson interferometer, Twyman-Green interferometer, Fizeau interferometer, Mach-Zehnder interferometer, shearing interferometer, and Fabry-Perot interferometer.

[References]
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[Related Terms]