Phase function and intensity distribution of a Lummer-Gehrcke multiinterferometer

A new multiple beam interferential device called the Lummer-Gehrcke multiinterferometer is presented. The device consists of a plane-parallel transparent plate of a certain thickness and refractive index whose surfaces are coated so that there are a number of consecutive zones of different reflectivities. Light is admitted and emerges near grazing conditions, and the device's dimensions can be made of the order of magnitudes of micrometers, making it adequate for coupling in integrated systems. The interferometer's phase function and intensity distribution are obtained in a unified calculation and some potential applications are suggested.