Coherent light modulation and detector

• US 5,153,771 A
• Filed: 07/18/1990
• Issued: 10/06/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Northrop Corporation (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Northrop Corporation (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Inventors: Link, Charles A., Lang, Paul D.
• Primary Examiner(s): LaRoche, Eugene R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lester, Evelyn A.
• Application Number:
  US07/556,789
• Time in Patent Office: 811 Days
• Field of Search: 350/358, 356/352, 359/286, 359/290, 359/323, 359/578, 359/579, 372/10, 372/13
• US Class Current: 359/286
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/11 based on acousto-optical elements, e.g. using variable diffraction by sound or like mechanical waves acousto-optical deflection G02F1/33
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/213 Fabry-Perot type

Abstract

A acousto-optic Fabry-Perot optical modulator (10) has a crystalline body (12) having a first partially reflective electrode (14) for receiving radiation, including laser radiation having a wavelength or wavelengths of interest, and a second, oppositely disposed partially reflective electrode (14) for emitting the received radiation including the laser radiation. The modulator is driven by an alternating source (16) at a resonant frequency of the crystalline body and intensity modulates at the resonant frequency only the emitted laser radiation. A detector (18) is positioned for receiving the emitted radiation, including the intensity modulated laser radiation, and has an output signal expressive of the intensity of the emitted radiation. Signal processing circuitry (20,34) is coupled to the detector output signal and is responsive thereto for identifying the intensity modulated laser radiation for indicating when laser radiation is received by the modulator.

Claims

1. An optical modulator for selectively varying the intensity of a coherent light beam while having minimal effect on noncoherent light beams comprising:

an interferometer including;

a body of piezoelectric crystalline material substantially transparent to the wavelength of said light beams, and bounded by spaced parallel faces having a spacing of less than about one-forth coherence length of said coherent light beam to be modulated in the material of said body,

said body being constructed of a material exhibiting a piezoelectric resonance when excited by an time varying electric field of predetermined frequency established between said faces;

first and second conductive electrodes formed in contact with each said face respectively for forming a pair of conductive electrodes,

each of said electrodes being internally reflective for said light beams to form an acousto-optic Fabry-Perot interferometer,

at least one of said electrodes being semitransparent for admission of said light beams into the body of said interferometer and for allowing modulated light to exit after interference so that a coherent light beam admitted into said interferometer undergoes constructive and destructive interference therein;

means for generating an electrical signal at said predetermined frequency of said body and for connecting said signal to said electrodes for causing piezoelectric expansion and contraction of said body and a corresponding change in separation of said reflective electrodes,

said electric signal causing an electrical field which expands and contracts said body and electrode reflectors between greater values and lesser values of interference so as to modulate the intensity of said exiting beam with said resonance frequency.

2. An optical modulator as set forth in claim 1 wherein the body is comprised of z-cut LiNbO₃, y-cut quartz, or z-cut LiTaO₃.

3. An optical modulator as set forth in claim 2 wherein the body has a thickness within a range of approximately 0.2 mm to approximately 3.0 mm.

4. An optical modulator as set forth in claim 1 and further comprising a binding layer interposed between each of the electrodes and the underlying surface of the body.

5. An optical modulator as set forth in claim 1 wherein the body has a plurality of resonant frequencies one of which is approximately 3.75 MHz.

7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said body is comprised of a crystalline material that is substantially transparent to radiation having the wavelength or wavelengths of interest, having said first electrode and said second electrode coupled thereto on the first and on the second surfaces, respectively, of the body for electrically coupling the body to a source of excitation energy, the first electrode and the second electrode each being partially transparent and partially reflecting to radiation having the wavelength or wavelengths of interest, the body being responsive to an alternating electrical potential applied to the first and the second electrodes at a resonance frequency of the body for varying an optical path length through the body in synchronism with the alternating electrical potential such that the coherent radiation having the wavelength or wavelengths of interest is multiply reflected therein between the first and the second electrodes, the coherent radiation experiencing alternating constructive and destructive interference for intensity modulating the coherent radiation.

8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 7 wherein the body is comprised of z-cut LiNbO₃, y-cut quartz, or z-cut LiTaO₃.

9. Apparatus as set forth in claim 8 wherein the body has a thickness within a range of approximately 0.2 mm to approximately 3.0 mm.

10. Apparatus as set forth in claim 7 wherein the first and the second electrodes are comprised of an electrically conductive metal, an electrically conductive dielectric, or combinations thereof.

11. Apparatus as set forth in claim 7 and further comprising a binding layer interposed between each of the electrodes and the underlying surface of the body.

12. Apparatus as set forth in claim 7 wherein the body has a plurality of resonant frequencies one of which is approximately 3.75 MHz.

13. Apparatus as set forth in claim 7 wherein the source of excitation energy generates an excitation waveform having an amplitude of less than approximately ±

200 volts.

14. Apparatus as set forth in claim 12 wherein the source of excitation energy generates an excitation waveform having a frequency of approximately 3.75 MHz.

6. Apparatus for detecting the presence of coherent radiation within a field of view of the apparatus, comprising:

an interferometer including;

a body of piezoelectric crystalline material substantially transparent to the wavelength of said light beams, and bounded by spaced parallel faces having a spacing of less than about one-forth coherence length of said coherent light beam to be modulated in the material of said body,

said body being constructed of a material exhibiting a piezoelectric resonance when excited by an time varying electric field of predetermined frequency established between said faces;

first and second conductive electrodes formed in contact with each said face respectively for forming a pair of conductive electrodes,

each of said electrodes being internally reflective for said light beams to form an acousto-optic Fabry-Perot interferometer,

at least one of said electrodes being semitransparent for admission of said light beams into the body of said interferometer and for allowing modulated light to exit after interference so that a coherent light beam admitted into said interferometer undergoes constructive and destructive interference therein;

means for generating an electrical signal at said predetermined frequency of said body and for connecting said signal to said electrodes for causing piezoelectric expansion and contraction of said body and a corresponding change in separation of said reflective electrodes,

said electric signal causing an electrical field which expands and contracts said body and electrode reflectors between greater values and lesser values of interference so as to modulate the intensity of said exiting beam with said resonance frequency;

detector means positioned for receiving the emitted radiation including the intensity modulated coherent radiation, the detector means having an output signal expressive of the intensity of the emitted coherent radiation; and

processing means coupled to the detector means output signal and responsive thereto for indicating when a modulator radiation is received by the detector means.

15. Apparatus as set forth in claim 6 and further comprising optical chopper means interposed between the second surface of the modulator means and the detector means.