Variable Infrared Attenuator With High Precision At High Attenuation
AssigneeTruventic, LLC
InventorsPedro N. Figueiredo, Robert E. Peale
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Abstract
An infrared attenuator includes a prism having a first conductive element at a surface thereof and a second conductive element at an adjustable distance from the first conductive element. Adjusting the distance controls a degree of infrared absorption by the first conductive element and second conductive element when infrared radiation is incident on the prism to provide variable attenuation.
Claims25
An infrared attenuator comprising:
- a prism having a first conductive element at a surface thereof;
- a second conductive element at an adjustable distance from the first conductive element;
- and
- a controller that adjusts the distance in such a way that adjusting the distance controls a degree of infrared absorption by the first conductive element and second conductive element when infrared radiation is incident on the prism.
An infrared attenuator comprising:
- an infrared emitter that emits a beam of infrared radiation;
- a prism having a first conductive element at a surface thereof, the first conductive element being at least partially optically transparent to the beam;
- a second conductive element at an adjustable distance from the first conductive element, the second conductive element reflecting the infrared radiation back toward the first conductive element;
- a controller that adjusts the distance in such a way that adjusting the distance controls a degree of infrared absorption by the first conductive element and second conductive element when the infrared radiation is incident on the prism.
A method comprising attenuating a beam of infrared radiation by emitting the beam onto an infrared attenuator including a prism having a first conductive element at a surface thereof and a second conductive element at a distance from the first conductive element and adjusting the distance to cause infrared absorption by the first conductive element and second conductive element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.