A polarization-based tunable interferometric filter essentially consisting of a two-beam interferometer with birefringence elements is described. The analysis of the filter is done through the concept of a geometric phase in optics-namely, the Pancharatnam phase. The transmission characteristics of the filter can be controlled through three parameters: the thickness of the birefringent elements, the optical path difference, and the orientation angle of an analyzer placed at the interferometer output. It is demonstrated theoretically that, with a particular choice of these parameters, the chromatic dispersion of the filter is compensated in a given spectral range. Some properties of the device are confirmed by an experimental demonstration. (C) 1998 Optical Society of America. [References: 13]
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