| 摘要 |
<p>An interferometer generates interference between two (or more) waves that have traveled separate paths so as to measure a quantity of difference between these paths. One of these paths, the reference path, is usually one with well known spatial and material properties (such as free space). The other path(s) is(are) the test path(s). The main difficulties in interferometry stem from the production and operation of this physical reference path. The present invention solves this problem by replacing the physical reference path with a virtual one. This is done by suitable operation on the physically generated interference pattern of an unreferenced interferometer with a virtually generated sinusoid of frequency corresponding to the desired reference path length. The result is a new form of interferometer called a Virtual Reference Interferometer.</p> |
