Monolithic assembly of reflective spatial heterodyne spectrometer
AssigneeCalifornia Institute of Technology
InventorSeyedeh Sona Hosseini
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Novel monolithic cyclical reflective spatial heterodyne spectrometers (CRSHS) are presented. Monolithic CRSHS in accordance with the invention have a single frame wherein a flat mirror, roof mirror, and symmetric grating are affixed. The invention contains only fixed parts; the flat mirror, roof mirror, and symmetric grating do not move in relation to the frame. Compared to conventional CRSHS known in the art, the present invention enables much smaller and lighter CRSHS, requires less time and skill for maintenance, and is a better economic option. The disclosed invention may include fixed field-widening optical elements or a fiber-fed assembly.
Claims20
A monolithic cyclical reflective spatial heterodyne spectrometer comprising:
- a symmetric grating, said symmetric grating being configured to split an incoming beam of light, having a wavelength λ, into two diffracted beams traveling in different, angularly offset directions;
- a flat mirror, disposed at a first angle in relation to the symmetric grating;
- and
- a roof mirror, disposed at a second angle in relation to the symmetric grating;
- wherein the flat mirror and the roof mirror are disposed such that said flat mirror and said roof mirror reflect the diffracted beams in a cyclical common-path configuration such that said diffracted beams diffract again off the symmetric grating to produce a localized fringe pattern;
- and
- a monolithic supporting structure formed from a single piece of a single material forming a body with a plurality of walls and defining internal volume, wherein each wall in the plurality of walls defines a planar surface;
- wherein the flat mirror, the roof mirror, and the symmetric grating are each securely affixed with an adhesive substance to a different wall in the plurality of walls of said body of said supporting structure;
- and
- wherein the walls of the supporting structure to which the flat mirror, the roof mirror, and the symmetric grating are affixed are aligned to generate a heterodyne condition at all times, said heterodyne condition being satisfied when there exists a heterodyne wavelength λ0 where the two diffracted beams exit the reflective spatial heterodyne spectrometer in normal angle and do not produce a localized fringe pattern.
A field-widened monolithic cyclical reflective spatial heterodyne spectrometer comprising:
- a symmetric grating, said symmetric grating being configured to split an incoming beam of light, having a wavelength λ, into two diffracted beams traveling in different, angularly offset directions;
- a flat mirror, disposed at a first angle in relation to the symmetric grating;
- a roof mirror, disposed at a second angle in relation to the symmetric grating;
- wherein the flat mirror and the roof mirror are disposed such that said flat mirror and said roof mirror reflect the diffracted beams cyclical common-path configuration such that said diffracted beams diffract again off the symmetric grating to produce a localized fringe pattern;
- at least one optical element;
- and
- a monolithic supporting structure formed from a single piece of a single material forming a body with a plurality of walls and defining internal volume, wherein each wall in the plurality of walls defines a planar surface;
- wherein the flat mirror, the roof mirror, the symmetric grating, and the at least one optical element are each securely affixed with an adhesive substance to a different wall in the plurality of walls of said body of said supporting structure;
- and
- wherein the walls of the supporting structure to which the flat mirror, the roof mirror, the symmetric grating, and the at least one optical element are affixed are aligned to generate a heterodyne condition at all times, said heterodyne condition being satisfied when there exists a heterodyne wavelength λ0 where the two diffracted beams exit the reflective spatial heterodyne spectrometer in normal angle and do not produce a localized fringe pattern;
- and
- wherein the at least one optical element increases throughput and widens field of view while maintaining a fringe localization plane.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.