System and method for recording interference fringes in a photosensitive medium

• US 6,633,385 B2
• Filed: 10/11/2001
• Issued: 10/14/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TeraXion, Inc. (indie Semiconductor, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: TeraXion, Inc. (indie Semiconductor, Inc.)
• Inventors: Trépanier, François
• Primary Examiner(s): Font, Frank G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lyons, Michael A.
• Application Number:
  US09/975,836
• Publication Number:
  US 20030072003A1
• Time in Patent Office: 733 Days
• Field of Search: 356/450, 356/491, 359/9
• US Class Current: 356/450
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/1857 using exposure or etching means, e.g. holography, photolithography, exposure to electron or ion beams

Abstract

A system and a method for recording interference fringes in a photosensitive medium. Two light beams are guided along different light paths to impinge on a photosensitive medium, where they interfere to produce the interference fringes. One of the beam is reflected along its path on a delay mirror forming a fixed angle φ with respect to the plane of the photosensitive medium. Both the photosensitive medium and delay mirror are translated with respect to the light paths of the two beams, thereby recording the interference fringes all along the medium. The angle φ is chosen so that the interference pattern is fixed relative to the photosensitive medium along its length.

Claims

1. An interferometric recording system for recording interference fringes in a photosensitive medium extending in a recording plane, the system comprising:

light generating means for generating first and second coherent light beams;

a guiding assembly for respectively guiding the first and second light beams along first and second light paths leading to a recording location on the photosensitive medium, the first and second light beams generating the interference fringes at the recording location, the guiding assembly comprising a delay mirror disposed in the first light path to reflect the first light beam, the delay mirror being interdependent with the photosensitive medium and forming a fixed angle φ

with the recording plane; and

translating means for translating both the photosensitive medium and the delay mirror together with respect to the first and second light paths, thereby moving the recording location along the photosensitive medium and moving the interference fringes along the recording location, the angle φ

being selected to operationally couple said moving of the recording location and interference fringes.

2. An interferometric system according to claim 1, wherein said translating means comprise a translation stage for supporting the photosensitive medium and the delay mirror.

3. An interferometric system according to claim 2, wherein said translating stage is moveable along a direction parallel to the recording plane.

4. An interferometric system according to claim 1, wherein said light generating means comprise:

a light source for generating a source light beam; and

a beamsplitter for splitting said source light beam into the first and second coherent light beams.

5. An interferometric system according to claim 1, wherein said angle φ

is given by the relation;

6. An interferometric system according to claim 1, wherein the guiding assembly further comprises a stabilizing mirror disposed in the second light path to reflect the second light beam, said stabilizing mirror being interdependent with the photosensitive medium, the translating means translating said stabilizing mirror with respect to the first and second light path.

7. An interferometric system according to claim 6, wherein said stabilizing mirror extends in parallel to the recording plane.

8. An interferometric system according to claim 6, wherein said stabilizing mirror forms an angle θ

with the recording plane selected to cooperate with said angle φ

to operationally couple said moving of the recording location and interference fringes.

9. An interferometric system according to claim 6, wherein said translating means comprise a translation stage for supporting the photosensitive medium, the delay mirror and the stabilizing mirror.

10. An interferometric system according to claim 9, wherein said translating stage is movable along a direction parallel to the recording plane.

11. A method for recording interference fringes in a photosensitive medium extending in a recording plane, the method comprising steps of:

a) generating first and second coherent light beams;

b) respectively guiding the first and second light beams along first and second light paths leading to a recording location on the photosensitive medium, the first and second light beams generating the interference fringes at the recording location, the first light beam being reflected on a delay mirror disposed in the first light path, the delay mirror being interdependent with the photosensitive medium and forming a fixed angle φ

with the recording plane; and

c) translating both the photosensitive medium and the delay mirror together with respect to the first and second light paths, thereby moving the recording location along the photosensitive medium and moving the interference fringes along the recording location, the angle φ

being selected to operationally couple said moving of the recording location and interference fringes.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein step a) comprises the substeps of:

i) generating a source light beam; and

ii) splitting said source light beam into the first and second coherent light beams.

13. A method according to claim 11, wherein, in step b) said angle φ

is given by the relation;

14. A method according to claim 11, wherein:

step b) further comprises reflecting the second light beam on a stabilizing mirror disposed in the second light path, said stabilizing mirror being interdependent with the photosensitive medium; and

step c) comprises translating said stabilizing mirror with respect to the first and second light path.