Computer Support of Analysis of Optical Spectra Measurements

Abstract

The verification of measurement errors has a big impact on the assessment of the accuracy of conducted measurements and obtained results. In many cases, computer simulation results are compared with measurement results in order to evaluate measurement errors. The purpose of our research was to check the accuracy of measurements made with a Fabry–Perot interferometer working in the transmission mode. In the measurement setup, a 1310 nm superluminescent diode light source, single-mode optical fibers and an optical spectrum analyzer were used. The influence of the length of the resonating cavity and refractive index on the envelope of the optical spectrum was investigated. A program was created that models the envelope of the optical spectrum on the basis of the length of the resonating cavity, the refractive index and the light source output spectral characteristic, which in simulation was assumed to have the shape of Gaussian distribution. After the simulation the program compares the simulated and measured optical spectrum. The comparison of simulated and measured optical spectra proved to be challenging due to the shift in the position of the central peak between the simulated and measured optical spectrum. There are two ways to perform model fitting: by adjusting the position of central peaks or minimums next to the central peak. It was observed that the second solution was more optimal and was implemented in the program.