Inline optical wedge stabilizer

An optical stabilizer comprising:

• a chamber having at least one rigid transparent wall for admitting light to be stabilized into said chamber and at least one movable transparent wall;
• means for effecting a fluid-tight seal between said movable transparent wall and said chamber for permitting said chamber in the interior to confine between said transparent walls a transparent fluid of a first index of refraction separate and apart from a transparent fluid on the exterior of said chamber of a second and different index of refraction;
• a transparent fluid of said first index of refraction confined within said chamber;
• a fluid of said second and differing index of refraction on the opposite side of said freely movable transparent wall without said chamber;
• a light path defined through the rigid transparent wall, the first fluid, said freely movable transparent wall and said second transparent fluid;
• means for defining an enclosed pressure-sensitive diaphragm contacting said chamber at one boundary, contacting said movable transparent wall at another boundary and exposed to said first fluid interior of said chamber, said means for defining a pressure-sensitive diaphragm having an area with respect to the area of said transparent wall whereby differences in pressure of said fluids acting on said movable transparent wall are equally and oppositely opposed by pressures in said diaphragm acting from said chamber to said movable transparent wall to render said movable transparent wall substantial freedom of movement independent of differing incremental static fluid pressures on said movable transparent wall;
• and means for biasing said movable transparent wall to a neutral position whereby upon accidental angular motion of said chamber the inertia of said fluid within said chamber dynamically acts upon said freely movable transparent wall to move said wall and generate an angularly inclined refractive wedge for the stabilization of light.