Fabry-perot resonator apparatus and method including an in-resonator polarizing element
US7294825B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 8, 2005 |
| Grant date | Nov 13, 2007 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 26, 2026 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N2021/391
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A Fabry-Perot resonator apparatus and method including an in-resonator polarizing element improves detection/measurement sensitivity of an optical system, provides both fields at a single end of the resonator, and overcomes other structural and performance limitations of particular optical systems. A polarizing element, which may be a quarter-wave plate, a 45-degree Faraday rotator or other polarizing element capable of converting between linear and circular polarizations and back, is placed in the resonance path of the Fabry-Perot resonator. The polarizing element effectively doubles the cavity length and orthogonally isolates forward from reverse reflection rays within the resonator, eliminating interference between rays and providing isolated bright and dark fields at each end of the resonator. The polarizing element is introduced in a lens-incorporating Fabry-Perot resonator to eliminate cross-talk between image points and is used in a non-normal incidence Fabry-Perot resonator to emit bright and dark resonance information at either end of the resonator.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.