Direct measurement of group dispersion of optical components using white-light spectral interferometry

We present a simple white-light spectral interferometric technique employing a low-resolution spectrometer for a direct measurement of the group dispersion of optical components over a wide wavelength range. The technique utilizes an unbalanced Mach-Zehnder interferometer with a component under test inserted in one arm and the other arm with adjustable path length. We record a series of spectral interferograms to measure the equalization wavelength as a function of the path length difference. We measure the absolute group refractive index as a function of wavelength for a quartz crystal of known thickness and the relative one for optical fiber In the latter case we use a microscope objective in front and a lens behind the fiber and subtract their group dispersion, which is measured by a technique of tandem interferometry including also a Michelson interferometer.