Dispersion of the group birefringence of a calcite crystal measured by white-light spectral interferometry

Abstract

We present a white-light spectral interferometric technique employing a low-resolution spectrometer for a direct measurement of the dispersion of the group birefringence of a calcite crystal over the wavelength range approximately from 490 to 780 nm. The technique utilizes a tandem configuration of a Michelson interferometer and a calcite crystal of known thickness to record a series of spectral interferograms and to measure the equalization wavelength as a function of the optical path difference (OPD) in the Michelson interferometer, or equivalently, the wavelength dependence of the group birefringence of the calcite crystal. We confirm that the measured group birefringence dispersion agrees well with that described by the dispersion equation proposed by Ghosh. Furthermore, we determine precisely the thickness of the calcite crystal from the slope of linear dependence of the measured OPD on the group birefringence given by the dispersion equation.