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Title: High stability wavefront reference source

Abstract

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 divergingmore » spherical wave.

Inventors:
 [1];  [2]
+ Show Inventor Affiliations
  1. Pleasanton, CA
  2. Tracy, CA
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
869280
Patent Number(s):
5309282
Assignee:
United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
G - PHYSICS G02 - OPTICS G02B - OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS, OR APPARATUS
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DOE Contract Number:  
W-7405-ENG-48
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
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; /359/

Citation Formats

Feldman, Mark, and Mockler, Daniel J. High stability wavefront reference source. United States: N. p., 1994. Web.
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Feldman, Mark, & Mockler, Daniel J. High stability wavefront reference source. United States.
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Feldman, Mark, and Mockler, Daniel J. Sat . "High stability wavefront reference source". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/869280.
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@article{osti_869280,
title = {High stability wavefront reference source},
author = {Feldman, Mark and Mockler, Daniel J},
abstractNote = {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.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1994},
month = {Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1994}
}
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Works referenced in this record:

Self-referencing Mach-Zehnder interferometer as a laser system diagnostic
conference, December 1991

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