Athermalized birefringent filter apparatus and method
US7534991B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 10, 2007 |
| Grant date | May 19, 2009 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 10, 2027 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02F2203/60
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An athermalized birefringent filter for shifts in center wavelength and in bandwidth incorporates fixed retarder elements such as quartz or film retarders, along with electrically-variable retarder elements such as liquid crystal variable retarder cells. A control mechanism determines the amount of thermal drift in the fixed retarder element and produces an equal change in the variable retarder element. The sign of the change depends on whether the variable retarder element adds its retardance with that of the fixed retarder element, or opposes it. This change compensates for the thermal drift of the fixed retarder element. Further, the variable retarder element is constructed to provide the necessary range of retardance adjustment for spectral tuning and thermal compensation over a target thermal range. The control mechanism ensures that, for any specified wavelength, the birefringent filter operates in the same order over the full target thermal range. Multispectral imaging systems are provided based on these filters which provide athermalized response.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.