High stability wavefront reference source

Patent · Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1994

OSTI ID:869280

Feldman, Mark ^[1]; Mockler, Daniel J ^[2]

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1. Pleasanton, CA
2. Tracy, CA

A thermally and mechanically stable wavefront reference source which produces a collimated output laser beam. The output beam comprises substantially planar reference wavefronts which are useful for aligning and testing optical interferometers. The invention receives coherent radiation from an input optical fiber, directs a diverging input beam of the coherent radiation to a beam folding mirror (to produce a reflected diverging beam), and collimates the reflected diverging beam using a collimating lens. In a class of preferred embodiments, the invention includes a thermally and mechanically stable frame comprising rod members connected between a front end plate and a back end plate. The beam folding mirror is mounted on the back end plate, and the collimating lens mounted to the rods between the end plates. The end plates and rods are preferably made of thermally stable metal alloy. Preferably, the input optical fiber is a single mode fiber coupled to an input end of a second single mode optical fiber that is wound around a mandrel fixedly attached to the frame of the apparatus. The output end of the second fiber is cleaved so as to be optically flat, so that the input beam emerging therefrom is a nearly perfect diverging spherical wave.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 5309282
• OSTI ID: 869280
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

stability
wavefront
reference
source
thermally
mechanically
stable
produces
collimated
output
laser
beam
comprises
substantially
planar
wavefronts
useful
aligning
testing
optical
interferometers
receives
coherent
radiation
input
fiber
directs
diverging
folding
mirror
produce
reflected
collimates
collimating
lens
preferred
embodiments
frame
comprising
rod
connected
front
plate
mounted
rods
plates
preferably
metal
alloy
single
mode
coupled
wound
mandrel
fixedly
attached
apparatus
cleaved
optically
flat
emerging
therefrom
nearly
perfect
spherical
wave
mechanically stable
substantially planar
collimating lens
mode fiber
spherical wave
input beam
coherent radiation
output laser
preferred embodiments
output beam
laser beam
preferred embodiment
optical fiber
metal alloy
single mode
thermally stable
reference source
mode optical
testing optical
stable metal
beam comprises
reference wavefront
reference wave
input optical
collimated output
wavefront reference
fixedly attached
fiber coupled
optical interferometer
table frame
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