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US 6,519,040 B1Granted
Imaging system and method for Fourier transform spectroscopy
OwnerWilliam Bradshaw Amosinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Fourier Transform Spectroscopy is performed using a birefringent device to vary path difference systematically for all regions of an image simultaneously, so that a separate interferogram is collected for each image region by combining intensity values in multiple images. The optics may allow a theoretical efficiency of 100% in light throughout.
Claims19
An imaging system for Fourier transform spectroscopy comprising:
- an image generating apparatus generating object light along a first optical light path;
- a plurality of polarizing devices placed in the first optical light path;
- at least one birefringent device placed in the first optical light path between the plurality of polarizing devices;
- means for causing change in the optical path difference suffered by light of the first optical light path incident upon the at least one birefringent device;
- an image recording apparatus in the first optical light path receptive of the object light;
- wherein the image generating apparatus generates a real image of a field in the same plane or planes as fringes generated by the at least one birefringent device;
- and
- a second optical light path perpendicular to the first optical light path wherein the first and second optical light paths have a common image generating apparatus and the image recording apparatus records complementary images.
5 more elements
A method of generating a Fourier transform in imaging spectrometry, the method comprising:
- passing light from a field through a polarizing interferometer including:
- an image generating apparatus generating object light along a first optical light path;
- a plurality of polarizing devices placed in the first optical light path;
- at least one birefringent device placed in the first optical light path between the plurality of polarizing devices;
- means for causing change in the optical path difference suffered by light of the first optical light path incident upon the at least one birefringent device;
- an image recording apparatus in the first optical light path receptive of the object light;
- wherein the image generating apparatus generates a real image of a field in the same plane or planes as fringes generated by the at least one birefringent device;
- and
- a second optical light path perpendicular to the first optical light path wherein the first and second optical light paths have a common image generating apparatus and the image-recording apparatus records complementary images;
- controllably varying the optical path difference in the at least one birefringent device;
- recording the variation of intensity in each part of each complementary image in the the image-recording apparatus in relation to the variation of the optical path difference, and
- computing the Fourier spectrum of the recordings of the images.
9 more elements
An imaging system for Fourier transform spectroscopy comprising:
- an image generating apparatus generating object light along a first optical light path;
- a plurality of polarizing devices placed in the first optical light path;
- a single birefringent device placed in the first optical light path between the plurality of polarizing devices;
- means for causing change in the optical path difference suffered by light of the first optical light path incident upon the at least one birefringent device;
- an image recording apparatus in the first optical light path receptive of the object light;
- wherein the image generating apparatus generates a real image of a field in the same plane or planes as fringes generated by the at least one birefringent device;
- and
- complementary optical paths within the imaging system arranged such that the complementary optical paths each pass through different portions of the single birefringent device.
5 more elements
An imaging system for Fourier transform spectroscopy comprising:
- an image generating apparatus generating object light along a first optical light path;
- a plurality of polarizing devices placed in the first optical light path;
- at least one moveable birefringent device placed in the first optical light path between the plurality of polarizing devices;
- means for causing change in the optical path difference suffered by light of the first optical light path incident upon the at least one birefringent device;
- an image recording apparatus in the first optical light path receptive of the object light;
- wherein the image generating apparatus generates a real image of a field in the same plane or planes as fringes generated by the at least one birefringent device;
- and
- quarter-wave birefringent retarder plates positioned adjacent to the at lest one moveable birefringent device.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.