Fabry-perot interferometer array
First Claim
1. An array of micro fabry-perot cavities for tuning radiation wavebands, wherein said array comprises at least one cavity in a first dimension and at least one cavity in at least one other dimension.
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Abstract
This disclosure describes a fabry-perot interferometer array and methods of using it for gas sensing, hyper-spectral imaging, scene projection and optical communications. Processed on a silicon, silicon-on-sapphire, or other substrates with integrated circuits, the array may be sized from one pixel to multi-mega pixels and made to cover the entire ultraviolet (UV) to long wave infrared (LWIR) spectrum, allowing it to be used in many applications. In preferred embodiments, each pixel of the array is a fabry-perot interferometer cavity, sandwiched between two parallel mirrors, whose spacing is changed by moving one of the mirrors relative to the other with a voltage applied across the cavity, tuning it to transmit a waveband with a bandwidth and a central wavelength determined by the mirror reflectivity and the cavity spacing, respectively. Thus, an array of different wavebands may be electrically tuned to transmit from the array.
37 Citations
71 Claims
- 1. An array of micro fabry-perot cavities for tuning radiation wavebands, wherein said array comprises at least one cavity in a first dimension and at least one cavity in at least one other dimension.
- 28. An apparatus for gas sensing comprising at least one micro fabry-perot interferometer element, at least one detector element, an infrared source, a collimating lens, a gas path length, a cavity controller, a detector controller, and a control processor, wherein gas of a specific type located between the infrared source and said at least one micro fabry-perot interferometer element can be detected.
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36. A method for gas sensing comprising:
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A. collimating an infrared beam through a gas onto an interferometer element; B. tuning the cavity of the interferometer element a first time to transmit a waveband absorbed by the gas; C. tuning said cavity a second time to transmit another waveband not absorbed by the gas as a reference; D. sensing the absorbed waveband and the non-absorbed waveband sequentially with a detector element; and E. computing a concentration of the gas with a ratio of a signal due to the absorbed waveband to a signal due to the non-absorbed waveband, according to;
CG=A.Log(Q),
where CG is said concentration, Q is said ratio, and A is a constant obtained by calibration with a known concentration of the gas. - View Dependent Claims (37)
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- 38. An apparatus for hyper-spectral imaging comprising a micro fabry-perot interferometer array, an infrared detector array, an imaging lens, an infrared-detector-array controller, and a micro fabry-perot interferometer (MFPI) array controller, wherein data collected by said array provides a multi-spectral, multi-spatial, and/or temporal image of targets and background.
- 46. An apparatus for projecting scenes, comprising a micro fabry-perot interferometer (MFPI) array, a laser source, a collimator, a focusing lens, a laser controller, and an MFPI array controller, wherein the cavities of said MFPI array are independently tuned to generate at least one scene.
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55. A method of testing a sensor using a micro fabry-perot interferometer (MFPI) array comprising:
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A. illuminating at least one MFPI array with a laser source; B. tuning at least some of the cavities of the MFPI array to at least one waveband producing at least one scene; C. projecting the scene(s) onto the sensor under test; and D. recording response of the sensor under test using a sensor controller.
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- 56. An apparatus for optical communications comprising at least one micro fabry-perot interferometer (MFPI) array, at least one laser source, a projector lens, a laser controller, and an MFPI array controller, wherein at least one optical channel is coded with data for transmission through free space to at least one distant optical receiver.
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65. A method for transmitting data via optical communications comprising:
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A. illuminating at least one micro fabry-perot interferometer (MFPI) array with a laser source; B. tuning the cavities of the MFPI array to different wavebands producing different optical channels; C. coding the optical channels with data for communication; and D. projecting the optical channels through free space onto a distant receiver.
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66. A method for fabricating a micro fabry-perot interferometer array, comprising:
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A. obtaining a substrate of a specific material quality; B. fabricating a set of integrated circuits for the array onto said substrate, using standard micro-electronic fabrication techniques; C. fabricating the bottom mirrors above the integrated circuits; D. creating a sacrificial layer above the bottom mirrors; E. creating a supporting structure to be used to support the top mirrors within the sacrificial layer; F. fabricating the top mirrors above the support structures; and G. removing the sacrificial layer leaving behind said support structures; thus, forming the array. - View Dependent Claims (67, 68, 69, 70, 71)
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Specification