Transferring Optical Energy

• US 20120147362A1
• Filed: 12/12/2011
• Published: 06/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Utah State University Research Foundation (Utah State University)
• Original Assignee: Utah State University Research Foundation (Utah State University)
• Inventors: Crowther, Blake, Peterson, James
• Granted Patent: US 8,705,025 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 356/222
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/029 Multi-channel photometry
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0295 Constructional arrangements for removing other types of optical noise or for performing calibration
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0425 using optical fibers
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0474 Diffusers cavities G01J2001/0481
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0488 with spectral filtering
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/4228 arrangements with two or more detectors, e.g. for sensitivity compensation
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/0205 Optical elements not provided otherwise, e.g. optical manifolds, diffusers, windows
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/0218 using optical fibers
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/0294 Multi-channel spectroscopy
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/0297 Constructional arrangements for removing other types of optical noise or for performing calibration
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/2803 using photoelectric array detector
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/42 Absorption spectrometry; Double beam spectrometry; Flicker spectrometry; Reflection spectrometry beam switching arrangements G01J3/08
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4206 Optical features G02B6/4207, G02B6/421 take precedence

Abstract

For transferring optical energy, a first multimode wave guide transmits radiant energy with a homogenized beam to a first plurality of optical sensors of an array of optical sensors. The array measures the homogenized radiant energy. Each optical sensor of the first plurality of optical sensors measures a pixelized portion of the homogenized radiant energy. A method and system also perform the functions of the apparatus.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

an array of optical sensors;

a first multimode wave guide transmitting radiant energy with a homogenized beam to a first plurality of optical sensors of the array; and

the array measuring the homogenized radiant energy, each optical sensor of the first plurality of optical sensors measuring a pixelized portion of the homogenized radiant energy.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wave guide is an optical fiber.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the optical fiber comprises a first bend and a second bend orthogonal to the first bend.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the optical fiber is selected from the group consisting of visible-wave optical fiber, near-infrared optical fiber, short-wave infrared optical fiber, a mid-wave infrared optical fiber and a long-wave optical fiber.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the optical fiber is a step-indexed multimode optical fiber.

6. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the, optical fiber is a graded-index multimode optical fiber.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a second multimodal wave guide transmitting the radiant energy with a homogenized beam to a second plurality of optical sensors of the array, each optical sensor of the second plurality of optical sensors measuring a pixelized portion of the homogenized radiant energy.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the first multimodal wave guide and the second multimodal wave guide transmit different bands of radiant energy.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a first optical device collecting the radiant energy from an image and an optical component directing the radiant energy to a first end of the wave guide.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein a diameter and an acceptance angle of the wave guide is matched to the optical component.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the first optical device is selected from the group consisting of a telescope, radiometer, or spectrophotometer.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wave guide is selected from the group consisting of a light pipe and a tapered rod.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a cross section of the wave guide is selected from the group consisting of circular, hexagonal, trapezoidal, and square cross sections.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a cross section length of the wave guide is in the range of 4 times to 1000 times a wavelength of a specified frequency of the radiant energy.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a vacuum vessel, wherein the array is disposed in the vacuum vessel and cooled to 77°

Kelvin or lower, the apparatus further comprising a cap with a sealable orifice, the wave guide passing through the orifice into the vacuum vessel.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the array is a 1×

N array of optical sensors.

17. A method for transferring optical energy comprising:

transmitting radiant energy through a first multimode wave guide with a homogenized beam to a first plurality of optical sensors of an array of optical sensors; and

measuring the homogenized radiant energy with the array, each optical sensor of the first plurality of optical sensors measuring a pixelized portion of the homogenized radiant energy.

18. A system comprising:

an array of optical sensors;

a beam splitter splitting a beam of radiant energy into a first beam and a second beam;

a first multimode wave guide transmitting the first beam with a homogenized beam to a first plurality of optical sensors of the array;

a second multimode wave guide transmitting the second beam with a homogenized beam to a second plurality of optical sensors of the array; and

the array measuring the homogenized radiant energy of the first and second beams, each optical sensor of the first plurality of optical sensors measuring a pixelized portion of the homogenized first beam and each optical sensor of the second plurality of optical sensors measuring a pixelized portion of the homogenized second beam.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein each wave guide is an optical fiber that comprises a first bend and a second bend orthogonal to the first bend.

20. The system of claim 18, further comprising a third wave guide transmitting the radiant energy from a field stop position to the beam splitter.