A Student Experiment in Fourier Transform Spectroscopy

Abstract

This project was to design and build an optical system for a student laboratory exercise that would allow the light from various discharge tubes to be analyzed. To test its operation, Sodium and Mercury sources were used. If it could give the correct results from these emission spectra, then chances are good that other simple spectra would also come out properly. The spectrum must be very simple for this technique in its present form to give meaningful results.