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US 8,526,097 B2Granted
Tunable detection system
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
InventorAaron Boyd Cole
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Abstract
A tunable bandwidth selector is disclosed. The tunable bandwidth selector may include a plurality of spaced apart electron sheets which selectively separate a first bandwidth from an input spectrum.
Claims27
A tunable bandwidth selector, comprising:
- a first structure adapted to receive an input spectrum substantially along a first axis, the input spectrum having a plurality of electromagnetic waves;
- and
- a second structure adapted to selectively alter the path of a first portion of the input spectrum, wherein said second structure includes a grating structure which is adjustable to vary a bandwidth of the first portion of the input spectrum, the grating structure having a variable index of refraction and a variable spacing;
- wherein the grating structure is produced by a plurality of spaced apart electron sheets;
- wherein the variable spacing of the grating structure is accomplished by varying a number of the plurality of spaced apart electron sheets;
- wherein a first portion of the plurality of spaced apart electron sheets are produced by at least a first electron source and a second portion of the plurality of spaced electron sheets are produced by at least a second electron source, the number of the plurality of spaced apart electron sheets being reduced by deactivating the at least second electron source.
3 more elements
A tunable bandwidth selector, comprising:
- a first structure adapted to receive an input spectrum substantially along a first axis, the input spectrum having a plurality of electromagnetic waves;
- and
- a second structure adapted to selectively alter the path of a first portion of the input spectrum, wherein said second structure includes a grating structure which is adjustable to vary a bandwidth of the first portion of the input spectrum, the grating structure having a variable index of refraction and a variable spacing;
- wherein the grating structure is produced by a plurality of spaced apart electron sheets;
- wherein the plurality of spaced apart electron sheets are apodized to reduce the presence of side lobes in the first portion of the input spectrum by varying the density of the electrons in the respective electron sheets, a first electron sheet having a first density and a second electron sheet having a second density, the first electron sheet having a first index of refraction closer to the index of refraction of the medium than a second index of refraction of the second electron sheet, the second electron sheet being in a middle of the plurality of spaced apart electron sheets.
2 more elements
A tunable bandwidth selector, comprising:
- a first structure adapted to receive an input spectrum substantially along a first axis, the input spectrum having a plurality of electromagnetic waves;
- and
- a second structure adapted to selectively alter the path of a first portion of the input spectrum, wherein said second structure includes a grating structure which is adjustable to vary a bandwidth of the first portion of the input spectrum, the grating structure having a variable index of refraction and a variable spacing;
- wherein the path of the first portion of the input spectrum is along the first axis in a direction opposite to a direction of the remainder of the input spectrum;
- wherein the first structure includes input optics which receive the input spectrum and direct the input spectrum along the first axis and a beamsplitter which passes the input spectrum along the first axis to the second structure.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.