Interferometer spectrometer with reduced alignment sensitivity
First Claim
1. An interferometer spectrometer, comprising:
- a beam splitter for splitting an input ray into a first ray and a second ray having a first path and a second path;
a means for redirecting the first and second rays back toward the beam splitter to define a first path length and a second path length, respectively; and
a means for generating a difference between the first and second path lengths, wherein the first ray and the second ray optically interact with the beam splitter, the redirecting means, and the means for generating a path length difference.
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Abstract
An interferometer spectrometer that has reduced alignment sensitivity is described herein. Parallelism of an output ray pair formed by a single input ray is not affected by variations in relative alignment of the components. In comparison to other compensated interferometer designs, lateral separation errors in the output ray pair due to optical component misalignment are reduced. The reduced alignment sensitivity may be accomplished by utilizing simple planar components that are common to both light paths. The reduced alignment sensitivity and simplicity in design provides a more compact and more robust interferometer, with reduced manufacturing costs associated therewith. An elliptical field of view light source that utilizes an array of collimator lenses is also described. The light source provides a more compact design than a single circular collimator lens of the same area, and is suitable for single channel or multi-channel use.
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Citations
64 Claims
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1. An interferometer spectrometer, comprising:
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a beam splitter for splitting an input ray into a first ray and a second ray having a first path and a second path;
a means for redirecting the first and second rays back toward the beam splitter to define a first path length and a second path length, respectively; and
a means for generating a difference between the first and second path lengths, wherein the first ray and the second ray optically interact with the beam splitter, the redirecting means, and the means for generating a path length difference. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of generating an optical interference pattern utilizing an interferometer having a plurality of optical components, the method comprising the steps of:
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generating an input ray;
splitting the input ray into a first ray and a second ray, both the first ray and the second ray optically interacting with all of the optical components of the interferometer;
creating an optical path length difference between the first and second rays; and
combining the first ray and the second ray to form an output ray pair having an interference pattern.
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19. An interferometer spectrometer, comprising:
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a beam splitter for splitting an input ray into a first ray and a second ray having a first path and a second path, the beam splitter having flat and parallel leading and trailing surfaces with homogenous refractive material disposed therebetween;
a flat end mirror terminating the first path and the second path to define a first path length and a second path length, respectively, wherein the end mirror reflects the first and second rays back to the beam splitter to combine the rays into an output ray pair, wherein the rays forming the output ray pair are parallel;
a compensator disposed between the beam splitter and the end mirror for equalizing the optical path lengths of the first and second paths, the compensator having flat and parallel leading and trailing surfaces with homogenous refractive material disposed therebetween; and
a means for generating a difference between the first and second path lengths to create an interference pattern in the output ray pair. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. An interferometer spectrometer, comprising:
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a beam splitter for splitting an input ray into a first ray and a second ray having a first path and a second path, the beam splitter comprising a plate having flat and parallel surfaces;
a flat end mirror terminating the first path and the second path to define a first path length and a second path length, respectively, wherein the end mirror reflects the first and second rays back to the beam splitter to combine the rays into an output ray pair, wherein the rays forming the output ray pair are parallel;
a compensator disposed between the beam splitter and the end mirror for equalizing the optical path lengths of the first and second paths, the compensator comprising a plate having flat and parallel surfaces; and
a means for generating a difference between the first and second path lengths to create an interference pattern in the output ray pair;
wherein translational changes in relative position between the beam splitter, the compensator and the end mirror do not result in a lack of parallelism or a lateral separation between the rays forming the output ray pair.
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29. An interferometer spectrometer, comprising:
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a beam splitter for splitting an input ray into a first ray and a second ray having a first path and a second path, respectively;
an end mirror terminating the first path and the second path to define a first path length and a second path length, respectively, wherein the end mirror reflects the first and second rays back to the beam splitter along the first and second paths, respectively, to combine the rays into an output ray pair;
a compensator disposed between the beam splitter and the end mirror for equalizing the optical path lengths of the first and second paths; and
a means for generating a difference between the first and second path lengths to create an interference pattern in the output ray pair, the path length difference generating means disposed in the first and second paths such that the first and second rays pass therethrough. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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46. An interferometer spectrometer, comprising:
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a beam splitter comprising a block of refractive material having parallel first and second surfaces, the second surface having a partially reflective material thereon for splitting an input ray into a first ray and a second ray having a first path and a second path, respectively, the first surface having a reflective material thereon for reflecting the first ray such that the first and second rays exit the beam splitter in parallel;
an end mirror terminating the first path and the second path to define a first path length and a second path length, respectively, wherein the end mirror reflects the first and second rays back to the beam splitter along the first and second paths, respectively, to combine the rays into an output ray pair;
a compensator comprising a plate of refractive material having parallel sides, the compensator disposed between the beam splitter and the end mirror for equalizing the optical path lengths of the first and second paths; and
a means for generating a difference between the first and second path lengths to create an interference pattern in the output ray pair. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55)
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56. An interferometer spectrometer, comprising:
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a beam splitter comprising a plate of refractive material having parallel leading and trailing surfaces, the trailing surface having a partially reflective material thereon for splitting an input ray into a first ray and a second ray having a first path and a second path, respectively, the leading surface having a reflective material thereon for reflecting the first ray such that the first and second rays exit the beam splitter in parallel;
an end mirror terminating the first path and the second path to define a first path length and a second path length, respectively, wherein the end mirror reflects the first and second rays back to the beam splitter along the first and second paths, respectively, to combine the rays into an output ray pair;
a compensator plate of refractive material having parallel sides for equalizing the amount of refractive material in the first and second paths, the compensator plate disposed between the beam splitter and the end mirror;
an intersection mirror for causing the first and second paths to intersect at an intersection point, the intersection mirror disposed between the compensator and the end mirror; and
a scanner plate of refractive material having parallel sides for generating a difference between the first and second path lengths to create an interference pattern in the output ray pair, the scanner plate disposed at the intersection point. - View Dependent Claims (57, 58, 59)
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60. An interferometer spectrometer, comprising:
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a light source including an array of collimator lenses defining an elliptical angular subtense;
a beam splitter for splitting the input ray into a first ray and a second ray having a first path and a second path, respectively;
an end mirror terminating the first and second paths to define a first path length and a second path length, respectively;
a compensator disposed between the beam splitter and the end mirror for equalizing the optical path lengths of the first and second paths; and
a means for generating a difference between the first and second path lengths. - View Dependent Claims (61, 62, 63, 64)
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Specification