Phase conjugate, common path interferometer
US4938596A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 5, 1989 |
| Grant date | Jul 3, 1990 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 5, 2009 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01J9/02
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A phase conjugate interferometer has a partially reflective conventional mirror placed in front of and in close proximity to a phase conjugate mirror using internally self pumped phase conjugation in barium titanate or other photorefractive material. The reflective surface may be the surface of the phase conjugate mirror. An optical system under test is illuminated with coherent light and the wavefront at the exit pupil thereof is imaged through a beam splitter onto the reflective surface (imaging being unnecessary if the distance between the exit pupil and the reflective surface is sufficiently small that negligible diffraction occurs over that distance). Part of the wavefront is reflected at the reflective surface of the partially reflecting conventional mirror. The transmitted portion of the wavefront is incident on the phase conjugate mirror where a wavefront reversed replica of the incident wave is produced and reflected. The two reflected waves (from the conventional and from the phase conjugate mirror travel back towards the exit pupil. The interference pattern which characterizes the incident wavefront is formed at the reflective surface of the conventional mirror. The inte…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.