Optically Active Fabry-Perot Etalon

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Abstract
The paper studies multibeam interference in the case of multiple reflection of an electromagnetic wave (EMW) from a plane-parallel, isotropic, optically active and non-absorbing plate (Fabry-Perot etalon). Due to the optical activity the two refracted EMW in the plate are left- and right-circularly polarized and have unequal refractive indices. During their propagation through the plate the two waves accumulate a phase difference which modulates the multibeam interferogram. Both in the reflected and in the transmitted beams a polarization perpendicular to the polarization of the incident EMW appears (whose intensity is up to several tens of per cent of the incident beam intensity). Due to the gyrotropy of the plate at large angles of incidence the interference bands split. Thus the optical activity of the etalon may affect its precision as an optical element. The multibeam interference may be used as a source of spectroscopic information about the optical activity of the plate.