Method and apparatus for modulating infrared radiation

1. An apparatus comprising a chopper which includes:

a frame having a first coefficient of thermal expansion, having a space therein, and having at least one opening which allows radiation to pass through said space in a first direction;

a sheet having a second coefficient of thermal expansion different from said first coefficient of thermal expansion, said sheet being movably disposed within said space in said frame, in a manner so that said sheet can expand and contract relative to said frame in a second direction approximately parallel to said sheet and approximately perpendicular to said first direction, said frame preventing significant movement of said sheet parallel to said first direction with respect to said frame, and said sheet including structure which influences radiation that passes through said sheet in said first direction;

wherein said sheet and said frame have cooperating features that maintain said sheet in angular and radial alignment with respect to said frame.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said chopper has an axis extending approximately parallel to said first direction; wherein said sheet has a plurality of slots at angularly spaced locations around said axis, said slots each extending approximately radially of said axis; and wherein said frame has a plurality of pins extending through said space approximately parallel to said first direction, each said pin extending through a respective said slot.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein said sheet is free of constraint to said frame in the region of a perimeter of said sheet.

4. An apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein said frame includes first and second frame parts which are coupled to each other, said space being disposed between said first and second frame parts, said frame having structure which maintains a predetermined distance between said first and second frame parts within said space, and said predetermined distance being greater than a thickness of said sheet.

5. An apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein said structure of said frame includes a plurality of angularly spaced portions on one of said first and second frame parts which each engage the other of said frame parts.

6. An apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein said sheet has a plurality of recesses which each receive and are oversized with respect to a respective said angularly spaced portion.

7. An apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the other of said first and second frame parts includes a plurality of angularly spaced recesses which each receive part of a respective one of said angularly spaced portions.

8. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said sheet is made of a polyethylene material having a high degree of orientation of the polymer chains therein.

9. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said structure of said sheet includes diffusing structure which diffuses radiation which passes therethrough in said first direction.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein said diffusing structure has opposite edges which each define a respective Archimedes spiral.

11. An apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein said diffusing structure is configured to diffuse infrared radiation.

12. A method, comprising:

providing a frame which has a first coefficient of thermal expansion, which has a space therein, and which has at least one opening that allows radiation to pass through said space in a first direction;

providing a sheet which has a second coefficient of thermal expansion different from said first coefficient of thermal expansion, and which includes structure that influences radiation which passes through said sheet in said first direction; and

responding to temperature changes by causing said sheet to undergo at least one of expansion and contraction relative to said frame within said space in a second direction approximately parallel to said sheet and approximately perpendicular to said first direction, said frame preventing significant movement of said sheet parallel to said first direction with respect to said frame;

wherein said sheet and said frame have cooperating features that maintain said sheet in angular and radial alignment with respect to said frame; and

wherein a chopper is formed by said frame and said sheet.

13. A method according to claim 12 , wherein said chopper has an axis extending approximately parallel to said first direction; including configuring said sheet to have a plurality of slots at angularly spaced locations around said axis, said slots each extending approximately radially of said axis; and including configuring said frame to have a plurality of pins extending through said space approximately parallel to said first direction, each said pin extending through a respective said slot.

14. A method according to claim 13 , including omitting constraint between said sheet and said frame in the region of a perimeter of said sheet.

15. A method according to claim 12 , including selecting for the material of said sheet a polyethylene material having a high degree of orientation of the polymer chains therein.

16. A method according to claim 12 , including configuring said sheet to have diffusing structure which diffuses radiation that passes therethrough in said first direction.

17. A method according to claim 16 , including configuring said diffusing structure to have opposite edges which each define a respective Archimedes spiral.

18. A method according to claim 16 , including configuring said diffusing structure so that it effects diffusion of infrared radiation.

19. An apparatus comprising a chopper which includes:

a frame having a first coefficient of thermal expansion, having a space therein, and having at least one opening which allows radiation to pass through said space in a first direction;

a sheet having a second coefficient of thermal expansion different from said first coefficient of thermal expansion, said sheet being movably disposed within said space in said frame, in a manner so that said sheet can expand and contract relative to said frame in a second direction approximately parallel to said sheet and approximately perpendicular to said first direction, said frame preventing significant movement of said sheet parallel to said first direction with respect to said frame, and said sheet including structure which influences radiation that passes through said sheet in said first direction;

wherein said chopper has an axis extending approximately parallel to said first direction;

wherein said sheet has a plurality of slots at angularly spaced locations around said axis, said slots each extending approximately radially of said axis; and

wherein said frame has a plurality of pins extending through said space approximately parallel to said first direction, each said pin extending through a respective said slot.

20. An apparatus according to claim 19 , wherein said sheet is free of constraint to said frame in the region of a perimeter of said sheet.

21. An apparatus according to claim 19 , wherein said frame includes first and second frame parts which are coupled to each other, said space being disposed between said first and second frame parts, said frame having structure which maintains a predetermined distance between said first and second frame parts within said space, and said predetermined distance being greater than a thickness of said sheet.

22. An apparatus according to claim 21 , wherein said structure of said frame includes a plurality of angularly spaced portions on one of said first and second frame parts which each engage the other of said frame parts.

23. An apparatus according to claim 22 , wherein said sheet has a plurality of recesses which each receive and are oversized with respect to a respective said angularly spaced portion.

24. An apparatus according to claim 22 , wherein the other of said first and second frame parts includes a plurality of angularly spaced recesses which each receive part of a respective one of said angularly spaced portions.

25. A method, comprising:

providing a frame which has a first coefficient of thermal expansion, which has a space therein, and which has at least one opening that allows radiation to pass through said space in a first direction;

providing a sheet which has a second coefficient of thermal expansion different from said first coefficient of thermal expansion, and which includes structure that influences radiation which passes through said sheet in said first direction; and

responding to temperature changes by causing said sheet to undergo at least one of expansion and contraction relative to said frame within said space in a second direction approximately parallel to said sheet and approximately perpendicular to said first direction, said frame preventing significant movement of said sheet parallel to said first direction with respect to said frame;

wherein a chopper is formed, which has an axis extending approximately parallel to said first direction;

said method further including configuring said sheet to have a plurality of slots at angularly spaced locations around said axis, said slots each extending approximately radially of said axis; and

including configuring said frame to have a plurality of pins extending through said space approximately parallel to said first direction, each said pin extending through a respective said slot.

26. A method according to claim 25 , including omitting constraint between said sheet and said frame in the region of a perimeter of said sheet.

27. A method, comprising:

providing a frame which has a first coefficient of thermal expansion, which has a space therein, and which has at least one opening that allows radiation to pass through said space in a first direction;

providing a sheet which has a second coefficient of thermal expansion different from said first coefficient of thermal expansion, and which includes structure that influences radiation which passes through said sheet in said first direction, said frame and said sheet forming a chopper having an axis extending approximately parallel to said first direction;

rotating said chopper about said axis and maintaining said sheet in angular and radial alignment with respect to said frame; and

responding to temperature changes by causing said sheet to undergo at least one of expansion and contraction relative to said frame within said space in a second direction approximately parallel to said sheet and approximately perpendicular to said first direction, said frame preventing significant movement of said sheet parallel to said first direction with respect to said frame.

28. A method according to claim 27 , further comprising rotating said chopper about said axis and maintaining said sheet in angular and radial alignment with respect to said frame and in position of concentricity with respect to the axis of rotation.

29. An apparatus comprising a chopper which includes:

a frame having a first coefficient of thermal expansion, having a space therein, and having at least one opening which allows radiation to pass through said space in a first direction;

a sheet having a second coefficient of thermal expansion different from said first coefficient of thermal expansion, said sheet being movably disposed within said space in said frame, in a manner so that said sheet can expand and contract relative to said frame in a second direction approximately parallel to said sheet and approximately perpendicular to said first direction, said frame preventing significant movement of said sheet parallel to said first direction with respect to said frame, and said sheet including structure which influences radiation that passes through said sheet in said first direction;

wherein said chopper has an axis extending approximately parallel to said first direction; and

wherein said chopper is configured to rotate about said axis and wherein said sheet and frame are configured so that said sheet is maintained in angular and radial alignment with respect to said frame.

30. An apparatus according to claim 19 , wherein said chopper is configured to rotate about said axis and wherein said sheet and frame are configured so that said sheet is maintained in angular and radial alignment with respect to said frame and in position of concentricity with respect to the axis of rotation.