| etalon [`ed·ǝl´än] OPTICS 1. Two adjustable parallel mirrors mounted so that either one may serve as one of the mirrors in a Michelson interferometer; used to measure distances in terms of wavelengths of spectral lines. 2. An instrument similar to the Fabry-Pérot interferometer, except that the distance between the plates is fixed. Also known as Fabry- Pérot etalon. |