Patent · US Expired

Integrating cavity for optical measurements

US6810161B2 · kind B2 · utility

5Cited by
7References
12Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 19, 2002
Grant dateOct 26, 2004
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 19, 2022

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG02B5/02
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An integrating optical system for measuring optical radiation. The system has a first sphere (forming a “primary” integrating cavity) and a second sphere (forming a “secondary” integrating cavity). An optical fiber interfaces to an input aperture of the first sphere so that light from the fiber enters the first sphere. A detector interfaces with the second sphere such that light from the first sphere couples to the detector by scattering within the first and second spheres and without a direct line of sight between the detector and the input aperture. The secondary integrating cavity has a smaller volume than the primary integrating cavity. The secondary integrating cavity is made smaller so as to decrease losses incurred by light scattering transmission through the first and second spheres. The detector is preferably configured so that it does not receive “specular” radiation (i.e., radiation from a single reflection) from the walls of the primary cavity.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.