Abstract
A two-beam interferometer with a dispersive sample in its measuring beam is illuminated with quasi-monochromatic radiation of a grating monochromator. The wavelength u of this radiation is continuously changed through an extended wavelength range by turning the grating, and a dispersive continuous wavelength interferogram I (u) is recorded at a fixed point of observation. If the real index of refraction of the sample is known absolutely for only one observed wavelength u 0, the dispersion of its complex index of refraction can be extracted out of the dispersive wavelength interferogram after subtracting a similar interferogram for the empty interferometer. This new and effective method of ‘scanning or continuous wavelength interferometry’ is fully described on the basis of some examples for the visible wavelength range.

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