Technique for fabricating high quality optical components
AssigneeGSI Lumonics Corporation
InventorsRichard A. Neily, William McCreath, David Parker
Life of this patent
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Abstract
To determine the uniformity of an optical component, a light beam is directed to impinge on a surface of an optical component at each of multiple points. A characteristic of the light beam impinging on the optical component surface at each of the multiple points is modified so as to have multiple different values. Light from the impinging light beam that passes through the optical component at each of the multiple points, with the light beam characteristic at each of the multiple different values, is detected. The non-uniformity of the optical component is determined based on the detected passing light.
Claims41
A method for determining the uniformity of an optical component, comprising:
- directing a light beam to impinge on a surface of an optical component at each of multiple points;
- modifying a characteristic of the light beam impinging on the optical component surface at each of the multiple points so as to have multiple different values;
- detecting light from the impinging light beam that passes through the optical component at each of the multiple points, with the light beam characteristic at each of the multiple different values;
- and
- determining a non-uniformity of the optical component based on the detected passing light.
A system for determining the uniformity of an optical component having opposed primary surfaces, comprising:
- a laser light beam emitter configured to emit a light beam to impinge on one of the primary surfaces of the optical component at each of multiple points, and to modify a characteristic of the light beam impinging the one primary surface of the optical component at each of the multiple points so as to have multiple different values;
- a detector configured to detect light from the impinging light beam that passes through the other primary surface of optical component at each of the multiple points, with the light beam characteristic at each of the multiple different values;
- and
- a processor configured to determine a non-uniformity of the optical component based on the detected passing light.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.