Compensation of coherence effects in an optical spectrum analyzer

Abstract

An optical technique is described which is capable of compensating the effects of imperfect spatial coherent illumination on the performance of a modified Mach-Zehnder spectrum analyzer. Methods for experimentally determining the complex mutual coherence function of the illumination using the analyzer are also described. The addition to the system of a calibrated phase shifter controlled by a minicomputer is proposed, which permits the spectral amplitude and phase to be determined automatically in real time.