Diffraction grating position sensing and control for a scanning monochromator
US5359409A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 28, 1993 |
| Grant date | Oct 25, 1994 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 28, 2013 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01J2003/1828
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A double-pass scanning monochromator for use in an optical spectrum analyzer includes an input optical fiber for emitting an input light beam, a diffraction grating for diffracting the input light beam to produce a spatially dispersed light beam, a slit for passing a selected portion of the dispersed light beam, a motor for rotating the diffraction grating, a shaft angle encoder for sensing grating position, and an output optical fiber. The light that passes through the slit is directed to the diffraction grating and is recombined by the diffraction grating to produce an output light beam. The light beam to be analyzed is incident on the diffraction grating during first and second passes. A polarization rotation device rotates the polarization components of the light beam by 90.degree. between the first and second passes so that the output of the monochromator is independent of the polarization of the input light beam. The output optical fiber is translated by a micropositioning assembly in a plane perpendicular to the output light beam during rotation of the diffraction grating to automatically track the output light beam and to provide optical chopping.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.