Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for detecting or generating and modulating optical signals, and having an angular dispersive element arranged to change angles of the optical signals or carrier and/or reference rays brought to interference.

Abstract: A diffractive interferometric optical device is provided for measuring spectral properties of light. The device includes means for coupling in a single spatial mode of an incoming light field to be examined, means for splitting the single spatial mode of incoming light field into at least two partial fields, means for changing one of a shape or a direction of propagation of the wavefront of at least one of the at least two partial fields in dependence on the wavelength and means for generating an interference pattern superimposing the at least two partial fields. The device further comprises detection means to record and evaluate the interference pattern at a plurality of discrete spatial positions in order to derive spectral properties of the incoming light field.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for optical spectroscopy having means to produce an interference pattern and having a spatially resolving detector which can record the interference pattern produced. In accordance with the invention, the wavefronts of at least one of the part rays involved in the interference pattern is influenced in dependence on the wavelength by spectrally dispersive or diffractive optical elements.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for detecting or generating and modulating optical signals, and having an angular dispersive element arranged to change angles of the optical signals or carrier and/or reference rays brought to interference.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a spectrally dispersive interferometric optical apparatus having a light source, generating a phase shift, measuring the intensity of the interference signals, selectively measuring the intensity of the interference signal and determining the phase angles and/or a relative phase shift of the intensity of the interference signals. In accordance with the invention, the generating of a phase shift between components of different polarization directions in at least one of the branches of the interferometer includes a diffraction grating. The selective determination of the intensity of the interference signal in dependence on the polarization moreover permits determination of the respective intensity for the TE components and for the TM components of the interference signal with respect to the coordinate system of the diffraction grating.

Abstract: A high memory capacity with relatively low demands on the optical quality of the components used is possible in accordance with the invention by the means to generate the at least two light rays and/or the memory element and/or means to guide the light rays are designed in such a way that the spatial orientation of the interference sample generated in the memory element by the light rays can be changed in any spatial direction over the spatial orientation of an interference pattern stored in the memory element and/or a light diffracting structure present in the memory element. The invention further relates to a device for the readout of optical information and a method for the optical recording and for the optical readout of information.