Multiple-beam interferometric determination of the coherence length of spectral sources

Abstract A theoretical treatment for multiple-beam fringe visibility taking into consideration the profile of the spectral source is derived for (a) a Gaussian profile; and (b) a Lorentzian profile. A comparative study between the visibility of the two profiles is presented. Expressions for the intensity distribution for Doppler and Voigt cases are given. The fringe visibility dependence on the half-width of the spectral profile of the light illuminating the interferometer for the two cases, namely Lorentzian and Gaussian, is presented. This leads to the view that the coherence length for a Voigt profile is less than it is in the absence of Doppler or pressure broadening. Multiple-beam Fabry-Perot fringes in transmission have been utilized for the determination of the coherence length of the two spectral lines emitted from 198 Hg at wavelengths of 5461 A and 4358 A. The method for determination is based on the variation of the visibility of the recorded interference fringes with path difference.