Cyclic Error Compensation in Interferometry Systems
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- providing an interference signal S(t) from interference between two beams directed along different paths, wherein the signal S(t) is indicative of changes in an optical path difference n{tilde over (L)}(t) between the different paths, where n is an average refractive index along the different paths, {tilde over (L)}(t) is a total physical path difference between the different paths, and t is time; and
providing an error signal to reduce errors in an estimate of {tilde over (L)}(t), the error signal being derived at least in part based on one or more collective properties of a distribution of multi-dimensional values, at least one of the multi-dimensional values in the distribution being generated from a plurality of samples of the signal S(t).
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Abstract
An interference signal S(t) is provided from interference between two beams directed along different paths. The signal S(t) is indicative of changes in an optical path difference n{tilde over (L)}(t) between the different paths, where n is an average refractive index along the different paths, {tilde over (L)}(t) is a total physical path difference between the different paths, and t is time. An error signal is provided to reduce errors in an estimate of {tilde over (L)}(t). The error signal is derived at least in part based on one or more collective properties of a distribution of multi-dimensional values. At least one of the multi-dimensional values in the distribution is generated from a plurality of samples of the signal S(t) (e.g., samples of the signal captured at different times).
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Citations
47 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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providing an interference signal S(t) from interference between two beams directed along different paths, wherein the signal S(t) is indicative of changes in an optical path difference n{tilde over (L)}(t) between the different paths, where n is an average refractive index along the different paths, {tilde over (L)}(t) is a total physical path difference between the different paths, and t is time; and
providing an error signal to reduce errors in an estimate of {tilde over (L)}(t), the error signal being derived at least in part based on one or more collective properties of a distribution of multi-dimensional values, at least one of the multi-dimensional values in the distribution being generated from a plurality of samples of the signal S(t). - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. An apparatus comprising:
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an interferometry system, which during operation directs two beams along different paths and provides an interference signal S(t) from interference between the two beams, wherein the signal S(t) is indicative of changes in an optical path difference n{tilde over (L)}(t) between the different paths, where n is an average refractive index along the different paths, {tilde over (L)}(t) is a total physical path difference between the different paths, and t is time; and
an electronic processor, which during operation receives the interference signal S(t) from the interferometry system and provides an error signal to reduce errors in an estimate of {tilde over (L)}(t), the error signal being derived at least in part based on one or more collective properties of a distribution of multi-dimensional values, at least one of the multi-dimensional values in the distribution being generated from a plurality of samples of the signal S(t). - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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Specification