Hydro-optical modulator for modulating transmission of radiation
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
InventorsVincent T. Bly, Anthony T. Depersia
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The hydro-optical modulator has a purged and hermetically sealed thin liq cell with a working liquid throughout an enclosed sealed container that is in working contact with a pressure modulating system. The thin liquid cell is preferably a thin circular cell having windows on each side thereof where the optical radiation being modulated easily passes through the windows but is transmitted according to the size of bubbles in the working fluid. The size of the bubbles, and therefore the amount of optical radiation transmitted, is controlled by the pressure modulating system whereby smaller bubbles allow transmission while large bubbles scatter and limit transmission of optical radiation in an AC sensitive viewing device.
Claims19
A hydro-optical modulator for modulating the transmission of a broad spectral range of optical radiation therethrough in an AC sensitive viewing device, said hydro-optical modulator comprising:
- a modulator housing having a sealed container enclosed therein comprised of a thin liquid cell that is enclosed by oppositely facing front and back transparent windows wherein said thin liquid cell and said front and back transparent windows are aligned to receive incident radiation therethrough;
- a working fluid filling said sealed container;
- and
- a pressure modulating system in working contact with said working fluid in said sealed container wherein said sealed container is further comprised of a passage between said pressure modulating system and said thin liquid cell wherein said pressure modulating system produces bubbles within said working fluid by expansion of the volume of the working fluid filled sealed container and modulates the size of said bubbles to modulate the transmission of said incident radiation therethrough.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.