Self-Referenced Spectrometer

Abstract:

Aspects of the disclosure relate to a self-referenced spectrometer for providing simultaneous measurement of a background or reference spectral density and a sample or other spectral density. The self-referenced spectrometer includes an interferometer optically coupled to receive an input beam and to direct the input beam along a first optical path to produce a first interfering beam and a second optical path to produce a second interfering beam, where each interfering beam is produced prior to an output of the interferometer. The spectrometer further includes a detector optically coupled to simultaneously detect a first interference signal produced from the first interfering beam and a second interference signal produced from the second interfering beam, and a processor configured to process the first interference signal and the second interference signal and to utilize the second interference signal as a reference signal in processing the first interference signal.