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glossary

Plane parallel plate: optical component made of a refractive medium in between two plane and parallel surfaces
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
Interferometer: device generating interference
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 »
Angle of incidence: angle of a light ray incident on a surface with the normal to the surface
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