An optical device comprising: a prism assembly including: a first triangular prism comprising a light-transmitting material having a plurality of surfaces including at least a first surface associated with a source of light, a second surface oblique to the first surface, and a third surface, a second triangular prism comprising a light-transmitting material having a plurality of surfaces including at least a first surface associated with a detector, a second surface oblique to the first surface of the second prism, and a third surface, wherein the second surface of the first prism is in overlapping relation with the second surface of the second prism to define an interface region of a given length that partially extends along at least one of the second surface of the first prism or the second surface of the second prism, and wherein the first and second prisms (12, 22) are optically attached at the interface region; and a beamsplitter configuration overlying the interface region, wherein an incoming light beam (50a, 52a, 54a, 56a) emitted by the source of light is transmitted by the first surface of the first prism, transmitted by the beamsplitter configuration, reflected by the first surface of the second prism, reflected by the third surface of the second prism, reflected by the beamsplitter configuration, and transmitted by the first surface of the second prism so as to propagate to the detector through the first and second prisms (12, 22) along a first optical path, and wherein the incoming light beam (50a, 52a, 54a, 56a) emitted by the source of light is transmitted by the first surface of the first prism, reflected by the beamsplitter configuration, reflected by the first surface of the first prism, reflected by the third surface of the first prism, transmitted by the beamsplitter configuration, and transmitted by the first surface of the second prism so as to so as to propagate to the detector through the first and second prisms (12, 22) along a second optical path, such that the incoming light beam (50a, 52a, 54a, 56a) that propagates along the first and second optical paths reaches the detector as two coherent light beams (50g, 52g, 54g, 56g). a prism assembly including: a first triangular prism comprising a light-transmitting material having a plurality of surfaces including at least a first surface associated with a source of light, a second surface oblique to the first surface, and a third surface, a second triangular prism comprising a light-transmitting material having a plurality of surfaces including at least a first surface associated with a detector, a second surface oblique to the first surface of the second prism, and a third surface, wherein the second surface of the first prism is in overlapping relation with the second surface of the second prism to define an interface region of a given length that partially extends along at least one of the second surface of the first prism or the second surface of the second prism, and wherein the first and second prisms (12, 22) are optically attached at the interface region; and a first triangular prism comprising a light-transmitting material having a plurality of surfaces including at least a first surface associated with a source of light, a second surface oblique to the first surface, and a third surface, a second triangular prism comprising a light-transmitting material having a plurality of surfaces including at least a first surface associated with a detector, a second surface oblique to the first surface of the second prism, and a third surface, wherein the second surface of the first prism is in overlapping relation with the second surface of the second prism to define an interface region of a given length that partially extends along at least one of the second surface of the first prism or the second surface of the second prism, and wherein the first and second prisms (12, 22) are optically attached at the interface region; and a beamsplitter configuration overlying the interface region, wherein an incoming light beam (50a, 52a, 54a, 56a) emitted by the source of light is transmitted by the first surface of the first prism, transmitted by the beamsplitter configuration, reflected by the first surface of the second prism, reflected by the third surface of the second prism, reflected by the beamsplitter configuration, and transmitted by the first surface of the second prism so as to propagate to the detector through the first and second prisms (12, 22) along a first optical path, and wherein the incoming light beam (50a, 52a, 54a, 56a) emitted by the source of light is transmitted by the first surface of the first prism, reflected by the beamsplitter configuration, reflected by the first surface of the first prism, reflected by the third surface of the first prism, transmitted by the beamsplitter configuration, and transmitted by the first surface of the second prism so as to so as to propagate to the detector through the first and second prisms (12, 22) along a second optical path, such that the incoming light beam (50a, 52a, 54a, 56a) that propagates along the first and second optical paths reaches the detector as two coherent light beams (50g, 52g, 54g, 56g).