Wide-band dispersive interferometric spectroscopy

All-reflective dispersive interferometric spectroscopy (DIS) is a high-resolution spectroscopic technique that, due to its highly compact optical configuration, is well-suited for UV and optical astrophysical space-flight missions. We describe the principles of DIS and present a scheme that provides high spectral resolution (lambda/delta lambda greater than or equal to 10(4)) and broad wavelength coverage (hundreds to thousands of Angstrom) with signal-to-noise performance for absorption-line spectroscopy comparable ts that for classical echelle spectrographs. We show laboratory results that demonstrate the method and outline a candidate instrument for UV space missions.