Use of holographic interferometry in monitoring the quality of cryogenic laser fusion targets

A study is made of the use of holographic interferometry in monitoring of the quality of cryogenic targets intended for laser thermonuclear fusion studies. It is shown that difference interferometry, involving interference between two waves one of which carries information on a warm target and the other on a deeply cooled target, in combination with methods for increasing the sensitivity simplifies analysis of interferograms and increases the precision of determination of variation of the thickness of a cryogenic layer.