US 7,466,421 B2 · Diffractive interferometric optical device for measuring spectral properties of light

Abstract

A diffractive interferometric optical device is provided for measuring spectral properties of light. The device includes means for coupling in a single spatial mode of an incoming light field to be examined, means for splitting the single spatial mode of incoming light field into at least two partial fields, means for changing one of a shape or a direction of propagation of the wavefront of at least one of the at least two partial fields in dependence on the wavelength and means for generating an interference pattern superimposing the at least two partial fields. The device further comprises detection means to record and evaluate the interference pattern at a plurality of discrete spatial positions in order to derive spectral properties of the incoming light field.

Claims39

Dependent claims

An interferometric apparatus for performing optical spectroscopy with high spectral resolution in a compact arrangement, the apparatus comprising:

(a) means for coupling in a single spatial mode of an incoming light field to be examined;
(b) means for splitting said single spatial mode of said incoming light field into at least two partial fields;
(c) means for changing the wavefront of at least one of said at least two partial fields in dependence on the wavelength;
(d) means for generating an interference pattern by superimposing said at least two partial fields;
(e) detection and analysis means to record and evaluate said interference pattern at a plurality of discrete spatial positions in order to derive spectral properties of said incoming light field.

2 more elements

A method for determining one of an optical spectrum of a light field to be examined and spectral properties of the light field to be examined using an interferometric apparatus, the method comprising:

(a) coupling in a single spatial mode of said light field to be examined
(b) splitting said single spatial mode into at least two partial fields
(c) generating an interference pattern by superimposing said at least two partial fields
(d) changing the wavefront of at least one of said at least two partial fields in dependence on the wavelength, thereby causing each different spectral component of said single spatial mode of an incoming light field to generate a different of said interference pattern;
(e) calculating one of said optical spectrum or said spectral properties by numerical analysis of said numerical representation of said interference pattern by correlating said numerical representation of said interference with certain base patterns;
wherein said base patterns correspond to numerical representations of said interference patterns for corresponding basic spectral features.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Diffractive interferometric optical device for measuring spectral properties of light

Life of this patent

Diffractive interferometric optical device for measuring spectral properties of light

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims39