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US 6,188,507 B1Granted
Variable acousto-optic spectrum projector and method of operation
AssigneeMission Research Corporation
InventorMatthew C. Thomas
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A variable acousto-optic spectrum projector is disclosed. The invention may include a radiation source, an entrance slit, a lens or mirror, a Bragg cell, an arbitrary function generator for driving a transducer of the Bragg cell, another lens or mirror, an exit slit, and a collimating lens. In a first embodiment of the invention, the Bragg cell comprises a Tl3AsSe3 crystal and emits light in the 7 to 11 μm range (long-wave infrared) with a spectral resolution of between 4.5 and 7 cm−1. In a second embodiment of the invention, the Bragg cell comprises a TeO2 crystal and emits light in the 420 to 720 nm range (visible) with a spectral resolution of between 50 and 80 cm−1.
Claims40
A spectrum projector comprising:
- a radiation source for emitting broadband electromagnetic radiation;
- input optics optically coupled to said radiation source for receiving at least a portion of said broadband electromagnetic radiation and transmitting collimated radiation;
- a Bragg cell optically coupled to said input optics for receiving said collimated radiation and dynamically diffracting said collimated radiation to output modulated radiation;
- and
- output optics optically coupled to said Bragg cell for receiving said modulated radiation and projecting collimated, time-varying, spectrally-varying radiation.
2 more elements
A spectrum projector comprising:
- a radiation source for emitting broadband electromagnetic radiation, wherein said radiation source is selected from the group consisting of infrared spectrum blackbody, broadband infrared spectrum laser, visible spectrum lamp and broadband visible spectrum laser;
- input optics optically coupled to said radiation source for receiving at least a portion of said broadband electromagnetic radiation and transmitting collimated radiation;
- a Bragg cell optically coupled to said input optics for receiving said collimated radiation and dynamically diffracting said collimated radiation to output modulated radiation;
- and
- output optics optically coupled to said Bragg cell for receiving said modulated radiation and projecting collimated, time-varying, spectrally-varying radiation.
2 more elements
A long-wave infrared (LWIR) variable acousto-optic spectrum projector (VAOSP) comprising:
- a radiation source for emitting continuous-wave electromagnetic radiation in the spectral range from about 6 μm to about 12 μm;
- an entrance slit optically coupled to said radiation source for receiving and transmitting at least a portion of said emitted radiation;
- an input collimating element located one focal length from, and optically coupled to, said entrance slit for receiving and collimating substantially all of said radiation transmitted by said entrance slit;
- a Bragg cell located one focal length from, and optically coupled to, said input collimating element for receiving radiation collimated by said input collimating element at a Bragg angle dynamically diffracting said collimated radiation and transmitting diffracted radiation;
- an output optical element located one focal length from, and optically coupled to, said Bragg cell for receiving and focusing said diffracted radiation;
- an exit slit located one focal length from, and optically coupled to, said output optical element for receiving and transmitting at least a portion of radiation from said output optical element;
- and
- an output collimating element located one focal length from, and optically coupled to, said exit slit for receiving said at least a portion of radiation transmitted by said exit slit and projecting LWIR, collimated, time-varying, spectrally-varying radiation.
5 more elements
A visible variable acousto-optic spectrum projector (VAOSP) comprising:
- a visible lamp for emitting continuous-wave electromagnetic radiation in the visible range;
- an entrance slit optically coupled to said visible lamp for receiving and transmitting at least a portion of said emitted continuous-wave electromagnetic radiation;
- an input collimating element located one focal length from, and optically coupled to, said entrance slit for receiving and collimating substantially all of said radiation transmitted by said entrance slit;
- a Bragg cell located one focal length from, and optically coupled to, said input collimating element for receiving radiation at an input Bragg angle from said input collimating element and transmitting dynamically diffracted radiation;
- an output optical element located one focal length from, and optically coupled to, said Bragg cell for receiving and focusing said dynamically diffracted radiation;
- an exit slit located one focal length from, and optically coupled to, said output optical element for receiving and transmitting at least a portion of radiation from said output optical element;
- and
- an output collimating element located one focal length from, and optically coupled to, said exit slit for receiving said at least a portion of radiation from said exit slit and projecting visible, collimated, time-varying, spectrally-varying radiation.
5 more elements
A method of projecting variable acousto-optically modulated spectral radiation comprising:
- emitting broadband radiation;
- transmitting a portion of said broadband radiation through a first aperture;
- collimating said portion of broadband radiation;
- dynamically diffracting said portion of roadband radiation;
- reimaging said diffracted portion of broadband radiation;
- and
- transmitting a portion of said diffracted portion of broadband radiation through a second aperture.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.