Glossary
- Interference: superposition of light waves whose resulting intensity depends on the phase shifts between them
- Wavelength ( of a light wave ): distance between two consecutive identical states of the electric ( or magnetic ) field
- Refraction index: for a transparent medium, ratio between the light speed in the air and the light speed in the medium ; for a reflective surface in the air or vacuum, the refraction index is « - 1 »
- Fabry Perot interferometer: multi-wave interferometer made of a parallel plate which surfaces have a non null reflectivity
- Interference fringe: bright or dark band caused by light waves interference - bright and dark fringe occur for waves respectively in phase and out of phase with one another
- Angle of incidence: angle of a light ray incident on a surface with the normal to the surface
- Order ( interference ): number of wavelengths corresponding to the difference between the optical paths traveled by two interfering light rays