Temporal processing with the Montgomery interferometer

• Published in: Optics communications Vol. 236; no. 1; pp. 45 - 52
• Main Authors: Mı́nguez-Vega, Gladys, Jahns, Jürgen
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.06.2004; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Diffraction; Diffraction and scattering; Exact sciences and technology; Fundamental areas of phenomenology (including applications); Interference; Optics; Physics; Pulse-shaping; Self-imaging; Short pulses; Spatio-temporal processing; Tapped delay-line filter; Wave optics; Diffraction; Tapped delay-line filter; Spatio-temporal processing; 42.25; 42.40; Pulse-shaping; Self-imaging; Short pulses; 41.85; Spatial frequency; Light interferometry; Scalar theory; Optical diffraction; Temporal frequency; Electromagnetic wave diffraction; Transfer functions; Theoretical study; Plane waves; Self imaging; Optical set up; Pulse shape
• ISSN: 0030-4018; 1873-0310
• DOI: 10.1016/j.optcom.2004.03.017

In this work, the strong interaction between the spatial and temporal frequencies is exploited by the Montgomery interferometer to process time-limited signals. With this objective and using the scalar diffraction theory, we identify the transfer function of the setup for the on-axis pulse plane wave. Moreover, in order to control the output complex field envelope, a linear and quadratic order Taylor approximation for the transfer function of each spatial frequency is performed. The potential applications of this device, the study of the validity of the approach and some numerical examples are also presented.