Analysis of interference fringes based on the recurrence nonlinear filtering methodology

A novel approach to the analysis of noisy interference fringes is presented. The interferometric data are analyzed in the form of a sampling of discrete readings of the interferometric signal specified by a known deterministic or stochastic parametric model. The stability and accuracy of the recurrence nonlinear filtering of the parameters of noisy interference fringes are investigated. Nonlinear algorithms are developed for single-wavelength, two-wavelength, and multiwavelength interferometers and for interferometers with partially coherent illumination. (C) 2000 The Optical Society of America. [S1070-9762(00)00404-8].