Apparatus for coupling an optical fiber to a structure at a desired angle
First Claim
1. Apparatus for coupling an optical fiber to a structure comprising:
- a fiber support mandrill for securable receiving said optical fiber;
an elongated ball member having an elongated body and a first end for receiving said mandrill and a tapered, slightly rounded second end;
a clamp having a rounded recess for receiving said slightly rounded second end such that said ball member and mandrill rotate said optical fiber to the desired angle relative to a surface of the structure; and
means for securing said clamp to said structure to fix the desired angle.
3 Assignments
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Accused Products
Abstract
Optical metrology apparatus, specifically a laser probe (1), includes a frame (10) comprised of a material selected to have a predetermined coefficient of thermal expansion. A beamsplitter (36) is coupled to the frame for generating a sample beam optical path (D) and a reference beam optical path (C). The beamsplitter is optically coupled to an optical fiber (12) that delivers radiation to and conveys radiation from the frame. A piezoelectric stack (48) has an excitation signal coupled thereto and includes a mirror (26) for phase modulating the reference beam optical path length in response to the excitation signal. The laser probe includes a first strain gauge (58) that is coupled to the piezoelectric stack and a second strain gauge (60) that is coupled to the frame. A closed loop control system (A1, A2, A3, A4, VR) varies the excitation signal in accordance with the detected strains so as to maintain the reference beam optical path length in a predetermined relationship to a path length of the sample beam optical path. This athermalizes the probe, in that any expansion or contraction of the frame is matched by the piezoelectric stack, yielding a net zero change in the non-common beam path lengths. The apparatus includes an optical fiber support (14) that is rotatably coupled to the frame for positioning the optical fiber at a desired angular position.
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Citations
2 Claims
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1. Apparatus for coupling an optical fiber to a structure comprising:
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a fiber support mandrill for securable receiving said optical fiber; an elongated ball member having an elongated body and a first end for receiving said mandrill and a tapered, slightly rounded second end; a clamp having a rounded recess for receiving said slightly rounded second end such that said ball member and mandrill rotate said optical fiber to the desired angle relative to a surface of the structure; and means for securing said clamp to said structure to fix the desired angle. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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Specification