Methodology for uncertainty evaluation of interferometry systems applied to Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy

Displacement measuring interferometry systems are widely used in many fields of science and can accurately provide information about several different quantities of interest. Practical interferometry systems are composed of optical elements and mechanical moving parts. In contrast with the application of conventional techniques to characterize chemical compounds, the use of spectrometers aided by interferometers leads to significant improvements in both qualitative and quantitative determination of substances. However, this better quality instrumentation calls for the elaboration of mathematical and statistical models that represent not only the physical laws, but also the measurement process, including all those quantities relevant to the determination of the uncertainty of the measurement result.