Hologram Interferometry

Abstract

Holography is a method whereby optical wave-fields can be stored in a photographic plate and ‘played out’ again at any later time. The wavefronts so generated can be used to take part in optical interference phenomena. Hologram interferometry can thus be defined as the study of the interference effects taking place in wave fronts reconstructed from holograms in which some optical path difference exists between the wave-fronts. Because of the complex nature of the wave-fields that can be stored holographic-ally, hologram interferometry has a much wider application as a measuring technique than has convenional interferometry.