Low-coherence interferometry with synthesis of coherence function

Synthesis of a coherence function by manipulation of the spectral phase of low-coherent light with a segmented liquid-crystal phase modulator and its application in a low-coherence interferometry are described. Effects of space-time coupling caused at diffractive gratings and second-order dispersion at the spatial light modulator on the coherence function synthesis are theoretically and experimentally verified. Various coherence functions can be shaped with phase-only masks designed by simulated annealing optimization algorithm. We utilized this technique for a novel optical low-coherence reflectometry without any mechanical movement for scanning optical delay. (C) 1999 Optical Society of America.