Interferometry is a measurement technique that exploits the superposition of coherent waves, typically electromagnetic or matter waves, to extract precise information from the resulting interference pattern. By splitting a wavefront into multiple paths that traverse different optical or physical conditions and then recombining them, interferometry enables highly sensitive determination of path length differences, refractive index variations, surface topography, displacements, and phase shifts. It underpins applications such as optical metrology, gravitational wave detection, astronomical aperture synthesis, and coherence characterization, with performance determined by factors including coherence length, phase stability, wavelength, and environmental noise control.
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