Integrated optics transducer
First Claim
1. A transducer comprising:
- a laser for generating a beam of coherent light, a photodetector, photoelastic waveguide means disposed between said laser and said photodetector for providing first and second optical paths therebetween, said photodetector being aligned for detecting light passing through said first and second optical paths, stress transfer means disposed adjacent said waveguide means for subjecting said first path to stress forces, said second optical path being unstressed, signal processing means adapted to receive an input from said photodetector for providing a signal output in response to stress forces on said stress transfer means, and a laser modulator for driving said laser at a particular frequency rate and for providing said driving rate to said signal processing means as a reference signal, said laser, waveguide, and photodetector being aligned for directing said light within a plane from said laser to said photodetector, and wherein said photoelastic waveguide means comprises an input waveguide, an output waveguide, and first and second adjacent waveguides for providing said first and second optical paths, said waveguide being coupled between the input and output waveguides for providing waveguide-to-waveguide directional coupling between said input waveguide and said first and second waveguides, and providing said directional coupling between said first and second waveguides and said output waveguide, said input waveguide being disposed for receiving the light output from said laser, and said output waveguide being disposed for coupling light passed through said first and second waveguides to said photodetectors; and
wherein said waveguide means is planar for providing a plane of travel for laser light, said waveguide means, said laser, and said photodetector are a monolithic substrate of integrated optics.
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Abstract
A transducer utilizes a laser source, photoelastic waveguides, two optical beam paths and a detector for processing optical energy from the laser through a stress transfer medium and thereby detects stress forces present on the transducer. This allows forces such as pressure, strain, voltage, or current to be detected and converted from one form to another for measurement of the force and response thereto. Input forces are detected as optical frequency shifts and converted to electrical signal outputs for indicating circuitry. In an integrated optic format, the transducer package volume is small, allowing ready use in guidance or navigation systems. Light generated by the laser travels along two paths, is optically stressed by the force transfer member and is combined with a reference signal to obtain the stress intelligence.
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Citations
6 Claims
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1. A transducer comprising:
- a laser for generating a beam of coherent light, a photodetector, photoelastic waveguide means disposed between said laser and said photodetector for providing first and second optical paths therebetween, said photodetector being aligned for detecting light passing through said first and second optical paths, stress transfer means disposed adjacent said waveguide means for subjecting said first path to stress forces, said second optical path being unstressed, signal processing means adapted to receive an input from said photodetector for providing a signal output in response to stress forces on said stress transfer means, and a laser modulator for driving said laser at a particular frequency rate and for providing said driving rate to said signal processing means as a reference signal, said laser, waveguide, and photodetector being aligned for directing said light within a plane from said laser to said photodetector, and wherein said photoelastic waveguide means comprises an input waveguide, an output waveguide, and first and second adjacent waveguides for providing said first and second optical paths, said waveguide being coupled between the input and output waveguides for providing waveguide-to-waveguide directional coupling between said input waveguide and said first and second waveguides, and providing said directional coupling between said first and second waveguides and said output waveguide, said input waveguide being disposed for receiving the light output from said laser, and said output waveguide being disposed for coupling light passed through said first and second waveguides to said photodetectors; and
wherein said waveguide means is planar for providing a plane of travel for laser light, said waveguide means, said laser, and said photodetector are a monolithic substrate of integrated optics. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
- a laser for generating a beam of coherent light, a photodetector, photoelastic waveguide means disposed between said laser and said photodetector for providing first and second optical paths therebetween, said photodetector being aligned for detecting light passing through said first and second optical paths, stress transfer means disposed adjacent said waveguide means for subjecting said first path to stress forces, said second optical path being unstressed, signal processing means adapted to receive an input from said photodetector for providing a signal output in response to stress forces on said stress transfer means, and a laser modulator for driving said laser at a particular frequency rate and for providing said driving rate to said signal processing means as a reference signal, said laser, waveguide, and photodetector being aligned for directing said light within a plane from said laser to said photodetector, and wherein said photoelastic waveguide means comprises an input waveguide, an output waveguide, and first and second adjacent waveguides for providing said first and second optical paths, said waveguide being coupled between the input and output waveguides for providing waveguide-to-waveguide directional coupling between said input waveguide and said first and second waveguides, and providing said directional coupling between said first and second waveguides and said output waveguide, said input waveguide being disposed for receiving the light output from said laser, and said output waveguide being disposed for coupling light passed through said first and second waveguides to said photodetectors; and
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4. An integrated optics transducer comprising:
- a laser for generating an output coherent light beam;
a photodetector having an input and an output;
photoelastic waveguide means having an input, an output, and first and second separate optical paths therebetween;
said waveguide means having the input coupled to receive said laser beam output and having the output coupled to said photodetector input;
said photodetector providing an electrical signal output indicative of and in response to light input received from said waveguide means;
stress transfer means disposed adjacent said photoelastic waveguide means for subjecting a portion of the waveguide means to stress forces for affecting a portion of light energy passing therethrough;
said waveguide means being planar and providing a plane of travel for light energy, and wherein said laser, said photodetector and said photoelastic waveguide means are an integrated optics structure. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6)
- a laser for generating an output coherent light beam;
Specification