Method and apparatus for simultaneously measuring a plurality of spectral wavelengths present in electromagnetic radiation

Patent · 01 January 1990

OSTI ID:867283

Buican, Tudor N ^[1]; Martin, John C ^[1]

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1. Los Alamos, NM

An apparatus and method simultaneously measures a plurality of spectral wavelengths present in electromagnetic radiation. A modulatable birefringent optical element is employed to divide a polarized light beam into two components, thereby producing a phase difference in two resulting light beams such that the two beams can be made to interfere with one another when recombined, the interference pattern providing the wavelength information required for the analysis of the incident light. The interferometer thus created performs in a similar manner to a Michelson interferometer, but with no moving parts, and with a resolution dependent on the degree of phase shift introduced by the modulator.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 4905169
• OSTI ID: 867283
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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