Photonic Doppler Velocimetry System for Non-Specular Surfaces

A photonic Doppler velocimetry probe assembly comprising:

• A probe assembly having at least one means of directing light towards a surface or surfaces, and at least one means of receiving reflected light from a surface or surfaces;
• with at least one optical connection for the sent light, and at least one optical connection for the received light;
• wherein the ratio of the sent light path solid angle to the received light path solid angle is between 1 and −1;
• wherein the physical envelope of the probe assembly is no larger than 1 cubic foot.

A method of utilizing separate send and receive signal paths within a photonic Doppler velocimetry system, the method comprising:

• A probe assembly having at least one means of directing light towards a surface or surfaces, and at least one means of receiving reflected light from a surface or surfaces;
• with at least one optical connection for the sent light, and at least one optical connection for the received light;
• wherein the difference between the solid angle of the received light path and the solid angle of the sent light path is greater than 0 steradians but not greater than 300 steradians;
• wherein the physical envelope of the probe assembly is no larger than 1 cubic foot. also comprising a light source that is conveyed to the sent light connection of a photonic Doppler velocimetry probe, and
• further comprising a means of conveying and mixing the received light from the received light connection of the photonic Doppler velocimetry probe with a reference light source to produce interference fringes that can be converted by an optical detector.

A method of utilizing separate send and receive signal paths within a photonic Doppler velocimetry system, the method comprising:

• A probe assembly having at least one means of directing light towards a surface or surfaces, and at least one means of receiving reflected light from a surface or surfaces;
• with at least one optical connection for the sent light, and at least one optical connection for the received light;
• wherein the ratio of the sent light path solid angle to the received light path solid angle is between 1 and −1;
• wherein the physical envelope of the probe assembly is no larger than 1 cubic foot. also comprising a light source that is conveyed to the sent light connection of a photonic Doppler velocimetry probe, and
• further comprising a means of conveying and mixing the received light from the received light connection of the photonic Doppler velocimetry probe with a reference light source to produce interference fringes that can be converted by an optical detector.