US4468084A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Integrated optical time integrating correlator
Assignee: Honeywell Inc
•
Filing: 1982-11-22
•
Granted: 1984-08-28
•
Expires: 2002-11-22
Abstract
Abstract An optical time integrating correlator is fabricated in integrated optical form. This integrated optical implementation comprises a number of integrated components including an optical waveguide on a substrate, a diode laser, a guided wave lens, an electro-optic beamsplitter, a pair of surface acoustic wave transducer for generating first and second counterpropagating surface acoustic waves, a spatial filter and a detector array.
Inventors
- 👤 Lynn D. Hutcheson
- 👤 Poohsan N. Tamura
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 08:25
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06E; G06E3/00; G06E3/001; G06E3/005; G02; G02F; G02F1/00; G02F1/01; G02F1/11; G02F1/125
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
180 words
An integrated optical time integrating correlator comprising: an optical waveguide comprising a thin layer of titanium diffused into the surface of a LiNbO 3 substrate; said waveguide being adapted to have a laser beam propagated therethrough; first integrated lens means positioned for collimating said laser beam; integrated electro-optic beamsplitter means on said waveguide for causing a splitting of said collimated laser beam into two components including an undiffracted beam and a diffracted beam; first and second integrated SAW (surface acoustic wave) transducers formed on said waveguide surface for producing first and second counter propagating surface acoustic waves; said first and second counter propagating surface acoustic waves positioned to interact, respectively, with said undiffracted beam and said diffracted beam to deflect portions of each of the two beams such that the two deflected beams propagate parallel to each other, overlap each other and are coded to carry the acoustic pattern; and, integrated spatial filter means for imaging the acoustic pattern onto a detector array, and for eliminating the non-deflected non-coded portions of both of the undiffracted beam and the diffracted beam.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
180 words
An integrated optical time integrating correlator comprising: an optical waveguide comprising a thin layer of titanium diffused into the surface of a LiNbO 3 substrate; said waveguide being adapted to have a laser beam propagated therethrough; first integrated lens means positioned for collimating said laser beam; integrated electro-optic beamsplitter means on said waveguide for causing a splitting of said collimated laser beam into two components including an undiffracted beam and a diffracted beam; first and second integrated SAW (surface acoustic wave) transducers formed on said waveguide surface for producing first and second counter propagating surface acoustic waves; said first and second counter propagating surface acoustic waves positioned to interact, respectively, with said undiffracted beam and said diffracted beam to deflect portions of each of the two beams such that the two deflected beams propagate parallel to each other, overlap each other and are coded to carry the acoustic pattern; and, integrated spatial filter means for imaging the acoustic pattern onto a detector array, and for eliminating the non-deflected non-coded portions of both of the undiffracted beam and the diffracted beam.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
The integrated optical time integrating correlator according to claim 1 in which said optical waveguide is on the order of one micron thick.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
The integrated optical time integrating correlator according to claim 1 in which said first integrated lens is fabricated by cutting an aspheric depression in the surface of the substrate.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
The integrated optical time integrating correlator according to claim 1 in which said first integrated lens is of the Luneburg overlay type.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
53 words
The integrated optical time integrating correlator according to claim 1 in which said integrated electro-optic beamsplitter means is fabricated by depositing an interdigitated electrode pattern on the surface of the waveguide, and is controlled by applying a voltage to the electrode pattern so that a phase diffraction grating is established in the waveguide.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
38 words
The integrated optical time integrating correlator according to claim 1 in which said first and second SAW transducers are angularly placed at their respective appropriate Bragg diffraction angles with respect to said undiffracted beam and said diffracted beam.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
31 words
The integrated optical time integrating correlator according to claim 1 in which the integrated spatial filter means includes second integrated lens means for imaging the acoustic pattern onto the detector array.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
42 words
The integrated optical time integrating correlator according to claim 7 in which said second integrated lens means is located at a distance of 2f from the transducers and at a distance 2f from the detector array where f=focal length of the lens.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
72 words
The integrated optical time integrating correlator according to claim 7 in which said second integrated lens means comprises two integrated lens on said waveguide separated by a distance of 2f from one another, wherein the first of the two lens is formed at a distance f from the transducers and wherein the detector array is at a distance f from the second of the two lens where f=focal length of the lens.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
49 words
The integrated optical time integrating correlator according to claim 7 in which said integrated spatial filter means further includes integrated high index optics positioned at the spatial frequency plane of said second lens means for eliminating the non-coded non-deflected portions of both the undiffracted beam and the diffracted beam.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
32 words
The integrated optical time integrating correlator according to claim 10 in which said high index optics comprises integrated high index prisms positioned at the spatial frequency plane of said second lens means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3917384A
Cited
US4110016A
Cited
US4403825A
Cited
US4308506A
Cited
US4297704A
Cited
US4326778A
Cited
US4415226A
Cited
US4394060A
Cited
US4403833A
Cited
US4441186A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1987-08-28 | 1988-02-27 | 1988-08-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1991-08-28 | 1992-02-27 | 1992-08-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1995-08-28 | 1996-02-27 | 1996-08-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |