Entries |
Document | Title | Date |
20080266572 | OPTICAL DEVICE AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME - An optical device includes a primary nanowire having a predetermined characteristic that affects an optical property of the primary nanowire. At least one secondary nanowire abuts the primary nanowire at a non-zero angle. The secondary nanowire(s) have another predetermined characteristic that affects an optical property of the secondary nanowire(s). A junction is formed between the primary and secondary nanowires. The device is configured to cause a portion of a light beam of a predetermined wavelength or range of wavelengths traveling through one of the primary nanowire or the secondary nanowire(s) to enter another of the secondary nanowire(s) or the primary nanowire. | 10-30-2008 |
20080285047 | Optical fiber probe - An optical fiber probe for an optical measuring device having a mechanical receptacle into which an optical fiber is inserted, having a fiber end piece which projects over the mechanical receptacle and is designed for guiding a measuring beam onto a measuring object. In the area of the fiber end piece and/or in the area of the mechanical receptacle, the optical fiber is provided, at least regionally, with coating that stabilizes it. The coating provides the fiber end piece with improved mechanical stability and reduced tendency to vibrate, making it possible to make it substantially longer than without the coating. | 11-20-2008 |
20090002712 | PASSIVELY BIASED FIBER-OPTIC GYROSCOPE AND CURRENT SENSOR - Passively biased fiber-optic Sagnac interferometric sensor architecture, for gyroscope and current sensor in particular, is disclosed. One embodiment uses a 3×3 coupler entirely made of circular polarization maintaining fiber that serves as a beam splitter and meanwhile a passive bias. An alternative is to use a 3×3 hybrid coupler consisting of two linear polarization maintaining fibers and one conventional single-mode fiber, with the former two connected in a common interferometric sensor circuitry, and with the latter one cut short at both ends to form matched terminations. Still another alternative is an integral unit of Faraday rotator, whose central part is a fine-optic magneto-optic 450 rotator, with a “zero to fast” fiber-optic quarter wave plate attached to one side, and a “fast to zero” fiber-optic quarter wave plate to the other. Advantages of passive bias are simplicity in construction, no need of manual adjustment and operational stability. | 01-01-2009 |
20090002713 | Optical Coherence Tomography System - There is provided an optical coherent tomography device capable of enlarging a measurement range by removing the affect of a folded image. The device includes an optical phase modulator ( | 01-01-2009 |
20090002714 | Optical Device Comprising a Cantilever and Method of Fabrication and Use Thereof - The present invention provides an optical device, comprising an optical fiber and a cantilever that is arranged on an end of the optical fiber; The cantilever may be an integral part of the optical fiber, and may have a length that is substantially equal to a diameter of the optical fiber. Measurement means for measuring a displacement of the cantilever are connected to an opposite end of the, optical fiber. A method of measuring a displacement using the optical device comprises the steps of: —arranging measurement means, comprising a light source, on an opposite end of the optical fiber; —using the light source to send a beam of light into the optical fiber; —measuring the interference of light that is reflected on the end op the optical fiber and light that is reflected on the cantilever; and determining the displacement of the cantilever relative to an intermediate position dependent on the measured interference. | 01-01-2009 |
20090027685 | Optical image measurement device - An optical image measuring device forms an image of an object to be measured based on a result of light-receiving by a light-receiving part. This optical image measuring device comprises: a specifying part configured to specify the light irradiated state to the light-receiving surface of a light-receiving part via a light guiding part and a dispersion part; and an altering part configured to alter the relative position and/or direction between a light-receiving surface and the exit end of light from the light guiding part, based on the light irradiated state. | 01-29-2009 |
20090073453 | ELASTICITY AND VISCOSITY MEASURING APPARATUS - Brillouin scattered light is used to measure the distribution of elasticity and viscosity in a measurement object without contact and in a noninvasive and simpler manner. Measuring light emitted from a light source is directed from a light probe onto a measurement object, and scattered light is received by the light probe. A control computer analyzes the light spectrum of scattered light received by the light probe, calculates at least one parameter selected from the center frequency and the linewidth of the elastic wave scattered components as viscoelastic information, matches the viscoelastic information with the position of a target area in the measurement object, and outputs image information. The position information of the target area in the measurement object is acquired by photographing light spots of guide light with a camera provided to the light probe. | 03-19-2009 |
20090073454 | OPTICAL TOMOGRAPHY IMAGING SYSTEM, CONTACT AREA DETECTING METHOD AND IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD USING THE SAME, AND OPTICAL TOMOGRAPHIC IMAGE OBTAINING METHOD - The optical tomography imaging system includes a light source, a branching section which branches a light beam into a measuring light beam and a reference beam, an optical probe having an optical fiber, a measurement section which irradiates a measurement target with the measuring beam and picks up a reflected beam, and a sheath which encloses the optical fiber and the measurement section, a multiplexing section which combines the reflected beam with the reference beam to create an interference beam, an interference beam detecting section which detects the interference beam as interference signals, and a contact detecting section which detects a contact area in which the optical probe and the measurement target are in contact with each other. The contact detecting section calculates from the detected interference signals a distance between the optical probe and the measurement target, and uses the calculated distance to detect the contact area. | 03-19-2009 |
20090091764 | Low cost fiber optic velocity sensor for sonar applications - A fiber optic sensor includes a housing having first and second end plates with a sidewall extending therebetween with the sidewall having an inwardly facing groove. A flexural disk having a central passage therethrough has an outer edge portion mounted in the inwardly facing groove in the housing. The flexural disk has a stepped thickness that is thinner at the outer edge portion than at a region spaced apart from the housing. A first fiber optic coil is mounted on a first side of the flexural disk in the thicker region of the flexural disk, and a second optical fiber is mounted on a second side of the flexural disk opposite the first fiber optic coil. The first and second fiber optic coils are optically coupled together by a fiber optic coupler to form an interferometer that produces an output signal in response to axial acceleration of the flexural disk. | 04-09-2009 |
20090091765 | Apparatus for Interferometric Sensing - An apparatus for interferometric sensing, comprising a plurality of single-longitudinal mode laser sources to each provide radiation at a corresponding plurality of selected wavelengths, and at least one modulator to frequency or phase modulate the radiation from each laser; a plurality of Fabry-Perot interferometers formed by Bragg Gratings written into optical fibre, each interferometer being responsive to one of the said plurality of wavelengths to each produce a reflected or transmitted optical output signal dependent on the corresponding interferometer path length; and one or more demodulators to demodulate the optical output signals and produce a corresponding plurality of measurement signals indicative of optical path lengths of the respective interferometers. | 04-09-2009 |
20090097036 | System and Method to Determine Chromatic Dispersion in Short Lengths of Waveguides Using a Common Path Interferometer - The present invention relates to a system and method to determine chromatic dispersion in short lengths of waveguides using a two wave interference pattern and a common path interferometer. Specifically the invention comprises a radiation source operable to emit radiation connected to a means for separating incident and reflected waves; the means for separating incident and reflected waves possessing an output arm adjacent to a first end of the waveguide; and the means for separating incident and reflected waves further connected to an optical detector operable to record an interference pattern generated by a reflected test emission from the radiation source. The interference pattern consists of two waves: one reflected from a first facet of a waveguide and the second reflected from a second facet of the same waveguide. | 04-16-2009 |
20090103100 | Compensating for Time Varying Phase Changes in Interferometric Measurements - An optical device under test (DUT) is interferometrically measured. The DUT can include one or more of an optical fiber, an optical component, or an optical system. First interference pattern data for the DUT is obtained for a first path to the DUT, and second interference pattern data for the DUT is obtained for a second somewhat longer path to the DUT. Because of that longer length, the second interference pattern data is delayed in time from the first interference pattern data. A time varying component of the DUT interference pattern data is then identified from the first and second interference pattern data. The identified time varying component is used to modify the first or the second interference pattern data to compensate for the time-varying phase caused by vibrations, etc. One or more optical characteristics of the DUT may then be determined based on the modified interference pattern data. | 04-23-2009 |
20090109441 | Method and apparatus for enhancing waveguide sensor signal - A detection system for a first specific material is provided by which an interferometer, having a reference waveguide segment and a test waveguide segment, is enhanced. The test waveguide segment carries a second capture material for specifically capturing said first specific material that may be present in a fluid specimen. Capture of the first specific material is detected by an interference pattern produced by combining coherent light beams passing through the waveguide segments. To enhance by orders of magnitude the detection limits of the test, the waveguide segments are subjected to an alternating or pulsed electrical or magnetic fields. This same signal is fed to a lock-in amplifier that is associated with computational means by which the interference pattern is interpreted. The invention further includes a waveguide system in which capture of the first specific material is detected by fluorescence. Detection of the fluorescent signal is enhanced relative to noise by subjecting the waveguide segment to alternating or pulsed electrical or magnetic signal. | 04-30-2009 |
20090116032 | Optical Coherence Tomography / Acoustic Radiation Force Imaging Probe - A combined system which synchronizes optical coherence tomography and acoustic radiation force for simultaneously imaging and mechanically displacing tissue in a patient as a detection and analytic tool. Detection of cancer and arterial plaques are primary targets of interest. | 05-07-2009 |
20090122319 | NON-UNIFORM SAMPLING TO EXTEND DYNAMIC RANGE OF INTERFEROMETRIC SENSORS - Methods and apparatus for interrogating optical sensors with high slew rates using non-uniform sampling are provided. The transmission of optical signals in a non-uniform pattern is employed to allow for demodulation of fringe rates exceeding the commonly understood Nyquist frequency limit given as one half of the mean sampling frequency. By monitoring the time dependent fringe frequency and assuming that the fringe frequency has a limited bandwidth, only a limited bandwidth smaller than the Nyquist bandwidth around the instantaneous fringe frequency needs to be reconstructed at any time. | 05-14-2009 |
20090122320 | Imaging catheter with integrated reference reflector - In part, the invention relates to a lens assembly. The lens assembly includes a micro-lens; a beam director in optical communication with the micro-lens; and a substantially transparent film. The substantially transparent film is capable of bi-directionally transmitting light, and generating a controlled amount of backscatter. In addition, the film surrounds a portion of the beam director. | 05-14-2009 |
20090135428 | SENSING A DISTURBANCE - The present invention relates to a system for sensing a disturbance in a sensing region along an optical path. The sensing system includes: a source of optical radiation; an upstream junction for channelling light along a first path and along a second path, the first and second paths each extending through the sensing region in an acoustically coupled relationship, such that, in use, a disturbance experienced at one of the first and second paths is experienced at the other of the first and second paths; and, a downstream junction for combining light from the first path with light from the second path so as to provide an interferometric signal from which the presence of a disturbance can be inferred. | 05-28-2009 |
20090135429 | OPTICAL CONNECTOR AND AN OPTICAL TOMOGRAPHIC IMAGING SYSTEM USING THE SAME - The optical connector includes a holder unit, a first optical fiber fixedly supported by the holder unit and having an inclined end face, a first collimating lens spaced from the inclined end face, a mounting unit supported relative to the holder unit, a second optical fiber disposed opposite the first collimating lens and having an inclined end face, a second collimating lens disposed between the first collimating lens and the second optical fiber and spaced from the inclined end face of the second optical fiber, wherein an optical transmission system comprising the first optical fiber and the first collimating lens is symmetric to an optical transmission system comprising the second optical fiber and the second collimating lens with respect to a plane perpendicular to the optical axis. | 05-28-2009 |
20090147264 | LABEL-FREE, REAL-TIME DETECTION SYSTEM FOR MOLECULAR INTERACTION ANALYSIS - An approach to diagnosing various physiological conditions in a subject entails determining the presence and, optionally, the amount or concentration of cell-free DNA in a sample from the subject. For this purpose one can employ an element that includes an optical surface with DNA-binding molecules immobilized thereon, where the optical surface is adapted for an optical instrument configured to detect DNA bound by the surface-immobilized molecules. Accordingly, one can diagnose in the subject a disease or other physiological condition by (A) contacting a sample from the subject with DNA-binding molecules and then (B) determining optically whether DNA has bound to the DNA-binding molecules, consequent to contacting the sample. | 06-11-2009 |
20090161113 | INTEGRATED OPTOELECTRONIC SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATIC CALIBRATION OF AN OPTICAL DEVICE - An apparatus and method for automated calibration of an optical device are disclosed. The apparatus is an integrated optoelectronic system that includes input and output optical waveguides, a tunable optical device, an optical source, an optical detector, and an electronic controller formed on a single substrate. The tunable optical device has one or more tuning elements for varying one or more characteristics of the device. The optical source is coupled to the input waveguide for providing a calibration signal to the device. The optical detector is coupled to the output optical waveguide for measuring an intensity of the optical signal output by the device in response to receiving the calibration signal. The electronic controller is configured to perform a calibration of the device by varying a parameter of each tuning element and to receive intensity measurements of the optical signal output by the device as a function of the varied parameter. | 06-25-2009 |
20090195786 | DEVICE FOR INSPECTING SEMI-CONDUCTOR WAFERS - Device for inspecting semi-conductor wafers in motion, including a light source for at least one wafer supported by a transfer element, the said light source being configured to transmit two incident beams on to a surface of the wafer, the incident beams being inclined relative to the normal to the surface, the device also including a unit for detecting interference fringes in the beam reflected by the surface of the wafer. | 08-06-2009 |
20090207416 | SURFACE CHARACTERISTIC DETERMINING APPARATUS - Light from the first and second different wavelength light sources is combined and supplied to a director that directs zeroth order light to a reference surface and other order, generally first order diffracted light to on a location of the sample surface which is dependent upon wavelength. Light reflected by the sample and reference surfaces interfere. A characteristic of a sample surface is determined from interference light of the first wavelength. Interference light of the second wavelength is used to enable phase-locking by adjusting the path length difference by moving the reference surface or changing the refractive index of a path portion to compensate for phase variation due to environmental effects. Non-mechanical scanning is used to scan the sample surface by using a variable wavelength source and a director providing different first order diffraction angles for different wavelengths or an acousto-optical device that provides a variable pitch acoustic diffraction grating. | 08-20-2009 |
20090244545 | OPTICAL ROTARY ADAPTOR AND OPTICAL TOMOGRAPHIC IMAGING APPARATUS USING THE SAME - An optical rotary adapter is featured by including: a fixed side optical fiber which is fixedly supported by a fixed sleeve and which has an end surface inclined with respect to a plane perpendicular to the optical axis of the optical fiber; a fixed side collimator lens which is arranged to be separated from the inclined end surface of the fixed side optical fiber by a predetermined interval; a rotation side optical fiber which is fixedly supported substantially at the center of a rotatably supported rotary cylinder, which is arranged to face the fixed side collimator lens, and which has an end surface inclined with respect to a plane perpendicular to the optical axis of the fixed side collimator lens; a rotation side collimator lens which is fixedly supported by the rotary cylinder, and which is arranged between the fixed side collimator lens and the rotation side optical fiber so as to be separated from the inclined end surface of the rotation side optical fiber by a predetermined interval; a second luminous flux optical fiber which guides a second luminous flux having a function different from that of a first luminous flux as a measuring light beam to the inside of the fixed sleeve; and a multiplexing device which is provided between the fixed side collimator lens and the rotation side collimator lens, and which multiplexes the first luminous flux with the second luminous flux. | 10-01-2009 |
20090251704 | OPTICAL ROTARY ADAPTER AND OPTICAL TOMOGRAPHIC IMAGING SYSTEM USING THE SAME - The optical rotary adapter is used with an optical tomographic imaging system for acquiring an optical tomographic image of an object under measurement. The adapter includes a fixed sleeve, a stationary optical fiber supported by the fixed sleeve and having an inclined end face, a stationary collimating lens spaced a given distance from the inclined end face, a mounting cylinder carried rotatably with respect to the fixed sleeve, a rotary optical fiber mounted to the mounting cylinder and having an inclined end face, a rotary collimating lens mounted to the mounting cylinder and disposed with a given distance from the inclined end face, and a rotation actuating device for rotating said mounting cylinder. The central axes of the stationary and rotary optical fibers are offset from or inclined with respect to a central axis of rotation of the mounting cylinder to reduce attenuation of returning light from the object. | 10-08-2009 |
20090303491 | DELAY INTERFEROMETER - In a delay interferometer in which a Michelson delay interferometer unit is mounted in a package having first and second sidewall portions that are perpendicular to each other, the delay interferometer includes: a Michelson delay interferometer unit in which first interference output light obtained by processing input light that is received through an input port disposed in the first sidewall portion is output through a first output port disposed in the first sidewall portion, and second interference output light is output from a second output port disposed in the second sidewall portion; and a first optical axis shifting member which shifts an optical axis position of the first interference output light in parallel to the first sidewall portion, to cause the light to be supplied into the first output port. | 12-10-2009 |
20090303492 | DELAY INTERFEROMETER - In a delay interferometer in which a Michelson delay interferometer unit is mounted in a package, the delay interferometer includes: a Michelson delay interferometer unit in which A-channel interference output light obtained by optically processing input light that is formed by splitting input light received through an input port, into A and B channels through a splitting portion is output from an A-channel first output port and an A-channel second output port disposed, and B-channel interference output light is output from a B-channel first output port and a B-channel second output port; and a first optical path length compensating member which is interposed between the A-channel interference output light or the B-channel interference output light, and the A-channel first output port or the B-channel first output port. | 12-10-2009 |
20090323074 | Fiber-based laser interferometer for measuring and monitoring vibrational characterstics of scattering surface - A fiber-optic laser Doppler interferometer includes a MM interferometric coupler configured with a double-clad MM fiber having a core, inner cladding and outer cladding. The core of the double clad MM fiber delivers a single mode radiation of a laser source towards a vibrating scattering surface which, in response thereto, scatters a beam launched back into the delivery fiber so that the inner cladding supports MM radiation. As a result of interferometric beating of the reference and scattered beams against each other in the MM coupler, the latter continuously outputs an amplitude-modulated signal which is not substantially affected by a speckle fading effect. | 12-31-2009 |
20090323075 | FLEXURAL DISC FIBER OPTIC SENSOR - A fiber optic sensor employs a central support structure and at least two flexural discs spaced apart from one another along a central axis. Radially-inner portions of the flexural discs are rigidly attached to the central support structure. A fiber optic coil is affixed to one of the flexural discs. At least one proof mass is disposed between the flexural discs. Coupling means rigidly connects together radially outer edge portions of the flexural discs and rigidly connects the at least one proof mass to such outer edge portions. The flexibility of the axially-aligned outer-edge-connected flexural disc arrangement, together with the outer-edge-connected proof mass, provide for a relatively large response to axial forces. The radial stiffness of the axially-aligned outer-edge-connected flexural disc arrangement minimizes the response to non-axial forces. By limiting the response to non-axial forces, unwanted cross-axis sensitivity of the device is reduced and unwanted resonances are eliminated. The seismic mass may comprise a tungsten body. | 12-31-2009 |
20100007892 | OPTICAL SENSING OF MEASURANDS - A dome-shaped chemical sensing probe comprises an optical fiber or may be mounted on an optical fiber. The probe has a chemically sensitive measuring material which exhibits a change in volume and/or a change in refractive index in the presence of a given chemical. The change in volume and/or refractive index gives a change in an optical path length through the probe which can be measured interferometrically. | 01-14-2010 |
20100027023 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR SENSING HAZARDOUS MATERIALS - An apparatus and method for sensing hazardous materials utilizes first and second optical fibers and a recirculator coupled to a substrate. The first optical fiber is coupled to the substrate and has first and second opposing ends and a first substance embedded therein. The first substance is reactive to a first hazardous material type. The second optical fiber is coupled to the substrate and has first and second opposing ends and a second substance embedded therein. The second substance is reactive to a second hazardous material type. The at least one recirculator is coupled to the substrate and configured such that when light propagates from one of the ends of at least one of the first and second optical fibers, at least some of the light is directed by the at least one recirculator into the opposing end of the respective optical fiber. | 02-04-2010 |
20100027024 | System and Method for Optical Coherence Tomography - The invention relates to a system and to a corresponding method for optical coherence tomography having a light source ( | 02-04-2010 |
20100046001 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ULTRAFAST OPTICAL SIGNAL DETECTING VIA A SYNCHRONOUSLY COUPLED ANAMORPHIC LIGHT PULSE ENCODED LATERALLY - In one general embodiment, a method for ultrafast optical signal detecting is provided. In operation, a first optical input signal is propagated through a first wave guiding layer of a waveguide. Additionally, a second optical input signal is propagated through a second wave guiding layer of the waveguide. Furthermore, an optical control signal is applied to a top of the waveguide, the optical control signal being oriented diagonally relative to the top of the waveguide such that the application is used to influence at least a portion of the first optical input signal propagating through the first wave guiding layer of the waveguide. In addition, the first and the second optical input signals output from the waveguide are combined. Further, the combined optical signals output from the waveguide are detected. | 02-25-2010 |
20100067018 | Phase Based Sensing - Interrogation of a phase based transducer is performed by comparing the state of the transducer at two points in time to determine the rate of change with time of the measurand represented as a phase change. The rate of change, or derivative of the phase change typically has a much smaller amplitude than the signal itself, and the derivative measurement can therefore be thought of as a low sensitivity measurement to be used instead of or in combination with the normal signal measurement having higher sensitivity. In this way, large amplitude signals which might otherwise be subject to overscaling effects can be measured more effectively. For a signal with the majority of its energy centred at approximately 800 Hz, for example, the derivative of that signal will typically be attenuated by 60 dB with a period between the two measurement times of 200 ns. | 03-18-2010 |
20100073682 | OPTICAL TOMOGRAPHIC IMAGE ACQUISITION APPARATUS AND METHOD OF ACQUIRING OPTICAL TOMOGRAPHIC IMAGE - An optical tomographic image acquisition apparatus comprises a light source unit emitting light; a light dividing device dividing the light from the unit into measurement light and reference light; a projecting device arranged inside a tubular sheath to project the measurement light onto an object; a combining device combining reflected light reflected from the object or the sheath and the reference light; an interference light detecting device detecting interference light between the reflected light and the reference light; an interference signal acquiring device acquiring an interference signal; a tomographic image acquiring device acquiring an optical tomographic image; and a reference position adjustment section detecting a sheath interference signal that is an interference signal of the reflected light reflected from the sheath from the interference signals and adjusts an optical tomographic image reference position as a reference to acquire the optical tomographic image based on the detected sheath interference signal. | 03-25-2010 |
20100091293 | SEMITRANSPARENT INTEGRATED OPTIC MIRROR - An optical device is disclosed. The device comprises a waveguide formed within a substrate; and at least one semitransparent mirror structure formed within the waveguide and being designed and constructed to partially reflect light propagating in the waveguide such that a portion of the light is emitted through the surface of the waveguide. The semitransparent mirror structure(s) is capable of reflecting light while substantially preserving the shape of the light profile in the waveguide. | 04-15-2010 |
20100097614 | WAVELENGTH SCANNING LIGHT SOURCE AND OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY DEVICE - An optical coherence tomography device includes a wavelength scanning laser light source ( | 04-22-2010 |
20100097615 | Optical Reflectometry and Optical Reflectometer - An object of the invention is to provide an optical reflectometry and an optical reflectometer, in which accurate measurement can be performed irrespective of a measurement distance. In the optical reflectometry and optical reflectometer according to the invention, in which a distribution of backscattered light intensity from a measurement target in an optical propagation direction is measured using Optical Frequency Domain Reflectometry (OFDR), a coherence monitor unit | 04-22-2010 |
20100097616 | System and Method for Optical Coherence Tomography - The invention relates to a system and to a corresponding method for optical coherence tomography having an interferometer ( | 04-22-2010 |
20100103429 | INTEGRATED OPTICAL SENSOR - An integrated optical sensor for, for example, a (bio)chemical sensor has an optical waveguide ( | 04-29-2010 |
20100128278 | FIBER-BASED INTERFEROMETER SYSTEM FOR MONITORING AN IMAGING INTERFEROMETER - Apparatus include a microscope including an objective and a stage for positioning a test object relative to the objective, the stage being moveable with respect to the objective, and a sensor system, that includes a sensor light source, an interferometric sensor configured to receive light from the sensor light source, to introduce an optical path difference (OPD) between a first portion and a second portion of the light, the OPD being related to a distance between the objective lens and the stage, and to combine the first and second portions of the light to provide output light, a detector configured to detect the output light from the interferometric sensor, a fiber waveguide configured to direct light between the sensor light source, the interferometric sensor and the detector, a tunable optical cavity in a path of the light from the sensor light source and the interferometric sensor, and an electronic controller in communication with the detector, the electronic controller being configured to determine information related to the OPD based on the detected output light. | 05-27-2010 |
20100157308 | SINGLE FIBER ENDOSCOPIC FULL-FIELD OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY (OCT) IMAGING PROBE - A single fiber full-field optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging probe ( | 06-24-2010 |
20100165351 | SILICON PHOTONIC WAVEGUIDE BIOSENSOR CONFIGURATIONS - Methods and devices relating to sensors and sensor blocks for use in detecting and monitoring molecular interactions. A silicon waveguide sensing element is provided along with a layer of silicon. A silicon oxide layer is also provided between the waveguide element and the layer of silicon. The sensing element is adjacent to an aqueous solution in which the molecular interactions are occurring. A light beam travelling in the silicon waveguide creates an evanescent optical field on the surface of the sensing element adjacent to the boundary between the sensing element and the aqueous medium. Molecular interactions occurring on this surface affect the intensity or the phase of the light beam travelling through the waveguide by changing the effective refractive index of the medium. By measuring the effect on the intensity, phase, or speed of the light beam, the molecular interactions can be detected and monitored in real time. Various configurations using this sensor technology is also disclosed. | 07-01-2010 |
20100165352 | ADIABATIC TAPERED COMPOSITE WAVEGUIDE FOR ATHERMALIZATION - A planar waveguide circuit includes a silica-based planar optical waveguide circuit having a lower cladding, a core and an upper cladding. At least one input waveguide and one output waveguide are each coupled to the optical waveguide circuit. At least one tapered waveguide section is located in the waveguide circuit, which has an upper cladding segment that tapers down to at least the core to define a tapered recess. A filler material having a negative thermo-optic coefficient fills the tapered recess so that the optical waveguide circuit has an optical characteristic with a reduced temperature dependence. | 07-01-2010 |
20100171960 | FOR PATH IMBALANCE MEASUREMENT OF THE TWO ARMS FIBER OPTIC INTERFEROMETER - Path imbalance measurement of the two arms fiber optic interferometer includes employing a current carrier signal to modulate the semiconductor laser light source of the interferometer to let it output interference signals to generate a carrier phase signal through path imbalance of the interferometer. Then, the interference signals are expanded to be the harmonic components of carrier phase signal frequency by Bessel function. Subsequently, we use the specific relation between the second and the fourth harmonic components of the interference signals to develop the theory of path imbalance measurement. The method mentioned above can measure a few decimeters of path imbalance and its accuracy can reach to a millimeter. | 07-08-2010 |
20100231920 | LIGHT-EMITTING INTRA-CAVITY INTERFEROMETRIC SENSORS - Light-emitting intra-cavity interferometric (ICI) optical sensors based on channel waveguide structures which include an internal light emitting material and a functionalized region. In some embodiments, the waveguides are made of a sol-gel which incorporates the light emitting material. In some embodiments, the waveguide structure includes an ICI resonator backbone and the ICI sensor is a laser sensor. In some embodiments, the resonator backbone has an interferometric Y-branch shape. In some embodiments, the resonator backbone has a Mach Zehnder interferometer shape. In some embodiments, an ICI laser sensor has an interferometric arrayed waveguide grating shape. In some embodiments, an ICI sensor may be remotely optically pumped and remotely read. | 09-16-2010 |
20100238452 | Dual Fiber Stretchers for Dispersion Compensation - An optical system having at least two waveguides that are deformable to provide adjustments to dispersion and path length. | 09-23-2010 |
20100238453 | Fiber-Optic Assay Apparatus Based On Phase-Shift Interferometry - Apparatus and method for detecting the presence or amount or rate of binding of an analyte in a sample solution is disclosed. The apparatus includes an optical assembly having first and second reflecting surfaces separated by a distance “d” greater than 50 nm, where the first surface is formed by a layer of analyte-binding molecules, and a light source for directing a beam of light onto said first and second reflecting surface. A detector in the apparatus operates to detect a change in the thickness of the first reflecting layer resulting from binding of analyte to the analyte-binding molecules, when the assembly is placed in the solution of analyte, by detecting a shift in phase of light waves reflected from the first and second surfaces. | 09-23-2010 |
20100245835 | ULTRAFAST CHIRPED OPTICAL WAVEFORM RECORDER USING REFERENCED HETERODYNING AND A TIME MICROSCOPE - A new technique for capturing both the amplitude and phase of an optical waveform is presented. This technique can capture signals with many THz of bandwidths in a single shot (e.g., temporal resolution of about 44 fs), or be operated repetitively at a high rate. That is, each temporal window (or frame) is captured single shot, in real time, but the process may be run repeatedly or single-shot. This invention expands upon previous work in temporal imaging by adding heterodyning, which can be self-referenced for improved precision and stability, to convert frequency chirp (the second derivative of phase with respect to time) into a time varying intensity modulation. By also including a variety of possible demultiplexing techniques, this process is scalable to recoding continuous signals. | 09-30-2010 |
20100265514 | ALL-OPTICAL FIBER INTERFEROMETER - A compact and stable interferometer is easily built only with fusion splices. The air-holes of a microstructured fiber are intentionally collapsed in the vicinity of the splices and this broadens the propagating optical mode, allowing coupling from core to cladding modes. The transmission spectrum is sinusoidal and of single frequency, indicating predominant interference between the fundamental core mode ( | 10-21-2010 |
20100271634 | INTERFEROMETER AND SENSOR BASED ON BIMODAL OPTICAL WAVEGUIDES, AND DETECTION METHOD - Planar optical waveguide interferometer ( | 10-28-2010 |
20100271635 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CHRIPED PULSE INTERFEROMETRY - The device is based on a cross-correlator which measures the signal between a pair of oppositely chirped laser pulses. Two laser pulses, one with a positive chirp and one with a negative chirp, are mixed on a beamsplitter. The two resulting beams pass through a reference or a sample arm and are subsequently mixed on a non-linear crystal. The signal from the interferometer is the sum frequency generation produced in that crystal. The reference arm contains a moveable delay which is used to change the relative timing of the two beams in the interferometer. The sum frequency generation in the narrow band of frequencies is the signal from the device and is measured as a function of the delay. Alternatively, a pure dispersive phase shift could be used in place of the two laser pulses. | 10-28-2010 |
20100284019 | SEMICONDUCTOR INTEGRATED OPTICAL DEVICE AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME - A semiconductor integrated optical device includes a group III-V compound semiconductor substrate, a semiconductor optical device region, and an optical waveguide region. The semiconductor optical device region and the optical waveguide region are arranged on the group III-V compound semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor optical device region has a first optical waveguide made of group III-V compound semiconductor. The optical waveguide region has a second optical waveguide optically coupled with the first optical waveguide. The optical waveguide region further includes a silicon oxide layer. The silicon oxide layer is disposed between the group III-V compound semiconductor substrate and the second optical waveguide. The second optical waveguide is made of semiconductor which is different from the group III-V compound semiconductor. | 11-11-2010 |
20100290058 | METHOD FOR DETERMINING A PERTURBATION OF AN OPTICAL WAVE - Method for determining a perturbation of an optical wave, wherein a first wave which has been subject to a perturbation, is caused to interfere with a second adaptive and continuously adjustable wave, used as a reference wave, in order to obtain a set of interference fringes, the phase of the first wave is reconstructed from this set, and the perturbation is determined from the thereby reconstructed phase. The shape of the wavefront of the second wave is dynamically adjusted so as to obtain a number of interference fringes adapted to the reconstruction of the phase. | 11-18-2010 |
20100290059 | OPTICAL STRUCTURE MEASURING APPARATUS AND OPTICAL PROBE THEREOF - In an embodiment of the present invention, an OCT probe is configured by including: a thin and long substantially cylindrical sheath whose distal end is closed; an n-reflecting surface body, as an irradiating device, which has n reflecting surfaces (with n being an integer of three or more) and which is provided in a distal end portion of the sheath; a torque transmitting coil, as a rotating device, which is provided along the longitudinal axis of the sheath and which transmits rotational torque for rotating each of the reflection surfaces of the n-reflecting surface body about the longitudinal axis of the sheath; and n fibers (1) to (n), as an n-channel waveguide device, which are provided and fixed in the sheath in a side by side relationship with the torque transmitting coil. | 11-18-2010 |
20100296102 | SYSTEM AND METHOD TO DETERMINE CHROMATIC DISPERSION IN SHORT LENGTHS OF WAVEGUIDES USING A 3-WAVE INTERFERENCE PATTERN AND A SINGLE-ARM INTERFEROMETER - The present invention relates to a system and method to determine chromatic dispersion in short lengths of waveguides using a three wave interference pattern and a single-arm interferometer. Specifically the invention comprises a radiation source operable to emit radiation connected to a means for separating incident and reflected waves; the means for separating incident and reflected waves having an output arm adjacent to a first end of the waveguide; the means for separating incident and reflected waves connected to a detector; a collimating means positioned at a second end of the waveguide; and a reflecting means positioned at a balanced distance from the collimating means operable to reflect a test emission from the radiation source back through the collimating means, the waveguide, and the means for separating incident and reflected waves thereby generating an interference pattern that is recorded by the detector. | 11-25-2010 |
20100321703 | OPTICAL SENSOR - An optical sensor ( | 12-23-2010 |
20110001981 | FIBER BRAGG GRATING DEVICES UTILIZING SLOW LIGHT - In certain embodiments, an optical device and a method of use is provided. The optical device includes a fiber Bragg grating having a substantially periodic refractive index modulation along a length of the fiber Bragg grating. The fiber Bragg grating has a power transmission spectrum with a plurality of local transmission minima, wherein each pair of neighboring local transmission minima has a local transmission maximum therebetween. The local transmission maximum has a maximum power at a transmission peak wavelength. The optical device further includes a narrowband optical source in optical communication with a first optical path and a second optical path. The narrowband optical source is configured to generate light having a wavelength at or in the vicinity of a local transmission maximum or at or in the vicinity of a wavelength at which the power transmission spectrum has a maximum slope between a local transmission maximum and either one of two local transmission minima neighboring the local transmission maximum. | 01-06-2011 |
20110013195 | Polarization independent optical device - An optical device includes a core sandwiched between two clads. The core includes a planar waveguide layer with ridges protruding into one of the clads, forming a ridge waveguide structure that guides the propagation of light in the core. The core dimensions satisfy the following conditions: the ridge width is less than the total core height; the ridge height is less than the ridge width; the thickness of the planar waveguide layer is equal to or less than one-fourth of the total core height. Dimensions satisfying these conditions can be selected to provide polarization independent operation. The ridges may be arranged to define a pair of optical waveguides forming a Mach-Zehnder interferometer, an optical wavelength filter, or various other optical devices. | 01-20-2011 |
20110019199 | METHOD FOR EVALUATING CHARACTERISTICS OF OPTICAL MODULATOR HAVING HIGH-PRECISION MACH-ZEHNDER INTERFEROMETERS - Problem An object is to provide a method for evaluating characteristics of individual Mach-Zehnder (MZ) interferometers in an optical modulator which includes a plurality of MZ interferometers. | 01-27-2011 |
20110043817 | Polarization independent directional coupler and related optical devices - An optical device has two optical waveguides embedded in a clad. The optical waveguides are mutually parallel and are separated by a distance that allows optical coupling between them. The optical waveguides have identical square cross sectional shapes in a plane orthogonal to the direction of light propagation, so that light propagates through each optical waveguide without polarization dependence. The length of each side of the square cross section of the optical waveguides is determined from the refractive index of the clad and the distance between the longitudinal axes of the optical waveguides so that coupling between the two optical waveguides is also polarization independent for light with a wavelength of 1.49 micrometers, which is the longer of the two wavelengths used in optical subscriber networks. | 02-24-2011 |
20110043818 | Coiled Evanescent Optical Sensor - An evanescent optical sensor is formed as a coil of either optical fiber or microfiber. By coiling the fiber/microfiber, the overall size of the sensor is significantly reduced when compared to “straight path” prior art fiber sensors, yet exhibits a similar degree of sensitivity, in operation, an optical signal is coupled into a fiber coil that has been immersed in an ambient to be analyzed. The use of a coil configuration results in creating a plurality of whispering gallery modes (WGMs) that will propagate along the coil by reflecting from the surface of the curved fiber/microfiber forming the coil. The interference between these modes will be modified as a function of the properties of the ambient environment within which the coil is immersed. Environmental changes cause variations in the optical length of the coil as “seen” by the various modes, and the interference of the modes is analyzed by studying the transmission spectrum at the output of the coil. | 02-24-2011 |
20110051145 | SENSING COIL AND SENSING UNIT FOR SAGNAC OPTICAL FIBRE CURRENT SENSOR - A sensing coil for a Sagnac interferometer current sensor is disclosed, the sensing coil ( | 03-03-2011 |
20110080589 | VERTICAL PLASMONIC MACH-ZEHNDER INTERFEROMETER - An optical device includes first and second optical branches. The first optical branch is formed at an interface between a first substrate and a second substrate, and the second optical branch is formed at an interface between the second substrate and an ambient medium. The second substrate defines first and second spaced apart slits that are each coupled to the first and second optical branches. The first slit is configured to receive at least partially coherent light from a light source and in response excite at least one surface plasmon polariton mode in each of the first and second optical branches. The second slit is configured to combine the surface plasmon polariton modes received from the first and second optical branches and emit scattered light into at least one of the first substrate and the ambient medium. | 04-07-2011 |
20110080590 | METHOD OF MANUFACTURING PREFORM FOR OPTICAL WAVEGUIDE - The present invention relates to an optical waveguide manufacturing method, which excels in mass productivity of a planar optical waveguide. In an aggregating step, plural members ( | 04-07-2011 |
20110096332 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR GAS ANALYSIS USING AN INTERFEROMETRIC LASER - The invention relates to design of an interferometric laser and a method for analyzing gas with this, preferably methane, ethane, propane, butane, pentane, hexane, heptane, ethylene, dichloromethane, isooctane, benzene, xylenes, hydrazine, formaldehyde, N | 04-28-2011 |
20110109912 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DETECTING PRESSURE SIGNALS - An apparatus comprising an encoded pressure signal propagating in a fluid flowing in a conduit. An optical fiber measurement element has a reflector on one end and is disposed around at least a portion of the conduit. A light source injects a second optical signal and a third optical signal propagating in first and second optical fibers, respectively. A delay section is disposed in the second optical fiber. The second optical signal and the third optical signal are directed into the optical fiber measurement element and are reflected back from the reflective end such that at least a portion of the reflected second and third optical signals propagate through the second and first optical fibers respectively to an optical detector. The optical detector senses an interference between the reflected optical signals and outputs a first signal related thereto. | 05-12-2011 |
20110116098 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DETECTING PRESSURE SIGNALS - An apparatus to detect a pressure signal in a fluid flowing in a conduit comprises a flexible band sized to fit at least partially around the conduit. An optical fiber is flexibly adhered to the flexible band. At least one fastener is attached to the flexible band to fasten the flexible band at least partially around the conduit. A method for detecting a pressure signal in a conduit comprises adhering an optical fiber to a flexible band. At least one fastener is attached to the band. The band is fastened around the conduit such that a strain induced in the conduit by the pressure signal is transmitted to the optical fiber. | 05-19-2011 |
20110149294 | INTEGRATED INTERFEROMETRIC APPARATUS AND BIO DETECTION SENSOR SYSTEM USING IT - There are provided an integrated interferometric apparatus and a bio sensor system using the same. In more detail, an integrated interferometric apparatus, comprising: first to fourth ports through which optical signals are input and output, a coupler branching and coupling the optical signals and first to fourth optical waveguides connecting the first to fourth ports to the coupler and transmitting optical signals, wherein the coupler branches the optical signals input from the first port and transmits them to the second port and the third port and couples the optical signals transmitted from the second port and the third port and transmits them to the fourth port, and the first port and the fourth port are disposed so that the first optical waveguide connected to the first port is orthogonal to the fourth optical waveguide connected to the fourth port. | 06-23-2011 |
20110149295 | Phased Based Sensing - Interrogation of a phase based transducer is performed by temporally overlapping and interfering a single pulse output from the transducer to determine the rate of change with time of the measurand represented as a phase change. The rate of change, or derivative of the phase change typically has a much smaller amplitude than the signal itself, and the derivative measurement therefore has reduced sensitivity. In this way, large amplitude signals which might otherwise be subject to overscaling effects can be measured more effectively. | 06-23-2011 |
20110164254 | Sensor apparatus and method using optical interferometry - A sensor includes a sensor head with at least two surfaces separated by a gap. One surface is mechanically fixed, a second surface is free to move and deflections of the second surface relative to the first surface are monitored by optical interferometry. An optical fiber could be used to direct light from a light source to the sensor and collect light reflected by the sensor. Interaction of molecules or other objects in the sample with the second surface is detected as a change in amplitude and/or phase of deflection the second surface in response to an applied driving signal. A layer of binding molecules may be immobilized on the second surface and this surface exposed to a sample. | 07-07-2011 |
20110170109 | PHOTONIC CRYSTAL BASED SENSOR OR MODULATOR - A gyroscope having photonic crystals for sensing rotation uses the Sagnac effect to determine angular motion. The gyroscope comprises a photonic crystal capable of guiding counter-propagating light beams in a closed path. A light source, coupling, and detection apparatus permits detection of phase changes between the counter-propagating beams, thereby permitting measurement of angular rotation. The photonic crystal comprises a periodic structure of pillars and voids which creates a photonic bandgap waveguide within which light waves in the proper wavelength range propagate with low loss. | 07-14-2011 |
20110176141 | Method for Evaluating Characteristics of Optical Modulator Having Mach-Zehnder Interferometers - Problems To provide a method for evaluating characteristics of MZ interferometers in an optical modulator having a plurality of MZ interferometers. | 07-21-2011 |
20110188047 | ENHANCED SENSITIVITY INTERFEROMETRIC SENSORS | 08-04-2011 |
20110194120 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR PHASE MEASUREMENT - The present invention relates to the field of phase measurement, particularly optical phase measurement. In one form, the invention relates to a method and device for measuring the phase between distinct signals by converting phase variations between the signals into amplitude variations. In one embodiment the invention provides a method of arranging the structure of a two-dimensional or three-dimensional crystal to measure the phase between signals, comprising the steps of (i) providing a respective waveguide for each signal and (ii) providing a micro-cavity array arranged to provide a resonance output in response to the phase of the signals. The invention has application to a wide range of apparatus and devices across many industries including communications, food technology, pharmacology, medicine and biology. | 08-11-2011 |
20110292397 | BEAM SCANNING SYSTEM FOR SENSING BIOLOGICAL SUBSTANCES - Embodiments of adaptively performing clutter filtering are disclosed. In one embodiment, a beam scanning system includes a light source configured to generate a supercontinuum light beam; an optical device configured to receive the supercontinuum light beam for guidance thereof to at least two output ports; and a power supply unit configured to supply voltage to one output port of the at least two output ports to change a phase of the light beam from said one output port. | 12-01-2011 |
20110292398 | Integrated Optical Waveguide Interferometric Sensor - Integrated optical waveguide interferometer for evanescent sensing of chemical and/or physical quantities, comprising a substrate carrying a waveguide layer structure provided with: a first waveguide core layer sandwiched between two first cladding layers formed by a first lower and a first upper ( | 12-01-2011 |
20120019833 | SYSTEM FOR ANALYSIS OF A FLUID - A system for analysis of a fluid, comprises a light source for radiating a beam of light an optical path for guiding at least part of the beam of light, a fluidic channel for guiding the fluid along the optical path, and a detector for detecting an optical characteristic of the light having propagated along the optical path. The optical path comprises a multimode interference structure, the multimode interference structure being arranged for providing a propagation of the beam of light in at least two propagation modes, the detector being positioned so as to receive light from each of the at least two propagation modes. | 01-26-2012 |
20120026503 | LIGHT SOURCE, AND OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY MODULE - A swept wavelength light source is provided, the light source includes a semiconductor gain device operable to provide amplification, an optical retarding device, the retarding device having a block of material, a beam path with a well-defined beam path length being defined for light within the block of material produced by the gain device, a wavelength selector, and the gain device, the retarding device and wavelength selector being mutually arranged on the base so that a resonator is established for light portions emitted by the gain device and selected by wavelength selector; this does not exclude the presence of further elements contributing to the resonator, such as additional mirrors (including resonator end mirrors), lenses, polarization selective elements, other passive optical components, etc.; wherein the beam path in the retarding device is a part of a beam path of the resonator. | 02-02-2012 |
20120033226 | OPTICS SYMMETRIZATION FOR METROLOGY - The present invention includes an illumination source, at least one illumination symmetrization module (ISM) configured to symmetrize at least a portion of light emanating from the illumination source, a first beam splitter configured to direct a first portion of light processed by the ISM along an object path to a surface of one or more specimens and a second portion of light processed by the ISM along a reference path, and a detector disposed along a primary optical axis, wherein the detector is configured to collect a portion of light reflected from the surface of the one or more specimens. | 02-09-2012 |
20120062900 | OPTICAL WAVEGUIDE SPLITTERS - An Mach-Zehnder interferometer ( | 03-15-2012 |
20120069347 | COMPENSATING FOR NON-IDEAL MULTI-CORE OPTICAL FIBER STRUCTURE - An interferometric measurement system includes a spun optical fiber including multiple optical waveguides configured in the fiber. Interferometric detection circuitry detects measurement interferometric pattern data associated with each of the multiple optical waveguides when the optical fiber is placed into a bend. Data processing circuitry determines compensation parameters that compensate for variations between an optimal configuration of the multiple optical waveguides in the fiber and an actual configuration of multiple optical waveguides in the fiber. The compensation parameters are stored in memory for compensating subsequently-obtained measurement interferometric pattern data for the fiber. The compensation parameters are applied to the subsequently-obtained measurement interferometric pattern data in order to distinguish between axial strain, bend strain, and twist strain on the fiber and to accurately determine one or more strain values for the fiber corresponding to one or more of the axial strain, bend strain, or twist strain on the fiber. | 03-22-2012 |
20120075637 | OPTOACOUSTIC CONVOLVER - An optoacoustic convolver includes: a light source; a first acoustic waveguide filled with a light-transmissive first acoustic medium; a second acoustic waveguide filled with a light-transmissive second acoustic medium; an optical system whereby light emitted from the light source is split into a first light beam and a second light beam, the first light beam entering the first acoustic waveguide, and the second light beam entering the second acoustic waveguide, thereby generating interference light between the first light beam having passed through the first acoustic waveguide and the second light beam having passed through the second acoustic waveguide; a light-receiving section for receiving the interference light and outputting an electric signal based on an intensity of the received light; and a correlation determination section for determining whether the received signal is correlated with the reference signal by observing the electric signal output from the light-receiving section. | 03-29-2012 |
20120086947 | GENERATOR PROTECTION SYSTEM - A temperature sensor is disclosed. The sensor includes an optical fiber and at least one twin-grating structure formed on the optical fiber. Each twin-grating structure includes a first optical grating structure, a second optical grating structure adjacent the first optical grating structure, and a sensing cavity disposed between the first and second optical grating structures. Each twin-grating structure is selectively responsive to a unique wavelength of light to generate an optical interference fringe signal. For each twin-grating structure, an optical property of the twin-grating structure and a phase of the optical interference fringe signal generated by the twin-grating structure are determined by a temperature of the twin-grating structure. | 04-12-2012 |
20120127474 | OPTICAL FIBER DEVICE FOR INTERFEROMETRIC ANALYSIS OF THE SURFACE CONDITION OF AN OBJECT - The instant disclosure describes an optical device for the interferometric analysis of the surface condition of an object, including: a light source; an optical fibre capable of receiving the incident light wave and transmitting said wave to the object; a detector capable of detecting a combination between a light wave reflected by the optical fibre and a light wave returned by the object; and in which the optical fibre has a free end in the shape of a cone, with a vertex angle of between 15 and 25 degrees, the tip of the cone having dimensions of less than 50×50 nm, and the tip of the cone being placed, while in use, at a distance of between 5 and 50 μm from the surface of the object. | 05-24-2012 |
20120133949 | Apparatus and Method - Embodiments of the invention relate to an apparatus and methods of using the apparatus wherein the apparatus includes a plurality of interferometers wherein the plurality of interferometers enable interference of an electromagnetic input signal, wherein the plurality of interferometers are configured to receive a plurality of sensor input signals from a plurality of sensors where the plurality of sensor input signals provide an indication of a plurality of sensed characteristics and the sensor input signals control the interference of the electromagnetic input signal by the plurality of interferometers, and wherein the plurality of interferometers are configured to provide a first output when the plurality of characteristics sensed by the sensors correspond to a first context and a second output when the plurality of characteristics sensed by the sensors correspond to a second context. | 05-31-2012 |
20120140237 | Optical Device for Measuring Anemometer Parameters - The general field of the invention is that of optical devices designed for measuring anemometer parameters such as speed and temperature, the device being mounted on an aircraft and comprising an optical emission module illuminating the outside air, an optical reception module capable of receiving the light scattered by the air molecules, optical means forming a reference path and computing means connected to the reception module. The optical reception module comprises optical mixing means for mixing a portion of the beam originating from the reference path and a portion of the scattered light beam. The optical emission and reception means are arranged so that the reception device collects the light originating from the Brillouin-Mandel'shtam scattering. | 06-07-2012 |
20120188553 | FIBER IN-LINE MACH-ZEHNDER INTERFEROMETER (MZI) DEVICE - A fiber-inline MZI device for temperature sensing or refractive index (RI) sensing, the device comprising: a section of a Photonic Crystal Fiber (PCF) having at least two air holes infiltrated with a liquid analyte to form a waveguide channel, the liquid analyte forming rods in the PCF; wherein the rods leave an interference fringe pattern in the transmission spectrum when light is injected into the PCF, and fringe dips are tracked over a wide wavelength range in order to sense the temperature or refractive index. | 07-26-2012 |
20120200858 | SELF-MIXING INTERFERENCE DEVICE WITH WAVE GUIDE STRUCTURE - The proposed self-mixing interference device comprises a substrate ( | 08-09-2012 |
20120224181 | Wide-Band/High-Resolution Tunable Spectral Filter - The present invention relates to tunable spectral filters. A wide-band/high-resolution tunable spectral filter uses a single transmissive diffraction element in a double pass configuration. The double pass is provided and separated laterally by a retro-reflective mirror working with a half wave plate, which reduces effectively polarization-dependent loss (PDL). The transmissive diffraction element in low dispersion configuration provides a wide-band operation. An anamorphic system is disposed for increasing filter spectral resolution to a desirable level. The continuous tuning of a selected spectral portion from input port over a wide band is accomplished by rotating the retro-reflective mirror. | 09-06-2012 |
20120224182 | INTERFEROMETER SYSTEMS - A fiber-optic sensor can have a Michelson sensor portion and a Mach-Zehnder sensor portion. A first splitter-coupler can be configured to split incoming light between a first fiber portion and a second fiber portion. A first polarization-phase conjugation device can be configured to conjugate a polarization phase of incident light corresponding to the first fiber portion, and a second polarization-phase conjugation device can be configured to conjugate a polarization phase of incident light corresponding to the second fiber portion. Each of the first and second polarization-phase conjugation devices can be configured to reflect light toward a detector and through the respective first and second fiber portions. A coupler can be configured to join light in the first fiber portion with light in the second fiber portion, and a third fiber portion can be configured to receive light from the coupler and to illuminate a second detector. | 09-06-2012 |
20120229812 | LOW COST HIGH EFFICIENCY SIGNAL INTERROGATION FOR MULTI-CHANNEL OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY - A signal interrogation system comprises an optical coupler to split input laser beam into a first laser beam as a power reference and a second laser beam, the optical coupler being coupled to a first path for the first laser beam and a second path for the second laser beam; an optical circulator disposed in the second path; a bi-directional optical switch disposed in the second path and having on one side a single channel end oriented toward the optical circulator and on another side multiple channel ends with multiple switchable channels; a plurality of optical fibers coupled to the multiple channel ends of the bi-directional optical switch; an interference optical signals path coupled to the optical circulator to receive the interference optical signals from the bi-directional switch; and a balanced photo detector to measure a power difference between the interference optical signals and the power reference. | 09-13-2012 |
20120257208 | FIBER OPTIC TRANSDUCERS, FIBER OPTIC ACCELEROMETERS AND FIBER OPTIC SENSING SYSTEMS - A fiber optic transducer is provided. The fiber optic transducer includes a fixed portion configured to be secured to a body of interest, a moveable portion having a range of motion with respect to the fixed portion, a spring positioned between the fixed portion and the moveable portion, and a length of fiber wound between the fixed portion and the moveable portion. The length of fiber spans the spring. The fiber optic transducer also includes a mass engaged with the moveable portion. In one disclosed aspect of the transducer, the mass envelopes the moveable portion. | 10-11-2012 |
20120257209 | FIBER OPTIC MICROSEISMIC SENSING SYSTEMS - A fiber optic microseismic sensing system is provided. The system includes a plurality of nodes, each of the nodes including a surface portion, an underground portion, and an optical cable extending between the surface portion and the underground portion. The surface portion includes (1) an optical source for transmitting an optical signal along the optical cable to the underground portion, and (2) an optical receiver for receiving a return optical signal propagating along the optical cable from the underground portion. The underground portion includes at least one transducer, each of the at least one transducer including (1) a fixed portion configured to be secured to a body of interest, (2) a moveable portion having a range of motion with respect to the fixed portion, (3) a spring positioned between the fixed portion and the moveable portion, and (4) a mass engaged with the moveable portion. The optical cable includes a length of fiber wound between the fixed portion and the moveable portion of each of the at least one transducer, the length of fiber spanning the spring. In one disclosed aspect of the transducer, the mass envelopes the moveable portion. | 10-11-2012 |
20120262721 | Arbitrary Optical Waveform Generation Utilizing Optical Phase-Locked Loops - This invention relates to opto-electronic systems using semiconductor lasers driven by optical phase-locked loops that control the laser's optical phase and frequency. Feedback control provides a means for precise, wideband control of optical frequency and phase, augmented further by four wave mixing stages and digitally stitched independent optical waveforms for enhanced tunability. | 10-18-2012 |
20120281227 | INTERFEROMETRIC SENSING APPARATUS INCLUDING ADJUSTABLE COUPLING AND ASSOCIATED METHODS - A sensing apparatus comprises an excitation source configured to induce waves in a target, and a fiber optic interferometer configured to sense the induced waves in the target. The fiber optic interferometer comprises a probe segment having a probe segment end, and an adjustable coupler configured to permit setting a gap between the probe segment end and the target. A controller is coupled to the adjustable coupler and configured to set the gap between the probe segment end and the target. | 11-08-2012 |
20120281228 | INTERFEROMETRIC BIOMETRIC SENSING APPARATUS INCLUDING ADJUSTABLE COUPLING AND ASSOCIATED METHODS - A biological sensing apparatus comprises an excitation source configured to induce waves in a biological target, and an optical waveguide interferometer configured to sense the induced waves in the biological target. The optical waveguide interferometer comprises a probe segment having a probe segment end, and an adjustable coupler configured to permit setting a gap between the probe segment end and the biological target. A controller is coupled to the adjustable coupler and configured to set the gap between the probe segment end and the biological target. | 11-08-2012 |
20120281229 | INTERFEROMETRIC MATERIAL SENSING APPARATUS INCLUDING ADJUSTABLE COUPLING AND ASSOCIATED METHODS - A material sensing apparatus comprises an excitation source configured to induce waves in a workpiece, and an optical waveguide interferometer configured to sense the induced waves in the workpiece. The optical wavguide interferometer comprises a probe segment having a probe segment end, and an adjustable coupler configured to permit setting a gap between the probe segment end and the workpiece. A controller is coupled to the adjustable coupler and configured to set the gap between the probe segment end and the workpiece. | 11-08-2012 |
20120281230 | INTERFEROMETRIC SENSING APPARATUS INCLUDING ADJUSTABLE REFERENCE ARM AND ASSOCIATED METHODS - A sensing apparatus includes an excitation source configured to induce waves in a target, and an optical waveguide interferometer configured to sense the induced waves in the target. The optical waveguide interferometer includes a plurality of optical couplers and interconnecting optical fibers arranged to define a reference arm, a measurement arm, and a probe segment coupled to the reference arm and the measurement arm and having a probe segment end to be positioned adjacent the target. An optical path length adjustor is coupled to the reference arm. A controller cooperates with the path length adjustor and is configured to adjust an optical path length of the reference arm to maintain a constant relationship with respect to an optical path length of the measurement arm. | 11-08-2012 |
20120281231 | INTERFEROMETRIC BIOLOGICAL SENSING APPARATUS INCLUDING ADJUSTABLE REFERENCE ARM AND ASSOCIATED METHODS - A biological sensing apparatus includes an excitation source configured to induce waves in a biological target, and an optical waveguide interferometer configured to sense the induced waves in the biological target. The optical waveguide interferometer includes a plurality of optical couplers and interconnecting optical fibers arranged to define a reference arm, a measurement arm, and a probe segment coupled to the reference arm and the measurement arm and having a probe segment end to be positioned adjacent the biological target. An optical path length adjustor is coupled to the reference arm. A controller cooperates with the optical path length adjustor and a first optical detector. The controller is configured to adjust an optical path length of the reference arm to maintain a constant relationship with respect to an optical path length of the measurement arm, and to generate biological target data based upon the first optical detector. | 11-08-2012 |
20120281232 | INTERFEROMETRIC MATERIAL SENSING APPARATUS INCLUDING ADJUSTABLE REFERENCE ARM AND ASSOCIATED METHODS - A material sensing apparatus includes an excitation source configured to induce waves in a workpiece, and an optical waveguide interferometer configured to sense the induced waves in the workpiece. The optical waveguide interferometer includes a plurality of optical couplers and interconnecting optical fibers arranged to define a reference arm, a measurement arm, and a probe segment coupled to the reference arm and the measurement arm and having a probe segment end to be positioned adjacent the workpiece. An optical path length adjustor is coupled to the reference arm. A controller cooperates with the optical path length adjustor and the first optical detector. The controller is configured to adjust an optical path length of the reference arm to maintain a constant relationship with respect to an optical path length of the measurement arm, and to generate workpiece data based upon the first optical detector. | 11-08-2012 |
20120281233 | MEASUREMENT APPARATUS - The present invention provides a measurement apparatus which measures a height of a surface to be measured, including a detection unit configured by two-dimensionally arraying a plurality of regions where an intensity of interference light between reference light and measurement light is detected, a first optical system configured to split light emitted by a light source into first light and second light, a generation unit configured to receive the first light, and generate, from the first light, the reference light including a plurality of reference beams having optical path length differences in two directions perpendicular to each other in cross section surface, and a second optical system configured to cause the reference light to reach the detection unit so as to cause the respective reference beams generated by the generation unit to reach the corresponding regions. | 11-08-2012 |
20120293806 | OPTICAL FIBRE SENSOR ASSEMBLY - An optical fibre sensor assembly comprises a source of a plurality of different frequency substantially monochromatic signals ( | 11-22-2012 |
20120307254 | Modal-domain optical fiber sensor system - A modal-domain optical fiber sensor device having the sensing fiber constructed of multimode optical fiber, reflectively terminated on one end, the non-terminated end receiving coherent light and outputting speckle pattern light that is geometrically filtered by at least one detection fibers' diameter, angular position, or physical location in relation to the sensing fiber's non-terminated end. The coherent light is directed from a coherent source to the sensing fiber's non-terminated end by at least one injection optical fiber that is oriented side by side with the detection fibers, and secured within a launch optical coupler (LOC). The LOC secures the non-terminated end of the sensing in light communication with the detection optical fibers and injection optical fibers. | 12-06-2012 |
20120307255 | OPTICAL INTERFEROMETER SYSTEM WITH DAMPED VIBRATION AND NOISE EFFECT PROPERTY - The present invention relates to an optical interferometer system with a damped vibration and noise effect property, in which a direct attachment of a partial reflecting film and an object to be measured may be used to damp a vibration and noise effect, thereby implementing a high-resolution optical shape measuring system. The optical interferometer system comprises an optical interferometer having a reference signal generating means attached to be spaced apart from an object to be measured by a predetermined distance, wherein the optical interferometer allows a reference signal and a measuring signal reflected from each boundary surface of the object to be measured to have an identical vibration and noise so that the vibrations and noises of the reference and measuring signals are canceled from each other; and a light receiving unit for measuring the object to be measured using an optical inference signal transmitted from the optical interferometer. | 12-06-2012 |
20120307256 | OPTICAL DETECTOR - A method of detecting the direction of incidence of an incoming modulated continuous wave light signal in a field of view of a detector comprising introducing a phase shift into the modulated light signal received by at least one portion of the field of view relative to the modulated light signal received by at least one other portion of the field of view and utilising the phase shift in determining the direction of incidence. | 12-06-2012 |
20130021615 | SYSTEM AND METHOD OF DISTRIBUTED FIBER OPTIC SENSING INCLUDING INTEGRATED REFERENCE PATH - An apparatus for estimating a parameter includes: an optical fiber including at least one core configured to transmit an interrogation signal and including a plurality of sensing locations distributed along a measurement length of the optical fiber and configured to reflect light; a reference optical path configured to transmit a reference signal, the reference optical path disposed in a fixed relationship to the at least one core and extending at least substantially parallel to the at least one core, the reference optical path including a reference reflector that defines a cavity length corresponding to the measurement length; a detector configured to receive a reflected return signal; a reference interferometer configured to receive at least a reference signal and generate an interferometric reference signal; and a processor configured to apply the interferometric reference signal to the reflected return signal to compensate for one or more environmental parameters. | 01-24-2013 |
20130107272 | OPTICAL TOMOGRAPHIC IMAGING APPARATUS AND IMAGING METHOD THEREFOR | 05-02-2013 |
20130120756 | OPTICAL PRESSURE SENSOR - Various embodiments include apparatus and methods of measuring pressure within pipes implemented in a well drilling operation. Methods and apparatus may include a single path optical interferometer having a sensing portion attachable to a location on a conduit and a dual path optical interferometer having a sensing portion attachable to the conduit, where the sensing portions are effectively collocated. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed. | 05-16-2013 |
20130128276 | Apparatus and Method for Detecting Pressure Signals - An apparatus for detecting data in a fluid pressure signal in a conduit comprises an optical fiber loop comprises a measurement section and a delay section wherein the measurement section is disposed substantially circumferentially around at least a portion of the conduit, and wherein the measurement section changes length in response to the fluid pressure signal in the conduit. A light source injects a first optical signal in a first direction into the measurement section and a second optical signal in a second direction opposite the first direction into the delay section. An optical detector senses an interference phase shift between the first optical signal and the second optical signal and outputs a first signal related thereto. | 05-23-2013 |
20130141733 | Apparatus and Method for Detecting Pressure Signals - An apparatus comprising an encoded pressure signal propagating in a fluid flowing in a conduit. An optical fiber measurement element has a reflector on one end and is disposed around at least a portion of the conduit. A light source injects a second optical signal and a third optical signal propagating in first and second optical fibers, respectively. A delay section is disposed in the second optical fiber. The second optical signal and the third optical signal are directed into the optical fiber measurement element and are reflected back from the reflective end such that at least a portion of the reflected second and third optical signals propagate through the second and first optical fibers respectively to an optical detector. The optical detector senses an interference between the reflected optical signals and outputs a first signal related thereto. | 06-06-2013 |
20130188194 | BROADBAND, COMMON-PATH, INTERFEROMETRIC WAVEFRONT SENSOR - Hybrid sensors comprising Shack-Hartmann Wavefront Sensor (S-HWFS) and Zernike Wavefront Sensor (Z-WFS) capabilities are presented. The hybrid sensor includes a Z-WFS optically arranged in-line with a S-HWFS such that the combined wavefront sensor operates across a wide dynamic range and noise conditions. The Z-WFS may include the ability to introduce a dynamic phase shift in both transmissive and reflective modes. | 07-25-2013 |
20130208283 | VARIABLE SENSITIVITY INTERFEROMETER SYSTEMS - Variable Sensitivity optical sensors can have a respective actual sensitivity of one or more portions of the sensor corresponding, at least in part, to a selected environment of each respective sensor portion. Some disclosed sensors have a plurality of optical conduits extending longitudinally of the sensors. At least one of the optical conduits can have at least one longitudinally extending segment having one or more optical and/or mechanical properties that differs from the optical properties of an adjacent longitudinally extending segment, providing the conduit with longitudinally varying signal propagation characteristics. An optical sensor having such optical conduits can exhibit a longitudinally varying actual sensitivity. Nonetheless, such a sensor can exhibit a substantially constant apparent sensitivity, e.g., when each respective portion of the sensor exhibits an actual sensitivity corresponding to a selected environment. Innovative sensors can provide a low-incidence of false or nuisance alarms, accurate position and magnitude information, and other advantages. | 08-15-2013 |
20130222810 | APOLARIZED INTERFEROMETRIC SYSTEM, AND APOLARIZED INTERFEROMETRIC MEASUREMENT METHOD - An interferometric system includes a polarization separation element ( | 08-29-2013 |
20130222811 | Distributed Optical Fibre Sensor - There is described a distributed optical fibre sensor for detecting one or more physical parameters indicative of an environmental influence on a sensor optical fibre, as a function of position along the sensor fibre. The sensor uses probe light pulses of different wavelengths. At least some of the probe light pulses may also be of different pulse lengths. The relative phase bias between interferometric signals in backscattered probe light of different wavelength pulses may also be controlled. | 08-29-2013 |
20130250306 | METHOD FOR EVALUATING CHARACTERISTICS OF OPTICAL MODULATOR HAVING MACH-ZEHNDER INTERFEROMETERS | 09-26-2013 |
20130271771 | INTERFERENCE MEASUREMENT DEVICE - The present invention relates to an interference measurement device comprising a multi-core optical fiber having first and second ends, a light source, an optical receiver, a branching unit, a coupling unit, a measurement optical path, and a reference optical path and measures a physical quantity of an object to be measured on the measurement optical path. The light source and optical receiver are arranged on the first end side, while the measurement optical path and reference optical path are arranged on the second end side. The branching unit splits light from the light source into measurement light and reference light, while the coupling unit generates interference light between the measurement light having propagated through the measurement optical path and the reference light having propagated through the reference optical path. The optical receiver detects the intensity of the interference light. | 10-17-2013 |
20130321818 | MEASURING POLARIZATION CROSSTALK IN OPTICAL BIREFRINGENT MATERIALS AND DEVICES BASED ON REDUCTION OF LINE BROADENING CAUSED BY BIREFRINGENT DISPERSION - Techniques and devices for measuring polarization crosstalk in birefringence optical media including polarization maintaining fiber. | 12-05-2013 |
20140029012 | PHASE SHIFT INTERFEROMETER - Provided is a phase shift interferometer which comprises: a light source; an incident light path; a light circulation unit; a connection path; a light splitting/combining unit; a probe light path; a reference light path; a test sample measurement unit; a light terminal; a light-phase shifting unit which is provided in either the probe light path or the reference light path, and subjects light to phase shifting by a phase shift quantity of α | 01-30-2014 |
20140098372 | INTERFEROMETRIC SENSING APPARATUS INCLUDING ADJUSTABLE COUPLING AND ASSOCIATED METHODS - A sensing apparatus comprises an excitation source configured to induce waves in a target, and a fiber optic interferometer configured to sense the induced waves in the target. The fiber optic interferometer comprises a probe segment having a probe segment end, and an adjustable coupler configured to permit setting a gap between the probe segment end and the target. A controller is coupled to the adjustable coupler and configured to set the gap between the probe segment end and the target. | 04-10-2014 |
20140139841 | FIBER OPTIC SENSING APPARATUS INCLUDING FIBER GRATINGS AND METHOD FOR SENSING PARAMETERS INVOLVING DIFFERENT PARAMETER MODALITIES - Optical-based apparatus and method for sensing parameters in connection with an asset, such as a pipeline, are provided. At least two sites in an optical fiber may include a respective fiber grating arranged to have a respective optical response in a wavelength spectrum having a distinguishing feature indicative of a value of a respective local parameter at a respective grating site. The two fiber gratings may be further arranged to form, in combination with a respective portion of the optical fiber which extends between the two sites, respective optical backscatter portions that when combined with one another are effective to sense an optical change in the fiber portion between the sites indicative of a value of a distributed parameter. This is a parameter modality different from a parameter modality of the respective local parameters at the respective grating sites. | 05-22-2014 |
20140139842 | System and Method For a Self-Referencing Interferometer - Systems and methods are described herein for a self-referencing interferometer. The interferometer can comprise an improved spatial phase shifter that reduces the number of components, size and complexity of the spatial phase shifter and maintains a common path for a combined reference beam and signal beam. The self-referencing interferometer further comprises a single mode fiber shunt for filtering the reference beam and further reducing the size of the interferometer. The angle of the reference beam can be tilted before being recombined with the single beam which further simplifies the spatial phase shifting component of the interferometer. | 05-22-2014 |
20140152995 | SERIAL WEAK FBG INTERROGATOR - A serial weak FBG interrogator is disclosed. The serial weak FBG interrogator may include a CW tunable laser or pulsed laser utilized as a laser source and an EDFA. The serial weak FBG interrogator may also be an interrogation of a single sensor system by utilization of a DFB laser which utilizes a single sensor, which may be an interferometer sensor, an extrinsic Fabry-Perot interferometer or a wavelength-modulated sensor. The serial weak FBG interrogator may also include a computer system or CSPU. | 06-05-2014 |
20140160483 | POLARIZATION SCRAMBLING IN INTERFEROMETER SYSTEMS - A system and method to obtain and process interferometer output scans is described. The interferometer-based sensor system includes a tunable laser to transmit a transmit signal and a polarization scrambler to produce a polarization state change on the transmit signal. The system also includes an interferometer to provide an output scan based on the transmit signal with the polarization state change and a processor to process the output scan. | 06-12-2014 |
20140176956 | Super-Steep Step-Phase Interferometer - Step-phase interferometers are provided for use as optical interleavers/de-interleaver for optical communication. High data rates require a wide band-width to pass the high-speed modulated optical spectrum, and further require a wide stop-band to reject the signal from adjacent channels. The present interferometers provide a steep slope at the transition from the passband to the adjacent stop-band, thereby enlarging the width of both the pass-band and stop-band. | 06-26-2014 |
20140176957 | Integrated Optical Sensor Circuit - A photonics integrated system is disclosed, comprising a substrate, an integrated interferometer integrated in the substrate and being configured for receiving radiation from a radiation source, and an integrated spectral filter integrated in the substrate and being configured for receiving radiation from the interferometer. The integrated interferometer has a period and the integrated spectral filter has a bandwidth such that the period of the integrated interferometer is smaller than the bandwidth of the integrated spectral filter. The integrated spectral filter has a periodic transfer characteristic with a period and the system has a bandwidth such that the period of the periodic transfer characteristic of the integrated spectral filter is larger than the bandwidth of the system. | 06-26-2014 |
20140268165 | OPTICAL BIOSENSOR AND METHOD OF OPERATING THE SAME - An optical biosensor may include a biosensing unit, detection unit, and signal processing unit. The biosensing unit may be configured for receiving first and second optical signals (which are generated from a phase-modulated optical signal), outputting a sensing signal by transmitting the first optical signal via a first optical path that includes a sensing resonator, and outputting a reference signal by transmitting the second optical signal via a second optical path that includes a reference resonator. The detection unit may be configured for receiving the sensing signal and the reference signal, detecting a phase element of each of the sensing signal and the reference signal through a signal demodulation operation, and detecting a phase difference between the sensing signal and the reference signal according to the detected phase elements. The signal processing unit may be configured for calculating the concentration of a bio-material based on the detected phase difference. | 09-18-2014 |
20140327915 | WELL MONITORING USING COHERENT DETECTION OF RAYLEIGH SCATTER - Disclosed herein is a system for measuring characteristics in a well bore. The system includes a fiber-optic wire extending along a length of the well bore a monitoring system. The monitoring system includes a swept-wavelength interferometer (SWI) configured to transmit light into the fiber-optic wire by sweeping the light across a range of wavelengths, and the monitoring system is configured to detect a characteristic in the well bore based on detecting a Rayleigh backscatter of the light transmitted into the fiber-optic wire. | 11-06-2014 |
20140340688 | SLOW-LIGHT SENSOR UTILIZING AN OPTICAL FILTER AND A NARROWBAND OPTICAL SOURCE - An optical device and a method of using an optical filter are provided. The optical device includes an optical filter and a narrowband optical source. The optical filter has a refractive index that varies along a length of the optical filter. The narrowband optical source is in optical communication with the optical filter and is configured to generate light having a wavelength at or in the vicinity of at least one of a wavelength corresponding to a local transmission maximum and a wavelength corresponding to a maximum slop of the group index spectrum of the optical filter. | 11-20-2014 |
20140347670 | OPTICAL INTERFEROMETER AND VIBROMETER COMPRISING SUCH AN OPTICAL INTERFEROMETER - An optical interferometer including an output-beam beam input for coupling-in an output beam, and a beam splitter device for splitting the output beam into at least one first sub-beam and one second sub-beam, the interferometer being embodied as a heterodyne interferometer by virtue of at least one optical frequency shifter being arranged in the beam path of the interferometer and the interferometer including one or more optical waveguide elements, by which optical waveguides are formed, at least between the output-beam beam input, beam splitter device and frequency shifter. The frequency shifter is arranged in the beam path of the first or second sub-beam. | 11-27-2014 |
20150009506 | INTERFEROMETRIC MATERIAL SENSING APPARATUS INCLUDING ADJUSTABLE COUPLING AND ASSOCIATED METHODS - A material sensing apparatus comprises an excitation source configured to induce waves in a workpiece, and an optical waveguide interferometer configured to sense the induced waves in the workpiece. The optical waveguide interferometer comprises a probe segment having a probe segment end, and an adjustable coupler configured to permit setting a gap between the probe segment end and the workpiece. A controller is coupled to the adjustable coupler and configured to set the gap between the probe segment end and the workpiece. | 01-08-2015 |
20150029511 | OPTICAL SENSING SYSTEM FOR DETERMINING THE POSITION AND/OR SHAPE OF AN ASSOCIATED OBJECT - The present invention relates to an optical sensing system ( | 01-29-2015 |
20150049338 | TUNABLE OPTOFLUIDIC APPARATUS, METHOD, AND APPLICATIONS - Embodiments include optofluidic apparatus that may be used to detect and manipulate nanoparticles or biomolecules within a fluid. To achieve that result, the embodiments use a fluidic channel located over a substrate. Particular embodiments also use: (1) an optical waveguide located over the substrate and particularly within the fluidic channel along with an optical resonator that may or may not be located within fluidic channel; and also (2) a phase shifter component coupled to either the waveguide or the optical resonator. Additional embodiments use an MZI or an MZI with an optical resonator to further provide the phase shifter component coupled to one arm of the MZI or the optical resonator. | 02-19-2015 |
20150062588 | DISTURBANCE DETECTION USING A PASSIVELY TERMINATED FIBER OPTIC SENSOR - A fiber-optic sensor can have a Michelson sensor portion and a Mach-Zehnder sensor portion. A first splitter-coupler can be configured to split incoming light between a first fiber portion and a second fiber portion. A first polarization-phase conjugation device can be configured to conjugate a polarization phase of incident light corresponding to the first fiber portion, and a second polarization-phase conjugation device can be configured to conjugate a polarization phase of incident light corresponding to the second fiber portion. Each of the first and second polarization-phase conjugation devices can be configured to reflect light toward a detector and through the respective first and second fiber portions. A coupler can be configured to join light in the first fiber portion with light in the second fiber portion, and a third fiber portion can be configured to receive light from the coupler and to illuminate a second detector. | 03-05-2015 |
20150085292 | WAVELENGTH MONITOR - Provided are an optical element and a wavelength monitor capable of detecting a wavelength with high accuracy and at high speed while suppressing a size. The optical element includes: a branch waveguide section configured to branch an input light beam and generate two outputs routed via paths having mutually different optical path lengths; and an optical synthesis section configured to synthesize the two outputs and output two optical signals having different light intensities with regards to a wavelength of the input light beam and exhibiting a mutual phase difference. | 03-26-2015 |
20150116724 | FREQUENCY TUNABLE LASER SYSTEM - There is provided a frequency tunable laser system comprising a laser, frequency varying means arranged for varying an optical frequency output of the laser, an intensity sensor arranged for receiving light from the laser, and a processor arranged for controlling the frequency varying means for varying the optical frequency output of the laser and receiving an intensity signal from the intensity sensor for monitoring the intensity output of the laser. The frequency tunable laser system further comprises an external reflective surface, in use, fixedly arranged in a light path of the laser beam outside the laser cavity at a predefined distance from the second reflective surface along the light path of the laser beam to reflect part of the emitted laser beam back into the laser cavity. The processor is further arranged for processing the intensity signal and registering oscillations of the intensity output caused by interference of the reflected part of the laser beam in the cavity and responsive to a change in optical frequency and calculating the change in optical frequency output from the registered oscillations of the intensity output and predefined distance. | 04-30-2015 |
20150124260 | OPTICAL DEVICE FOR INTERFEROMETRIC ANALYSIS OF THE CONDITION OF THE INTERNAL SURFACE OF A TUBE - The invention relates to an optical device for interferometric analysis of the condition of the internal surface of a tube ( | 05-07-2015 |
20150146208 | OPTICAL MEASURING PROBE AND METHOD FOR OPTICALLY MEASURING INNER AND OUTER DIAMETERS - An optical measuring probe for measuring inner and/or outer diameters of objects, uses a first optical element for focusing or collimating an optical beam onto a surface of an object. A second optical element for splitting the optical beam into a first measuring beam and a second measuring beam is provided in the optical measuring probe in such a way that the second measuring beam is guided out of the measuring probe in a direction opposite the direction of the first measuring beam and that the first measuring beam forms a first scan point and the second measuring beam forms a second scan point. Also described is a corresponding method for measuring diameters using the optical measuring probe. The optical measuring probe and the associated method make it possible to optically measure inner and outer diameters of measuring probes objects in a simple manner. | 05-28-2015 |
20150330838 | MACH-ZEHNDER INTERFEROMETER HAVING A DOUBLY-CORRUGATED SPOOFED SURFACE PLASMON POLARITON WAVEGUIDE - A Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) structure based on a doubly-corrugated spoofed surface plasmon polariton (DC-SSPP) waveguide is presented. The dependence of phase change on the dielectric loading of the DC-SSPP structure causes the output from both arms to interfere and enhance features on the transmission spectrum of the MZI. The proposed MZI structure can be used for tag-free bio-molecular sensing. The highly localized electro-magnetic field at frequencies close to SSPP resonance is shown to reduce the sample amount needed to produce interference patterns without affecting the selectivity of the sensing structure. | 11-19-2015 |
20150338202 | INTERFEROMETRIC APPARATUS AND SAMPLE CHARACTERISTIC DETERMINING APPARATUS USING SUCH APPARATUS - An interferometer apparatus comprising: a short coherence length or broadband light source; a light director to direct light from the light source along a measurement path to a surface of a sample and also along a reference path to a reference surface; a wavelength disperser to cause wavelength dispersion of light along one of the measurement and the reference paths; a combiner to cause light from the sample surface and light from the reference surface to produce an interference pattern or interferogram; a detect—or to detect intensity values of the interference pattern as a function of wavelength; and a determiner to determine from the detected intensity values the wavelength at which the measurement and reference paths are balanced, wherein the wavelength disperser is at least one of: a grating wavelength disperser, a prism wavelength disperser, and an optical dispersive medium. | 11-26-2015 |
20150346053 | DISPERSION CORRECTION IN OPTICAL FREQUENCY-DOMAIN REFLECTOMETRY - An optical frequency domain reflectometry (OFDR) measurement is produced from an OFDR apparatus that includes a tunable laser source coupled to a sensing interferometer and a monitor interferometer. The sensing interferometer is also coupled to a waveguide, e.g., an optical sensing fiber. Sensor interferometric data obtained by the OFDR measurement is processed in the spectral domain (e.g., frequency) with one or more parameters to compensate for the optical dispersion associated with the sensing interferometer data. A Fourier Transform of the dispersion-compensated sensing interferometric data in the spectral domain is performed to provide a dispersion-compensated OFDR measurement information in the temporal (e.g., time) domain. | 12-03-2015 |
20150354938 | METHODS, SYSTEMS, AND APPARATUS FOR PROGRAMMABLE QUANTUM PHOTONIC PROCESSING - A programmable photonic integrated circuit implements arbitrary linear optics transformations in the spatial mode basis with high fidelity. Under a realistic fabrication model, we analyze programmed implementations of the CNOT gate, CPHASE gate, iterative phase estimation algorithm, state preparation, and quantum random walks. We find that programmability dramatically improves device tolerance to fabrication imperfections and enables a single device to implement a broad range of both quantum and classical linear optics experiments. Our results suggest that existing fabrication processes are sufficient to build such a device in the silicon photonics platform. | 12-10-2015 |
20150378098 | POLARIZATION BEAM SPLITTER AND OPTICAL DEVICE - Provided are a polarization beam splitter and an optical device with high productivity. A polarization beam splitter (PBS) according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes: a demultiplexer ( | 12-31-2015 |
20160113507 | PHOTOACOUSTIC REMOTE SENSING (PARS) - A photoacoustic remote sensing system (PARS) for imaging a subsurface structure in a sample has an excitation beam configured to generate ultrasonic signals in the sample at an excitation location; an interrogation beam incident on the sample at the excitation location, a portion of the interrogation beam returning from the sample that is indicative of the generated ultrasonic signals; an optical system that focuses at least one of the excitation beam and the interrogation beam with a focal point that is below the surface of the sample; and a detector that detects the returning portion of the interrogation beam. | 04-28-2016 |
20160123715 | AN OVERLAPPED CHIRPED FIBER BRAGG GRATING SENSING FIBER AND METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR PARAMETER MEASUREMENT USING SAME - An optical sensor includes an optical fiber inscribed with a repeated refraction pattern such that light scattered from a location on the optical fiber is scattered at multiple frequencies in a range of frequencies. The inscribed patterns overlap at every measurement point along at least a portion of the length of the sensor. An optical sensing system including control circuitry coupled to the optical fiber detects measurement scatter data from the optical fiber over the range of frequencies, determines a change in the detected measurement scatter data over the range of frequencies, and extracts a parameter describing a state of the optical fiber from the determined change in the detected measurement scatter data. The sensor may be made by inscribing a first light refracting pattern on the optical fiber at every measurement point along at least a portion of the length of the sensor and inscribing a second light refracting pattern on the optical fiber that overlaps the first inscribed light refracting pattern at every measurement point along at least that portion of the length of the sensor. | 05-05-2016 |
20160146590 | Dual Wavelength Dual Interferometer with Combiner-Splitter - The system includes a dual interferometer sub-system including a first and second channel. The system includes an illumination source. The illumination source includes a first laser source disposed along a first input path and a second laser source disposed along a second input path. The illumination sources includes a combiner-splitter element optically coupled to an output of the first laser source and an output of the second laser source and is configured to combine light of a first wavelength from the first laser source and light of a second wavelength from the second laser source. The combiner-splitter element is further configured to split the combined light into a first channel and a second channel of the dual interferometer sub-system, where the first and second each receive a portion of the light of the first wavelength and the light of the second wavelength. | 05-26-2016 |
20160161296 | Distributed Optical Fibre Sensor - There is described a distributed optical fibre sensor for detecting one or more physical parameters indicative of an environmental influence on a sensor optical fibre, as a function of position along the sensor fibre. The sensor uses probe light pulses of different wavelengths. At least some of the probe light pulses may also be of different pulse lengths. The relative phase bias between interferometric signals in backscattered probe light of different wavelength pulses may also be controlled. | 06-09-2016 |