Improved miniature wavelength meter based on polarisation state measurements

We propose an alternative design to the wavemeters based on scanning Michelson interferometers. Using realistic experimental parameters, we show that a relative accuracy of one part in 6x10 -8 can be reached with a displacement of the target mirror of only 360 mm. This improvment becomes possible thanks to the significant advances in polarimetry that permit measurement of the ellipsometric parameters p and D with an accuracy of 0.07° with readily-available commercial equipment. This leads to an interpolation rate of l/10000. The proposed method has been setup and the chief parameters limiting its accuracy are determined.