Optical interferometer

An optical interferometer comprising:

• a beam splitter that divides incident light into reflected light and transmitted light which travel along respective optical paths, which are orthogonal to each other;
• a first reflector that subjects said reflected light to total reflection;
• a photodetector;
• a second reflector that subjects said transmitted light to total reflection, after which said reflected light and the transmitted light subject to total reflection are merged at the beam splitter into a single ray of light to fall on said photodetector;
• a third reflector which reflects said transmitted light at right angles so as to fall on said second reflector;
• and
• moving means which synchronously moves said first and second reflectors in opposite directions so as to approach or depart from each other, along an optical path extending between said first reflector and said photodetector.

An optical interferometer comprising:

• a beam splitter that divides incident light into reflected light and transmitted light which travel along respective optical paths, which are orthogonal to each other;
• a first reflector that subjects said reflected light to total reflection;
• a photodetector;
• a second reflector that subjects said transmitted light to total reflection, after which the reflected light and the transmitted light subject to total reflection are merged at the beam splitter into a single ray of light to fall on said photodetector;
• a third reflector which reflects the transmitted light at right angles so as to fall on said second reflector;
• and
• moving means on which said first and second reflectors are mounted and which can be moved along the optical path extending between said first reflector and said photodetector.