Simultaneous Measurement of Refractive Index and Thickness by Low Coherence Interferometry Considering Chromatic Dispersion of Index

Low coherence interferometry can provide simultaneous measurement of refractive index n and thickness t of a transparent plate, as reported recently by some research groups. Precise measurement of n and t is impossible unless chromatic dispersion of index is taken into account. We then proposed and demonstrated a unique technique for simultaneous measurement of phase index np, group index ng and thickness t using a special sample holder. This paper describes a novel technique for simultaneous measurement of np, ng and t using an approximate expression of the chromatic dispersion in terms of np. The approximate expression of chromatic dispersion does not require use of the special sample holder, and np, ng and t are determined from two measurable quantities with an accuracy of 0.3% or less, for the sample thickness was around 1 mm. In addition, it is possible to shorten the measurement time compared with the above method.