Experimental Demonstration of Double-Fourier Interferometer Imaging for Future Space-Based Far-Infrared Observatories

Abstract

Far-infrared (FIR) astronomy is crucial for observing star formation, active galactic nuclei, and protoplanetary systems, but its effectiveness is severely limited by poor diffraction-limited spatial resolution. To overcome this limitation, a double-Fourier interferometer (DFI), which couples a spatial interferometer with a Fourier transform spectrometer, has been proposed to deliver high-resolution broadband spectral imaging. Despite various conceptual and prototype studies, a comprehensive demonstration of DFI capabilities has been lacking. In this study, we present the validation of key DFI observing techniques using a laboratory testbed operating in the 0.3 to 2.1 THz optical bandwidth. We detail the instrument's ideal response alongside necessary calibrations for intensity imbalances, non-linear phase errors, and phase-center offsets. Our experimental results successfully demonstrate aperture synthesis for both one- and two-dimensional targets, accurately recovering source geometries. Furthermore, we prove the instrument's sensitivity to spatially dependent spectral variations by utilizing a low-pass optical filter on extended sources. Finally, we validate wide-field imaging capabilities by combining data from independent pixels in a detector array, each sensitive to different regions of the source plane. The experimental data show significant agreement with theoretical predictions, with minor deviations attributed to optical aberrations and perspective effects. These laboratory demonstrations validate the DFI architecture as a highly capable and mature technology for future space-based FIR observatories.