High stability wavefront reference source
Abstract
A thermally and mechanically stable wavefront reference source which produces a collimated output laser beam is disclosed. 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 nearlymore »
- Inventors:
- Issue Date:
- OSTI Identifier:
- 7106745
- Patent Number(s):
- 5309282
- Application Number:
- PPN: US 7-914325
- Assignee:
- Dept. of Energy, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Resource Relation:
- Patent File Date: 17 Jul 1992
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 42 ENGINEERING; LASER RADIATION; BEAM SHAPING; ALIGNMENT; BEAM OPTICS; COLLIMATORS; INTERFEROMETERS; OPTICAL FIBERS; USES; ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION; FIBERS; MEASURING INSTRUMENTS; RADIATIONS; 426002* - Engineering- Lasers & Masers- (1990-)
Citation Formats
Feldman, M, and Mockler, D J. High stability wavefront reference source. United States: N. p., 1994.
Web.
Feldman, M, & Mockler, D J. High stability wavefront reference source. United States.
Feldman, M, and Mockler, D J. Tue .
"High stability wavefront reference source". United States.
@article{osti_7106745,
title = {High stability wavefront reference source},
author = {Feldman, M and Mockler, D J},
abstractNote = {A thermally and mechanically stable wavefront reference source which produces a collimated output laser beam is disclosed. 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. 7 figures.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {1994},
month = {5}
}