Reflectometer based on optical cavity decay time
AssigneeCalifornia Institute of Technology
InventorDana Z. Anderson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus for making decay time measurements of an optical cavity having at least two reflecting optical elements by directing a beam of light into the cavity, switching the beam of light off when the intensity in the cavity reaches a predetermined threshold level, monitoring the beam intensity decay of the optical cavity, and measuring the intensity decay time either with a storage oscilloscope or a digital counter.
Claims11
A method for making decay time measurements of an optical cavity having at least two reflecting optical elements comprising the steps of
- directing a beam of light into said optical cavity,
- switching the beam of light into said optical cavity off when the beam intensity of the cavity reaches a predetermined threshold level,
- monitoring the beam intensity decay of the optical cavity, and
- measuring the intensity decay time directly.
Apparatus for making decay time measurements of an optical cavity having at least two reflecting optical elements comprising
- means for directing a beam of light into said optical cavity,
- means for switching off said beam of light into said optical cavity when beam intensity of the cavity reaches a predetermined threshold level,
- means for monitoring the beam intensity decay of the optical cavity, and
- means for measuring the intensity decay time directly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.