Optical measurements of properties in substances using propagation modes of light
First Claim
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1. A method for optically measuring a sample, comprising:
- directing one beam of guided light in a first propagation mode to a sample;
directing a first portion of the guided light in the first propagation mode at a location near the sample away from the sample before the first portion reaches the sample while allowing a second portion in the first propagation mode to reach the sample;
controlling a reflection of the second portion from the sample to be in a second propagation mode different from the first propagation mode to produce a reflected second portion; and
directing both the reflected first portion in the first propagation mode and the reflected second portion in the second propagation mode through a common waveguide into a detection module to extract information from the reflected second portion on the sample.
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Abstract
This application describes designs, implementations, and techniques for controlling propagation mode or modes of light in a common optical path, which may include one or more waveguides, to sense a sample.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for optically measuring a sample, comprising:
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directing one beam of guided light in a first propagation mode to a sample; directing a first portion of the guided light in the first propagation mode at a location near the sample away from the sample before the first portion reaches the sample while allowing a second portion in the first propagation mode to reach the sample; controlling a reflection of the second portion from the sample to be in a second propagation mode different from the first propagation mode to produce a reflected second portion; and directing both the reflected first portion in the first propagation mode and the reflected second portion in the second propagation mode through a common waveguide into a detection module to extract information from the reflected second portion on the sample. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A device for optically measuring a sample, comprising:
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a waveguide to receive and guide an input beam in a first propagation mode; a probe head coupled to the waveguide to receive the input beam and to reflect a first portion of the input beam back to the waveguide in the first propagation mode and direct a second portion of the input beam to a sample, the probe head collecting reflection of the second portion from the sample and exporting to the waveguide the reflection as a reflected second portion in a second propagation mode different from the first propagation mode; and a detection module to receive the reflected first portion and the reflected second portion in the waveguide and to extract information of the sample carried by the reflected second portion.
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20. A method for optically measuring a sample, comprising:
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directing light in a first propagation mode to a vicinity of a sample under measurement; directing a first portion of the light in the first propagation mode to propagate away from the sample at the vicinity of the sample without reaching the sample; directing a second portion of the light in the first propagation mode to the sample to cause reflection at the sample; controlling reflected light from the sample to be in a second propagation mode that is independent from the first propagation mode to co-propagate with the first portion along a common optical path; and using the first portion in the first propagation mode and the reflected light in the second propagation mode to obtain information of the sample.
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Specification