Efficient fiber coupling of light to interferometric instrumentation
AssigneeElectro-Optical Sciences, Inc.
InventorsTheodore S. Shultz, George J. Lind
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Abstract
The invention consists of a method of redirecting light to improve the transmission efficiency of wedged multibeam interferometers, either individually or in cascade with other interferometers. Optical fibers are placed to direct reflected light into such positions which enable iterated transmission of this otherwise wasted light through the interferometer. The increased light coupling efficiency provided by the method makes it well suited for applications to fiber optic communication links, fiber optic Bragg sensors, ladars and lidars.
Claims24
A method of processing light radiation at an interferometer, wherein the interferometer includes a wedged-spaced etalon, the method comprising the steps of:
- collimating light supplied from a source;
- impinging the collimated light onto the etalon at an incidence direction other than normal;
- reflecting the impinging light from the etalon;
- focussing the reflected light away from the source;
- and
- collecting the focussed light.
An interferometer apparatus comprising:
- a collimating optic;
- a wedged-spaced etalon coupled to the optic, wherein the optic collimates light radiation supplied from a source for impingement upon the etalon at an incidence direction other than normal such that the light is reflected by the etalon back through the optic and the optic focusses the reflected light away from the source;
- and
- means for collecting the light reflected from the etalon and focussed by the optic at a location away from the source.
An interferometer apparatus comprising:
- a source of light radiation;
- a collimating optic for collimating, the light radiation;
- a wedged-spaced etalon coupled to the optic such that the collimated light impinges upon the etalon at an incidence direction other than normal and the etalon reflects the impinging light back through the optic for focussing by the optic at a location away from the source;
- and
- means for collecting the light focussed by the optic.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.