Fiber interferometer for simultaneous multiwavelength phase measurement with a broadband femtosecond laser

We present a fiber interferometer for the simultaneous measurement of phase at multiple wavelengths from a single broadband femtosecond laser. Narrow-bandwidth fiber Bragg gratings isolate a particular frequency from the broad-bandwidth laser pulse produced. The multiwavelength phase data permit the unambiguous measurement range to be significantly increased compared with the wavelengths used in the interferometer. Preliminary experimental results are presented for a two-frequency sensor with an absolute range of 0.13 mm and associated dynamic range of 43,000:1. (C) 2004 Optical Society of America.