Retrieval of spectra from interferograms with a small optical path difference using a genetic algorithm

Abstract

We propose a method for retrieval of an optical line spectrum limited to a narrow spectral range using a short interferogram, based on the use of a multi-stage genetic algorithm. We have run simulations for the example of spectra with lines having wavenumbers lying in the 100 cm–1 range, and the maximum optical path difference for the interferograms was 1200 μm. We show that the spectral resolution can be improved by a factor of 3–4 compared with Fourier transform estimation.