US3603690A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Optical systems having spatially invariant outputs
Assignee: National Aeronautics and Space Administration
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Filing: 1969-10-22
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Granted: 1971-09-07
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Expires: 1989-10-22
Abstract
Abstract This disclosure describes optical systems that have output beams that are spatially invariant to the angle of incidence upon a certain rotatable surface forming a part of the systems, and can be used to select the wavelength of the output of an optical source, such as a laser cavity, or to aid in measuring the reflectance of a material in reflectance spectroscopy. The optical systems comprise various combinations of plane mirrors and plane diffraction gratings (or sample surfaces), in some embodiments, spherical mirrors. The plane mirrors, plane gratings and spherical mirrors are either rotated or fixed in space in accordance with a particular embodiment. The moveable suitable movement mechanism, such as a micrometer. By rotating the shaft of the micrometer to a particular incidence angle, the frequency of the output of a laser cavity can be selected. Alternately, the reflectance of a material can be observed for a particular angle. In either case, the output beam remains spatially invariant as the position of the shaft and its attached elements is changed.
Inventors
- 👤 Thomas M Hard
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 11:38
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01J; G01J3/00; G01J3/02; G01J3/06; H; H01; H01S; H01S3/00; H01S3/005; H01S3/0071; H01S3/05; H01S3/08; H01S3/081; H01S3/0811; H01S3/0812; H01S3/086
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
140 words
A wavelength selective optical system having a spatially invariant output beam comprising: a plane diffraction grating, mounted with its rulings perpendicular to the plane of incidence of the input multiple wavelength beam; a plane mirror, mounted so that its surface lies in the surface plane of said grating; a rotation means attached to said grating and said plane mirror, so as to rotate Said grating and said plane mirror about an axis lying between said grating and said plane mirror, said axis being made coplanar with said surface plane and perpendicular to said plane of incidence; and a spherical mirror mounted so as to reflect a light beam from said grating to said plane mirror, said spherical mirror also being mounted so that its center of curvature lies at the intersection of said rotation axis with said plane of incidence.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
140 words
A wavelength selective optical system having a spatially invariant output beam comprising: a plane diffraction grating, mounted with its rulings perpendicular to the plane of incidence of the input multiple wavelength beam; a plane mirror, mounted so that its surface lies in the surface plane of said grating; a rotation means attached to said grating and said plane mirror, so as to rotate Said grating and said plane mirror about an axis lying between said grating and said plane mirror, said axis being made coplanar with said surface plane and perpendicular to said plane of incidence; and a spherical mirror mounted so as to reflect a light beam from said grating to said plane mirror, said spherical mirror also being mounted so that its center of curvature lies at the intersection of said rotation axis with said plane of incidence.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
A wavelength selective optical system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said spherical mirror is fixedly mounted.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
A wavelength selective optical system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said spherical mirror is attached to said rotation means so as to rotate as said first and second plane surfaces rotate.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
157 words
A wavelength selective optical system having a spatially invariant output beam comprising: a plane diffraction grating fixedly mounted; first and second plane mirrors mounted on either side of said plane diffraction grating at different angles with respect thereto so that a common axis passes through said first and second plane mirrors and said plane diffraction grating, said first and second plane mirrors being rotatable with respect to said plane grating; first and second spherical mirrors, said first spherical mirror mounted so as to reflect a light beam from said first plane mirror to said plane diffraction grating and said second spherical mirror mounted so as to reflect a light beam from said plane diffraction grating to said second plane mirror, the center of curvatures of said first and second spherical mirrors lying along said axis; and, rotation means attached to said first and second plane mirrors for rotating said first and second plane mirrors about said axis.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
157 words
A wavelength selective optical system having a spatially invariant output beam comprising: a plane diffraction grating fixedly mounted; first and second plane mirrors mounted on either side of said plane diffraction grating at different angles with respect thereto so that a common axis passes through said first and second plane mirrors and said plane diffraction grating, said first and second plane mirrors being rotatable with respect to said plane grating; first and second spherical mirrors, said first spherical mirror mounted so as to reflect a light beam from said first plane mirror to said plane diffraction grating and said second spherical mirror mounted so as to reflect a light beam from said plane diffraction grating to said second plane mirror, the center of curvatures of said first and second spherical mirrors lying along said axis; and, rotation means attached to said first and second plane mirrors for rotating said first and second plane mirrors about said axis.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
90 words
An optical system suitable for use in reflectance spectroscopy having a spatially invariant output beam comprising: a sample surface mounted so as to intersect a light beam and reflect it; a plane reflector mounted so as to receive the beam reflected by said sample surface and reflect it, said sample surfaces and said plane reflector mounted in planes that when extended intersect along a predetermined axis; and, rotation means attached to said sample surface and said plane reflector for rotating said sample surface and said plane reflector about said axis.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
90 words
An optical system suitable for use in reflectance spectroscopy having a spatially invariant output beam comprising: a sample surface mounted so as to intersect a light beam and reflect it; a plane reflector mounted so as to receive the beam reflected by said sample surface and reflect it, said sample surfaces and said plane reflector mounted in planes that when extended intersect along a predetermined axis; and, rotation means attached to said sample surface and said plane reflector for rotating said sample surface and said plane reflector about said axis.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
36 words
An optical system as claimed in claim 5 wherein the plane of incidence of the light beam that intersects said sample surface and is reflected to said plane reflector is at right angles to said axis.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
69 words
An optical system as claimed in claim 6 wherein said sample surface and said plane reflector lie in a common plane and including a spherical mirror mounted so as to reflect said light beam from said sample surface to said plane reflector, the center of curvature of said spherical mirror being coincident with the point of intersection of said axis and the plane of incidence of said light beam.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
15 words
An optical system as claimed in claim 7 wherein said spherical mirror is fixedly mounted.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
30 words
An optical system as claimed in claim 7 wherein said spherical mirror is attached to said rotation means so as to rotate as said sample surface and said reflector rotate.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
94 words
An interferometer having a spatially invariant output beam comprising: a thin, partially transmitting, partially reflecting beamsplitter, a first spherical reflector mounted on one side of said beamsplitter having a center of curvature that lies on an axis passing through said beamsplitter; a second spherical reflector mounted on the other side of said beamsplitter in the mirror position of said first spherical reflector, said second spherical mirror having a center of curvature that lies on the same point of said axis; and, rotation means connected to said beamsplitter for rotating said beamsplitter about said axis.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
94 words
An interferometer having a spatially invariant output beam comprising: a thin, partially transmitting, partially reflecting beamsplitter, a first spherical reflector mounted on one side of said beamsplitter having a center of curvature that lies on an axis passing through said beamsplitter; a second spherical reflector mounted on the other side of said beamsplitter in the mirror position of said first spherical reflector, said second spherical mirror having a center of curvature that lies on the same point of said axis; and, rotation means connected to said beamsplitter for rotating said beamsplitter about said axis.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
129 words
A wavelength selective optical system having a spatially invariant output beam comprising: a plane reflective diffraction gratiNg mounted with its rulings perpendicular to the plane of incidence defined by an input multiple wavelength beam and the normal to the grating; a plane mirror mounted so as to receive the beam reflected by said grating and reflect it, said plane mirror and said grating intersecting in an axis parallel to said grating rulings and perpendicular to said plane of incidence, the angle of intersection between said plane mirror and said grating and said plane mirror being fixed at any value greater than 0* and less than 180*; and rotation means attached to said grating and to said plane mirror for rotating said grating and said plane mirror about said axis.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
129 words
A wavelength selective optical system having a spatially invariant output beam comprising: a plane reflective diffraction gratiNg mounted with its rulings perpendicular to the plane of incidence defined by an input multiple wavelength beam and the normal to the grating; a plane mirror mounted so as to receive the beam reflected by said grating and reflect it, said plane mirror and said grating intersecting in an axis parallel to said grating rulings and perpendicular to said plane of incidence, the angle of intersection between said plane mirror and said grating and said plane mirror being fixed at any value greater than 0* and less than 180*; and rotation means attached to said grating and to said plane mirror for rotating said grating and said plane mirror about said axis.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
133 words
An optical system having a spatially invariant output beam comprising: a planar sample surface; a plane mirror mounted so that its surface lies in the surface plane of said sample surface; rotation means attached to said sample surface and said plane mirror, so as to rotate said sample surface and said plane mirror about an axis lying between said plane mirror about an axis lying between said sample surface and said plane mirror, said axis being made coplanar with said surface plane and perpendicular to the plane of incidence of the input beam; and a spherical mirror mounted so as to reflect a light beam from said sample surface to said plane mirror, said spherical mirror mounted with its center of curvature at the intersection of said axis with said plane of incidence.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
133 words
An optical system having a spatially invariant output beam comprising: a planar sample surface; a plane mirror mounted so that its surface lies in the surface plane of said sample surface; rotation means attached to said sample surface and said plane mirror, so as to rotate said sample surface and said plane mirror about an axis lying between said plane mirror about an axis lying between said sample surface and said plane mirror, said axis being made coplanar with said surface plane and perpendicular to the plane of incidence of the input beam; and a spherical mirror mounted so as to reflect a light beam from said sample surface to said plane mirror, said spherical mirror mounted with its center of curvature at the intersection of said axis with said plane of incidence.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
203 words
An optical system having a spatially invariant output beam comprising: a planar sample surface fixedly mounted; a first plane mirror mounted so that its surface lies in the plane of said sample surface; second and third plane mirrors mounted so that said sample surface and first plane mirror lie between said second and third plane mirrors, said second and third plane mirrors lying in a second common plane, so that the intersection of said surface plane and said second plane lies in the sample surface and all three plane mirrors; rotation means attached to said second and third plane mirrors, so as to rotate said second and third plane mirrors about said intersection; and three spherical mirrors mounted with their respective centers of curvature along said intersection, the first center lying between said second plane mirror and said sample surface, the second center lying between said sample surface and said first plane mirror; and the third center lying between said first plane mirror and said third plane mirror, the input beam being successively reflected by said second plane mirror, said first spherical mirror, said sample surface, said second spherical mirror, said first plane mirror, said third spherical mirror, and said third plane mirror.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
203 words
An optical system having a spatially invariant output beam comprising: a planar sample surface fixedly mounted; a first plane mirror mounted so that its surface lies in the plane of said sample surface; second and third plane mirrors mounted so that said sample surface and first plane mirror lie between said second and third plane mirrors, said second and third plane mirrors lying in a second common plane, so that the intersection of said surface plane and said second plane lies in the sample surface and all three plane mirrors; rotation means attached to said second and third plane mirrors, so as to rotate said second and third plane mirrors about said intersection; and three spherical mirrors mounted with their respective centers of curvature along said intersection, the first center lying between said second plane mirror and said sample surface, the second center lying between said sample surface and said first plane mirror; and the third center lying between said first plane mirror and said third plane mirror, the input beam being successively reflected by said second plane mirror, said first spherical mirror, said sample surface, said second spherical mirror, said first plane mirror, said third spherical mirror, and said third plane mirror.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-09-06 | 1975-03-08 | 1975-09-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-09-06 | 1979-03-08 | 1979-09-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-09-06 | 1983-03-08 | 1983-09-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |