Optical analyzer and method for reducing relative intensity noise in interferometric optical measurements using a continuously tunable laser

An interferometric optical analyzer for device characterization comprising:

• a light source configured to generate an input lightwave having a continuously swept optical frequency;
• an optical interferometer with an optical device configured to produce first and second interference signals using a first lightwave from said optical device and a second lightwave, said first and second lightwaves being derived from said input lightwave, said first and second interference signals containing noise components;
• and
• a subtracting unit configured to subtract intensities of said first and second interference signals to derive a differential signal with a reduced amount of said noise components, said differential signal containing information related to optical properties of said optical device.

An interferometric optical analyzer for device characterization comprising:

• a continuously tunable laser configured to generate an input lightwave having a continuously swept optical frequency;
• an optical interferometer configured to split said input lightwave into first and second lightwaves, said first lightwave being transmitted to an optical device being characterized, said optical interferometer further configured to combine said first lightwave from said optical device with said second lightwave to derive first and second combined signals;
• balanced detectors configured to measure intensities of first and interference signals produced by said first and second combined signals, said first and second interference signals containing noise components;
• and
• a subtracting unit configured to subtract said intensities of said first and second interference signals to derive a differential signal with reduced amount of said noise components, said differential signal containing information related to optical properties of said optical device.