Broadband light source in particular for short coherence interferometry
AssigneeSchott AG
InventorsWolfgang Mannstadt, Bernd Drapp
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention relates to an arrangement for generating a broadband spectrum which can be used in particular as a light source for short coherence interferometry. The arrangement comprises a laser, in particular a laser diode, for generating a short light pulse of wavelength λp and a microstructured optical fiber (1) with a high nonlinearity, which has a zero dispersion of the group velocity in the vicinity of the wavelength λp and an anomalous dispersion, as well as means for introducing the light pulse into the microstructured optical fiber.
Claims27
An optical coherence tomography appliance comprising:
- a light source which has a broadband spectrum, said light source comprising:
- a laser diode for generating a short light pulse of wavelength λp;
- a microstructured optical fiber having a zero dispersion of the group velocity in the vicinity of the wavelength λp and an anomalous dispersion;
- means for directing the short light pulse from the laser diode into the microstructured optical fiber;
- and
- means for measuring an optical coherence tomography of a material or structure, based on the short light pulse received by the microstructured optical fiber, wherein the microstructured optical fiber comprises a nonlinear optical material having at least one material selected from the group consisting of a multicomponent glass-ceramic, an oxidic multicomponent glass-ceramic, a nonlinear optical material made from a single-crystal material, a polycrystalline material, a liquid-crystal material, and a heavy flint glass, and
- wherein the heavy flint glass comprises SiO2 and PbO and at least one further component selected from the group consisting of:
- Al2O3, B2O3, TiO2, ThO2, La2O3, BaO, Li2O, Na2O, and K2O.
A short-coherence measuring appliance comprising:
- a light source having a broadband spectrum, wherein the light source includes a laser diode for generating a short light pulse of wavelength λp;
- a microstructured optical fiber having a zero dispersion of the group velocity in the vicinity of the wavelength λp, and an anomalous dispersion;
- a directing device for directing the short light pulse from the laser diode into the microstructured optical fiber;
- and
- means for measuring an optical coherence tomography of a material or structure, based on the short light pulse received by the microstructured optical fiber,
- wherein the microstructured optical fiber comprises a nonlinear optical material having at least one material selected from the group consisting of a multicomponent glass-ceramic, an oxidic multicomponent glass-ceramic, a nonlinear optical material made from a single-crystal material, a polycrystalline material, a liquid-crystal material, and a heavy flint glass, and
- wherein the heavy flint glass comprises SiO2 and PbO and at least one further component selected from the group consisting of:
- Al2O3, B2O3, TiO2, ThO2, La2O3, BaO, Li2O, Na2O, and K2O.
An optical coherence tomography appliance comprising:
- a light source which has a broadband spectrum, comprising:
- a laser diode for generating a short light pulse of wavelength λp;
- a microstructured optical fiber having a zero dispersion of the group velocity in the vicinity of the wavelength λp, and an anomalous dispersion;
- means for directing the short light pulse from the laser diode into the microstructured optical fiber;
- and
- means for measuring an optical coherence tomography of a material or structure, based on the short light pulse received by the microstructured optical fiber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.