US 10,209,131 B2Granted

Automated delay line alignment

AssigneeUltrafast Systems LLC

InventorsAlexander Sobolev, Nikita Kurakin, Alexey Gusev

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Abstract

A system and method for aligning a light beam in a spectroscopic measuring device such as a pump-probe device is provided. The system and method comprise a first motorized mirror (66b) positioned to receive and transmit a light beam (60a); a second motorized mirror (66c) positioned relative to the first mirror to receive the light beam from the first mirror and transmit the light beam to a delay line (64); a third mirror (78) positioned to receive the light beam from the delay line and transmit said light beam to a detector (80); and a computer-based processor (82) in communication with the detector and the first and second mirrors, the processor configured to a) receive and process data relating to the light beam from the detector, and b) cause movement of the first and second mirrors to change an angle of the mirrors based on the data relating to the light beam.

Claims14

Dependent claims

A method for aligning a light beam in a spectroscopic measuring device, the method comprising:

a) providing an a system comprising optical components comprising first and second motorized mirrors for transmitting the light beam to a delay line, a detector, and a third mirror for transmitting the light beam to the detector;
b) With the delay line in a first position and each of the first and second mirrors set at a first angle, conducting a light beam to the delay line via the first and second mirrors such that the light beam exiting the delay line is transmitted to the detector via the third mirror;
c) Transmitting a first location of the beam on the detector to a computer-based processor;
d) Establishing a relationship between the angle of the first mirror and the position of the beam on the detector;
e) Establishing a relationship between the angle of the second mirror and the position of the beam on the detector;
and
f) Establishing a relationship between the position of the delay line and the position of the beam on the detector;
wherein the steps d) and e) of establishing a relationship between the angle of the first and second mirrors and the position of the beam on the detector comprises:
(1) Moving the first or second mirror at a first angle along a vertical axis to transmit the beam to the detector, registering a location of the beam on the detector, and transmitting said beam location to the computer-based processor;
(2) Moving the mirror of step (1) at a second angle along a horizontal axis to transmit the beam to the detector, registering location of the beam on the detector and transmitting said beam location to the computer-based processor;
and
(3) Repeating steps (1) and (2) for the other of the first and second mirrors.

9 more elements

A method for aligning a light beam in a spectroscopic measuring device, the method comprising:

a) providing alignment system comprising optical components comprising first and second motorized mirrors for transmitting the light beam to a delay line, a detector, and a third mirror for transmitting the light beam to the detectors;
b) With the delay line in a first position and each of the first and second mirrors set at a first angle, conducting a light beam to the delay line via the first and second mirrors such that the light beam exiting the delay line is transmitted to the detector via the third mirror;
c) Transmitting a first location of the beam on the detector to a computer-based processor;
d) Establishing a relationship between the angle of the first mirror and the position of the beam on the detector;
e) Establishing a relationship between the angle of the second mirror and the position of the beam on the detector;
and
f) Establishing a relationship between the position of the delay line and the position of the beam on the detector, comprising
(1) Moving the delay line to a second position, and
a) Moving the first mirror at a first angle along a vertical axis to transmit the beam to the detector, registering a location of the beam on the detector, and transmitting said beam location to the computer-based processor;
b) Moving the first mirror at a second angle along a horizontal axis to transmit the beam to the detector, registering a location of the beam on the detector, and transmitting said beam location to the computer-based processor;
c) Moving the second mirror at a first angle along a vertical axis to transmit the beam to the detector, registering a location of the beam on the detector, and transmitting said beam location to the computer-based processor;
d) Moving the second mirror at a second angle along a horizontal axis to transmit the beam to the detector, registering a location of the beam on the detector, and transmitting said be location to the computer-based processor;
(2) Moving the delay line to a third position and repeating steps (1a) through (1d);
and
(3) Determining how the beam position on the detector depends on the angles of the first and second mirrors and the position of the delay line.

12 more elements

A method for aligning a light beam in a spectroscopic measuring device, the method comprising:

a) providing an alignment system comprising optical components comprising first and second motorized mirrors for transmitting the light beam to a delay line, a detector, and a third mirror for transmitting the light beam to the detector;
b) With the delay line in a first position and each of the first and second mirrors set at a first angle, conducting a light beam to the delay line via the first and second mirrors such that the light beam exiting the delay line is transmitted to the detector via the third mirror;
c) Transmitting a first location of the beam on the detector to a computer-based processor;
d) Establishing a relationship between the angle of the first mirror and the position of the beam on the detector:
(1) moving the first mirror at a first angle along a vertical axis;
(2) registering a second location of the beam on the detector and transmitting said second beam location to the computer-based processor;
(3) moving the first mirror at a second angle along a horizontal axis;
and
(4) registering a third location of the beam on the detector and transmitting said third beam location to the computer-based processor;
e) Establishing a relationship between the angle of the second mirror and the position of the beam on the detector:
(1) moving the second mirror at a first angle along a vertical axis;
(2) registering a fourth location of the beam on the detector and transmitting said fourth beam location to the computer-based processor;
(3) moving the second mirror at a second angle along a horizontal axis;
and
(4) registering a fifth location of the beam on the detector and transmitting said fifth beam location to the computer-based processor;
f) Establishing a relationship between the position of the delay line and the position of the beam on the detector:
(1) moving the delay line to a second position;
and
(1a) moving the first mirror at a first angle along a vertical axis;
(1b) registering a sixth location of the beam on the detector and transmitting said sixth beam location to the computer-based processor;
(1c) moving the first mirror at a second angle along a horizontal axis;
and
(1d) registering a seventh location of the beam on the detector and transmitting said seventh beam location to the computer-based processor;
(1e) moving the second mirror at a first angle along a vertical axis;
(1f) registering a eight location of the beam on the detector and transmitting said eighth beam location to the computer-based processor;
(1g) moving the second mirror at a second angle along a horizontal axis;
and
(1h) registering a ninth location of the beam on the detector and transmitting said ninth beam location to the computer-based processor;
and
(2) moving the delay line to a third position and repeating steps (1a) through (1h);
g) Processing the beam position changes on the detector to correspond the changes in angles of the first and second mirrors with the position of the delay line;
and
h) Adjusting the angles of the first and second mirrors to send the beam to a desired position on the detector.

30 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/753,459Filed 19 Aug 2016 · us provisional application
Priority: 21 Aug 2015
Published: US 2018/0245977 A130 Aug 2018
Granted: 19 Feb 2019
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification11 codes

G01J 3/0289
Details: field-of-view determination; Aiming or pointing of a spectrometer; Adjusting alignment; Encoding angular position; Size of measurement area;…
G01B 11/272
For testing the alignment of axes: using photoelectric detection means
G01J 1/30
Using variation of intensity or distance of source: using electric radiation detectors
G01J 1/4257
Using electric radiation detectors: applied to monitoring the characteristics of a beam, e.g. laser beam, headlamp beam