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Interferometer apparatus using electro-optic material with feedback

  • US 4,196,396 A
  • Filed: 05/03/1978
  • Issued: 04/01/1980
  • Est. Priority Date: 10/15/1976
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. An amplitude-sensitive interferometer device comprising an interferometer cavity having two ends one of which is arranged to receive a single frequency linearly polarized single mode of input optical energy having a changing amplitude and the other of which is arranged to provide output optical energy whose amplitude is related to the amplitude of said input optical energy by a predetermined relationship, an electro-optic medium having terminals and positioned within said cavity so as to interact with optical energy present in said cavity, and photodetector means responsive to the optical energy in said cavity for coupling a voltage to the terminals of said electro-optic medium whose magnitude is a function of the intensity of the optical energy in said cavity, said two ends of said cavity are positioned such that the predetermined transmission through said cavity with zero voltage across said terminals at said single frequency is substantially equal to the minimum transmission obtainable for said cavity, whereby said predetermined relationship between the input optical energy amplitude and output optical energy amplitude is a bistable one in that two different output energy amplitudes are possible over a range of input optical energy amplitudes.

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