Low-aberration high-speed-compatible optical delay lines and methods thereof
AssigneeGeorgia Tech Research Corporation
InventorsMarcus Cicerone, Xavier Audier
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An example architecture for providing a delay line for optical techniques. The delay line architecture includes a focusing element that has a focal axis disposed parallel to its length. The line of symmetry provided by the focal axis obviates path-length-dependent aberrations caused by the off-axis beam translations. The systems also provide varying geometries of movable mirrors, including a galvanometer mirror and a rotating polygonal mirror. The systems and methods also provide techniques for generating and detecting coherent Raman spectra using a picosecond probe pulse.
Claims16
A delay module configured to delay a first light field to create a delayed light field comprising:
- a movable mirror, rotatable about an axis;
- a focusing optical element having a focal axis parallel to the rotation axis of the movable mirror;
- and
- a return mirror;
- wherein the movable mirror is configured to:
- receive the first light field at a first light path and a first path length;
- vary the first path length as the movable mirror rotates;
- and
- reflect the first light field to the focusing optical element along a plane that does not include the first light path;
- wherein the focusing optical element is configured to:
- receive the first light field reflected from the movable mirror;
- and
- focus the first light field on the return mirror;
- wherein the focal axis of the focusing optical element is perpendicular to a movement of the first light field so that the first light field remains focused on the return mirror with minimum aberration throughout a range of motion of the first light field;
- and
- wherein the return mirror is configured to:
- receive the first light field reflected from the focusing optical element;
- and
- reflect the first light field back to the focusing optical element and to the movable mirror along a second light path.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.