Segmented-Aperture Michelson Interferometer

In a proposed modification of the basic design of a Michelson interferometer, the beam aperture would be split into a number (N ≧ 2) of smaller areas and the optics arranged so that the beam in each area would generate a distinct segment of the overall desired interferogram. Each segment of the interferogram would correspond to a different segment of the overall optical-path difference (OPD) needed to obtain the desired spectral resolution. As explained below, the advantage of the proposed modification is that the size and mass of a Michelson interferometer could be reduced considerably.