Interferometer facts for kids

Interferometers are for measuring the interference properties of light waves. One of their purposes is to measure things precisely, for example in the Michelson interferometer.

Images for kids

Figure 3. Colored and monochromatic fringes in a Michelson interferometer: (a) White light fringes where the two beams differ in the number of phase inversions; (b) White light fringes where the two beams have experienced the same number of phase inversions; (c) Fringe pattern using monochromatic light (sodium D lines)
Figure 4. Four examples of common-path interferometers
Interferometry is used in radio astronomy, with timing offsets of D sin θ
Figure 11. The VLA interferometer
ALMA is an astronomical interferometer located in Chajnantor Plateau
Figure 13. Optical flat interference fringes. (left) flat surface, (right) curved surface.
Figure 14. Twyman–Green Interferometer
Figure 17. Phase shifting and Coherence scanning interferometers
Figure 18. Lunate cells of Nepenthes khasiana visualized by Scanning White Light Interferometry (SWLI)
Figure 20. InSAR Image of Kilauea, Hawaii showing fringes caused by deformation of the terrain over a six-month period.
Figure 21. ESPI fringes showing a vibration mode of a clamped square plate
Figure 24. Spyrogira cell (detached from algal filament) under phase contrast
Figure 25. Toxoplasma gondii unsporulated oocyst, differential interference contrast
Figure 26. High resolution phase-contrast x-ray image of a spider