Low-coherence interferometric measurement of the spectral dependence of the light field backscattered by optical interfaces

Abstract

In this paper, we show how the combined use of low coherence interferometry, balanced detection and data processing comparable to that used in Fourier transform spectrometry allows us to characterize with ultimate resolutions (sub-ppm in level, 0.2 nm in wavelength and 5 mdeg in angle) the retro-reflection and retro-scattering response of both sides of a 2 mm thick silica wafer.