Frequency and bandwidth agile optical bench
AssigneeBAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.
InventorsMichael J. Powers, Robert Carlson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An optical bench utilizing narrowband optical filters on precision rotary stages that can provide custom tuning of the operational frequencies of the optical bench while maintaining the ability to switch between narrowband and wideband operation thereof. The precision rotary filters may further provide dynamic reconfiguration of the optical bench to alternate frequencies for intersystem compatibility, the enablement of additional self-test capabilities, and easing the manufacturing tolerances thereof.
Claims15
A laser communications optical bench comprising:
- at least one generator operable to generate an optical communications transmission beam at a first frequency along a transmission pathway;
- a rotation mechanism;
- and
- a filter carried by the rotation mechanism;
- at least one receiver operable to receive an optical communications receiver beam from outside of the optical bench along a receiver pathway;
- a second rotation mechanism;
- and
- a second filter carried by the second rotation mechanism within the receiver pathway;
- wherein the rotation mechanism is operable to rotate the filter to any desired position between a first position wherein the filter is substantially orthogonal to the transmission pathway and a second position wherein the filter is substantially parallel to and out of the transmission pathway, and wherein the filter is further operable to shift a center wavelength frequency of the transmission beam within a desired frequency band as it rotates between the first position and the second position;
- and
- wherein the second rotation mechanism is operable to rotate the second filter to any desired position between a first position wherein the second filter is substantially orthogonal to the receiver pathway of the receiver beam and a second position wherein the second filter is substantially parallel to and out of the receiver pathway of the receiver beam, and wherein the second filter is further operable to shift a center wavelength frequency of the receiver beam within a desired frequency band as it rotates between the first position and the second position.
A method of tuning a laser communications optical beam comprising:
- generating an optical communications transmission beam from at least one beam generator;
- directing the transmission beam down a transmission pathway in an optical bench;
- rotating a filter to a first position wherein the filter is substantially orthogonal to the transmission pathway;
- filtering the transmission beam with a filter to have a required center wavelength relative to a desired wavelength of the transmission beam;
- rotating the filter to a second position wherein the filter is substantially parallel to and out of the transmission pathway and the transmission beam is not filtered;
- operating the transmission pathway of the optical bench in a wideband mode when the filter is in the second position;
- and
- receiving an optical communications receiver beam from outside of the optical bench along a receiver pathway;
- directing the receiver beam down the receiver pathway;
- rotating a second filter to a first position wherein the second filter is substantially orthogonal to the receiver pathway;
- filtering the receiver beam with the second filter to have a required center wavelength relative to a desired wavelength of the receiver beam;
- rotating the second filter to a second position wherein the second filter is substantially parallel to and out of the receiver pathway and the receiver beam is not filtered;
- and
- operating the receiver pathway of the optical bench in a wideband mode when the second filter is in the second position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.