Abstract:
in a laser diode heterodyne interferometry, a light beam from a laser diode (1) is divided in two, one of which is used as a reference beam and the other of which is used as an inspecting beam, and the two beams are projected again on an identical plane so as to form an interference pattern. The injection current of the laser diode (1) is modulated to scan the interference pattern, and a photocurrent obtained from each element of a photosensor array (6) which receives an intensity variation of the interference pattern is divided by a monitored current of a light output of the laser diode (1), to obtain a photocurrent signal of normalized interference pattern intensity variation.
Abstract:
A reference beam is allowed to be incident into a Michelson interferometer and a reference interference electric signal which changes sinusoidally with the movement of a movable reflector (14) in accordance with interference of the reference beam is obtained. A control circuit (21) applies a direction control signal representing the direction of the movement of the movable reflector (14) to a two-phase signal generator (32B). In response to the indicated direction, this generator generates a two-phase signal either one of the phases of which is advanced by 90°, and applies this two-phase signal as a feedback signal to a servo driving circuit (19). The control circuit (21) applies a movement control signal to the servo driving circuit (19) and controls the movement of the movable reflector (14), so that high precision control becomes possible in accordance with accuracy of the wavelength of the reference beam.
Abstract:
Apparatus (10) and method for detecting and measuring analyte in biological and other sample solutions. A substrate (20) is provided with at least one active region which specifically binds analyte and an inactive region that does not, and a change in optical path length through the active region due to binding of analyte is measured. The substrate (20) is inserted into one or both beams of an interferometer (10) and moved relative to the interferometer (10). As the substrate (20) moves, the active and inactive regions pass successively through the beam(s) causing a periodic phase shift in the light. When the beams, one or both of which have undergone phase modulation, are recombined with each other, the phase modulation is converted into an amplitude modulation. Each recombined beam is directed to a photodetector (42, 45), which converts the periodically varying optical power into a periodically varying electrical signal. This signal has an amplitude proportional to the amount of bound analyte on the surface of the substrate (20) and a signal frequency equal to that at which the active regions move past the beam(s) in the interferometer (10). Servo control (60, 62, 65) is used to maintain the interferometer at a desired operating point that maximizes the sensitivity and linearity of the system so that the small phase differences due to analyte binding can be measured more accurately.
Abstract:
A spatial heterodyne spectrometer has a two beam dispersive interferometer (25) which includes a diffraction grating (45) as a beam splitter/combiner. An incoming beam is collimated and passed to the grating (45) in the interferometer (25) where it is split into two beams (47, 50) which are recombined such that the angle between the wavefronts in the recombined beam at a particular wavelength is directly related to the deviation of that wavelength from a null wavelength at which the wavefronts are parallel. The recombined output beam is focused and imaged to produce Fizeau fringes across the output aperture (31), with these fringes being recorded on an imaging detector (34). The spatially varying intensity output of the imaging detector (34) is Fourier transformed to yield an output indicative of the spectral frequency content of the image which is related to the wavelength content of the incoming beam from the source.
Abstract:
An interferometer comprises a beam splitter (BS) and two scanning mirrors (M1, M2), which are parallel and disposed on a common slide member that can be linearly displaced. The interferometer further comprises two compensating mirrors (M3, M4), which are disposed between the beam splitter (BS) and the scanning mirrors (M1, M2). The beam splitter (BS) and each of the compensating mirrors (M3, M4) are orthogonal. The interferometer has good tolerance for displacement inaccuracies of the scanning mirrors (M1, M2). The interferometer may be used for producing a compact and inexpensive Fourier transform spectrometer.
Abstract:
An interferometer for Fourier spectroscopy, wherein the interferometer comprises a beamsplitter (14) and two retroreflectors (20, 26), characterized in that the beamsplitter (14) is mounted movably, e.g., mounted pivotally or displacably, while both retroreflectors (20, 26) are arranged as fixed retroreflectors. The proposed structure is simple to produce, can be made substantially insensible to environmental vibrations, and it is well suited for routine measurements for the determination of quantities of predefined components in a medium. The interferometer is particularly intended for measurements in the mid- or near-infrared range for determination of the quantities of specified components in a medium, and more specifically in a food product, e.g., a liquid such as milk.
Abstract:
A method of correlation interferometry analyzes only radiation in a predetermined spectral region where target gases absorb. Data is processed entirely in the interferometric domain. The interferometric response at these values is functionally dependent on the concentration of the investigated gas. The present invention allows one to increase the sensitivity of measurements of the concentrations of target gases with known spectrum contained in the investigated gas medium without greatly sacrificing selectivity, while sampling over only a subset of intervales required for Fourier spectroscopy.
Abstract:
The invention relates to an interferometer comprising a beamsplitter (10), a mirror (11) for retroreflecting beams (S1, S2), at least one pair of mirrors (12, 13) made up of two plane mirrors for reflecting the beams (S1, S2). The pair of mirrors (12, 13) is fitted in a rigid structure (15), which is arranged to rotate around an axis (A). It is characteristic that the beamsplitter (10) is attached to a body (20) supported on the mount and that the axis (A) passes through the body (20). According to a recommended embodiment, the retroreflecting mirror (11) is also attached to the body (20).