Optical systems utilizing a volume transmission diffraction element to provide wavelength tuning
US4752130A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 24, 1986 |
| Grant date | Jun 21, 1988 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 24, 2006 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02F1/33
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An optical system which provides wavelength tuning and which may be a spectrometer, monochromator or tunable laser uses a volume transmission diffraction element which is characterized by a periodic, spatial variation of refractive index or polarizability or other light transmission effecting parameter, and which is distributed throughout the volume of the element. The wavelength is tuned by (1) varying the angles of the incident and diffracted light symmetrically with respect to the periodic distribution in the element and/or (2) by varying the spatial period of the diffracting element's volume modulation distribution which is maintained symmetric with respect to fixed incident and diffracted beam angles.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.