On-line Far-infrared Michelson Interferometry in a Time-shared Mode

A method is described for implementing real-time far-infrared Fourier spectroscopy in a time-shared environment. The system makes use of the IBM 1800 TSX-based General Experimental Monitor (GEM) and reduces by at least an order of magnitude the time between experiment initiation and the display of useful spectral frequency and intensity information. The key feature of the system includes conversational mode operation with the incomplete data array. This feature enables one to review at any interval the Fourier transform of the partially acquired data without in any way disturbing the process of data collection. Procedures are illustrated also for performing signal averaging and several comparatively routine spectroscopic tasks.