title: Michelson interferometer with a rotating retroreflector: a laboratory model for environmental monitoring.
abstract: Designed for atmospheric pollution monitoring, a breadboard model of a new Michelson interferometer has been developed. It utilizes a nutating retroreflector to generate alterations in the geometrical and optical paths. The forward-backward stop-and-go movement of a reflecting element of conventional Michelson interferometers is thus replaced by a continuous rotation. At this state the instrument employs a 6.3-cm (2.5-in.) diam rotating retroreflector, a ZnSe beam splitter, and a HgCdTe detector at liquid nitrogen temperature, sensitive in the 8-14-microm band. It allows spectral resolutions of up to 2 cm(-1). The device is linked via an analog digital interface to a desktop computer which performs interferometer control, data acquisition, Fourier transform, and display of the spectra.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Haschberger
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Mayer
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Tank
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Dietl