Tilt/shear immune tunable fabry-perot interferometer

• US 5,162,872 A
• Filed: 07/02/1991
• Issued: 11/10/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Air Force
• Original Assignee: The United States of America As Represened By The Secretary of The Air Force
• Inventors: Vanasse, George A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Turner, Samuel A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KURTZ, RICHARD
• Application Number:
  US07/724,619
• Time in Patent Office: 497 Days
• Field of Search: 356/352, 356/360, 356/345
• US Class Current: 356/519
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 2290/25 Fabry-Perot in interferometer, e.g. etalon, cavity
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 9/02061 Reduction or prevention of effects of tilts or misalignment
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/26 using multiple reflection, e.g. Fabry-Perot interferometer, variable interference filters
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/124 plural reflecting elements forming part of a unitary plate or sheet

Abstract

A Fabry-Perot interferometer that is shear and tilt immune as well as being tunable. The basic design consists of a spherical semi-reflecting mirror and a planar array of retro-directive mirrors (referred to as phase or pseudo-phase conjugators). The focal point of the spherical mirror is located between the retro-array or phase conjugate mirror and the spherical mirror. In this configuration the Fabry-Perot is immune to tilting and shear displacement of its optical elements as well as being funable to change the optical path difference between interfering beams.

Claims

1. An interferometer for producing multiple beam interference among waves while retaining an ability to function when tilted and experiencing shear displacement with respect to said waves, said interferometer comprising:

a means for directing waves to produce multiple-beam interference among the waves, wherein said directing means comprises a semi-transparent spherical mirror which transmits said waves, some of which pass through a focal point, and which receives and reflects said waves back through said focal point; and

a means for reflecting waves back along their angle of incidence, said reflecting means being fixed in propinquity with said directing means such that the reflecting means receives and reflects said waves back upon themselves regardless of any tilt and shear displacement between the two means.

2. An interferometer for producing multiple beam interference among waves while retaining an ability to function when tilted and experiencing shear displacement with respect to said waves, aid interferometer comprising:

a means for directing waves to produce multiple-beam interference among the waves, and wherein said directing means comprises a semi-transparent spherical mirror which transmits said waves, some of which pass through said focal point, and which receives and reflects a waves from said reflecting means back through said focal point; and

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a means for reflecting waves back along their angle of incidence, said reflecting means being fixed in propinquity with said directing means such that the reflecting means receives and reflects said waves back upon themselves regardless of any tilt and shear displacement between the two means, wherein said reflecting means comprises a pseudo-phase conjugate mirror element which reflects optical waves back along their angle of incidence.

3. An interferometer for producing multiple beam interference among waves while retaining an ability to function when tilted and experiencing shear displacement with respect to said waves, said interferometer comprising:

a means for directing waves to produce multiple-beam interference among the waves, and wherein said directing means comprises a semi-transparent spherical mirror which transmits said waves, some of which pass through a focal point, and which receives and reflects said waves from said reflecting means back through said focal point; and

a means for reflecting waves back along their angle of incidence, said reflecting means being fixed in propinquity with said directing means such that the reflecting means receives and reflects said waves back upon themselves regardless of any tilt and shear displacement between the two means, and wherein said reflecting means comprises a phase conjugate mirror element which reflects optical waves back along their angle of incidence.

4. A process for producing multiple-beam interference among waves, said process comprising the steps of:

transmitting said waves so that some of said waves pass through a focal point and continue on; and

wherein said transmitting step is accomplished by placing a partially-transparent spherical mirror in a position such that it intercepts said waves and directs them, said partially-transparent spherical mirror also redirecting said waves back to a focal point so that the waves produce said multiple-beam interference; and

intercepting said waves and reflecting them back along their angle of incidence so that they return to produce said multi beam interference.

5. A process, as defined in claim 4, wherein said intercepting step is performed by placing a pseudo-phase conjugate mirror in propinquity with said partially-transparent spherical mirror so that it intercepts said waves after they pass through said focal point, said pseudo-phase conjugate mirror reflecting said waves back along their angle of incidence so that the waves produce said multiple beam interference.

6. A process, as defined in claim 4, wherein said intercepting step is performed by placing a phase conjugate mirror in propinquity with said partially-transparent spherical mirror so that it intercepts said waves after they pass through said focal point, said phase conjugate mirror reflecting said waves back along their angle of incidence so that the waves produce said multiple beam interference.