Isotropically sensitive optical filter employing atomic resonance transitions
Abstract
An ultra-high Q isotropically sensitive optical filter or optical detector employing atomic resonance transitions. More specifically, atomic resonance transitions utilized in conjunction with two optical bandpass filters provide an optical detector having a wide field of view (.about.2.pi. steradians) and very narrow acceptance bandwidth approaching 0.01 A. A light signal to be detected is transmitted through an outer bandpass filter into a resonantly absorbing atomic vapor, the excited atomic vapor then providing a fluorescence signal at a different wavelength which is transmitted through an inner bandpass filter. The outer and inner bandpass filters have no common transmission band, thereby resulting in complete blockage of all optical signals that are not resonantly shifted in wavelength by the intervening atomic vapor. Two embodiments are disclosed, one in which the light signal raises atoms contained in the atomic vapor from the ground state to an excited state from which fluorescence occurs, and the other in which a pump laser is used to raise the atoms in the ground state to a first excited state from which the light signal then is resonantly absorbed, thereby raising the atoms to a second excited state from which fluorescence occurs. A specific application is described in whichmore »
- Inventors:
-
- Livermore, CA
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 864018
- Patent Number(s):
- 4292526
- Assignee:
- United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
G - PHYSICS G01 - MEASURING G01J - MEASUREMENT OF INTENSITY, VELOCITY, SPECTRAL CONTENT, POLARISATION, PHASE OR PULSE CHARACTERISTICS OF INFRA-RED, VISIBLE OR ULTRA-VIOLET LIGHT
G - PHYSICS G01 - MEASURING G01N - INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- isotropically; sensitive; optical; filter; employing; atomic; resonance; transitions; ultra-high; detector; specifically; utilized; conjunction; bandpass; filters; provide; wide; field; view; steradians; narrow; acceptance; bandwidth; approaching; 01; light; signal; detected; transmitted; outer; resonantly; absorbing; vapor; excited; providing; fluorescence; wavelength; inner; common; transmission; band; resulting; complete; blockage; signals; shifted; intervening; embodiments; disclosed; raises; atoms; contained; ground; occurs; pump; laser; raise; absorbed; raising; specific; application; described; according; underwater; transmitter; located; orbiting; satellite; optical detector; optical signals; pump laser; pass filters; atomic vapor; bandpass filter; optical filter; optical signal; specific application; bandpass filters; light signal; pass filter; resonance transitions; atomic resonance; optical transmitter; optical bandpass; sensitive optical; detector employing; employing atomic; optical band; isotropically sensitive; /250/359/
Citation Formats
Marling, John B. Isotropically sensitive optical filter employing atomic resonance transitions. United States: N. p., 1981.
Web.
Marling, John B. Isotropically sensitive optical filter employing atomic resonance transitions. United States.
Marling, John B. Thu .
"Isotropically sensitive optical filter employing atomic resonance transitions". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/864018.
@article{osti_864018,
title = {Isotropically sensitive optical filter employing atomic resonance transitions},
author = {Marling, John B},
abstractNote = {An ultra-high Q isotropically sensitive optical filter or optical detector employing atomic resonance transitions. More specifically, atomic resonance transitions utilized in conjunction with two optical bandpass filters provide an optical detector having a wide field of view (.about.2.pi. steradians) and very narrow acceptance bandwidth approaching 0.01 A. A light signal to be detected is transmitted through an outer bandpass filter into a resonantly absorbing atomic vapor, the excited atomic vapor then providing a fluorescence signal at a different wavelength which is transmitted through an inner bandpass filter. The outer and inner bandpass filters have no common transmission band, thereby resulting in complete blockage of all optical signals that are not resonantly shifted in wavelength by the intervening atomic vapor. Two embodiments are disclosed, one in which the light signal raises atoms contained in the atomic vapor from the ground state to an excited state from which fluorescence occurs, and the other in which a pump laser is used to raise the atoms in the ground state to a first excited state from which the light signal then is resonantly absorbed, thereby raising the atoms to a second excited state from which fluorescence occurs. A specific application is described in which an optical detector according to the present invention can be used as an underwater detector for light from an optical transmitter which could be located in an orbiting satellite.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {1981},
month = {1}
}