System and method for low coherence broadband quadrature interferometry
US7019838B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 28, 2004 |
| Grant date | Mar 28, 2006 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 28, 2024 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01B2290/45
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A quadrature broadband interferometry system and method obtains a complete complex interferometric signal instantaneously in both homodyne and heterodyne systems in a simple, compact, and inexpensive setup. This is accomplished by separating interferometric components from non-interferometric components in each of at least two detector signals of an interferometer having a number of N×N couplers, scaling the interferometric components, and generating real and imaginary parts of a complex interferometric signal from the scaled interferometric components. The detector signals preferably derive from a broadband light source coupled to the interferometer, and the number of N×N couplers may be one or more, with N≧3.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.