Back to results
US 6,903,820 B2Granted
Measurements of substances using two different propagation modes of light through a common optical path
AssigneeTomophase Corporation
InventorFeiling Wang
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
This application describes designs, implementations, and techniques for controlling propagation mode or modes of light in a common optical path, which may include one or more waveguides, to sense a sample. As an example, input light in two different optical propagation modes (e.g., the first and second modes) is directed through a common input optical path to the optical probe head which sends a portion of input light in the second mode to the sample. The probe head directs both the light in the first mode and the returned light from the sample in the second mode through a common optical path to a detection module.
Claims63
A method, comprising:
- guiding optical radiation in both a first propagation mode and a second, different propagation mode through an optical waveguide towards a sample;
- directing radiation in the first propagation mode away from the sample without reaching the sample;
- directing radiation in the second propagation mode to interact with the sample to produce returned radiation from the interaction;
- coupling both the returned radiation in the second propagation mode and the radiation in the first propagation mode into the optical waveguide away from the sample;
- using the returned radiation in the second propagation mode and the radiation in the first propagation mode from the optical waveguide to extract information of the sample;
- and
- adjusting a relative phase delay between the radiation in the first propagation mode and the radiation in the second propagation mode that are directed in the optical waveguide away from the sample to select a layer of the sample to measure.
4 more elements
A method, comprising:
- guiding optical radiation in both a first propagation mode and a second, different propagation mode through an optical waveguide towards a sample;
- directing radiation in the first propagation mode away from the sample without reaching the sample;
- directing radiation in the second propagation mode to interact with the sample to produce returned radiation from the interaction;
- coupling both the returned radiation in the second propagation mode and the radiation in the first propagation mode into the optical waveguide away from the sample;
- using the returned radiation in the second propagation mode and the radiation in the first propagation mode from the optical waveguide to extract information of the sample;
- adjusting a relative phase delay between the radiation in the first propagation mode and the radiation in the second propagation mode that are directed in the optical waveguide away from the sample to a value to select a layer from which a reflection component in the returned radiation in the second propagation mode substantially matches the radiation in the first propagation mode in phase;
- modulating the relative phase around the value at a modulation frequency to obtain a measurement;
- and
- processing the measurement to obtain information on the layer.
6 more elements
A device for optically measuring a sample, comprising:
- a waveguide, which supports a first propagation mode and a second, different propagation mode, to receive and guide an input beam in both the first and the second propagation modes;
- a probe head coupled to the waveguide to receive the input beam and to reflect a first portion of the input beam in the first propagation mode back to the waveguide in the first propagation mode and direct a second portion of the input beam in the second propagation mode to a sample, the probe head collecting reflection of the second portion from the sample and exporting to the waveguide the reflection as a reflected second portion in the second propagation mode;
- and
- a detection module to receive the reflected first portion and the reflected second portion in the waveguide and to extract information of the sample carried by the reflected second portion.
1 more element
A device for optically measuring a sample, comprising:
- an input waveguide, which supports a first propagation mode and a second, different propagation mode, to receive and guide an input beam in both the first and the second propagation modes;
- an output waveguide, which supports the first and the second propagation modes;
- a probe head coupled to the input waveguide to receive the input beam and to the output waveguide, the probe head operable to direct a first portion of the input beam in the first propagation mode into the output waveguide in the first propagation mode and direct a second portion of the input beam in the second propagation mode to a sample, the probe head collecting reflection of the second portion from the sample and exporting to the output waveguide the reflection as a reflected second portion in the second propagation mode;
- and
- a detection module to receive the reflected first portion and the reflected second portion in the output waveguide and to extract information of the sample carried by the reflected second portion.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.