Granted Patent B1

US 8,054,466 · App. 11/419,993 · Granted Nov 8, 2011

Abstract

Claims (54)

1. An optical referencing system, comprising:

an optical bench receiving a tunable optical signal from a tunable signal source via an input polarization controlling optical fiber;

a wavelength reference detector mounted on the bench for determining a wavelength of the tunable optical signal;

a wavelength reference mounted on the optical bench for filtering the tunable optical signal to generate a fringe pattern that is detected by the wavelength reference detector;

an amplitude reference detector mounted on the optical bench for determining an amplitude of the tunable optical signal;

an output optical signal polarization controlling fiber for transmitting the tunable optical signal directly to a sample from the optical bench;

a signal detector for directly receiving light from the sample illuminated by the tunable optical signal; and

a controller that simultaneously monitors the wavelength reference detector to produce wavelength data as a function of time and the amplitude reference detector to produce amplitude data as a function of time for the tunable optical signal.

2. An optical referencing as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the wavelength reference comprises an etalon.

3. An optical referencing system as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a thermoelectric cooler on a backside of the optical bench for controlling a temperature of the system.

4. An optical referencing system, comprising:

an optical bench receiving a tunable optical signal from a tunable signal source via an input polarization controlling optical fiber;

a wavelength reference detector, mounted on the optical bench, for determining a wavelength of the tunable optical signal;

a wavelength reference, mounted on the optical bench, for filtering the tunable optical signal to generate a fringe pattern that is detected by the wavelength reference detector;

an output fiber for transmitting the tunable optical signal directly from the optical bench to a sample;

a signal detector for detecting light directly from the sample illuminated by the tunable optical signal; and

a controller that simultaneously monitors the wavelength reference detector to produce wavelength data as a function of time and the a signal detector to produce signal data as a function of time with at least one analog to digital converter as the tunable signal is wavelength scanned.

5. An optical referencing system as claimed in claim 4 , further comprising:

a wavelength analog to digital converter for converting and providing a response of the wavelength reference detector to the controller as the wavelength data;

a signal analog to digital converter for converting and providing the response of the signal detector to the controller as the signal data.

6. An optical referencing system as claimed in claim 5 , further comprising:

an amplitude reference detector, mounted on the optical bench, for determining an amplitude of the tunable optical signal;

an amplitude analog to digital converter for converting and providing the response of the amplitude reference detector to the controller as amplitude data;

wherein the controller simultaneously monitors the response of the wavelength reference detector, the amplitude reference detector, and the signal detector, via the wavelength analog to digital converter, the signal analog to digital converter, and the amplitude analog to digital converter, to amplitude reference a scan of the sample by the tunable signal during the scan by dividing the amplitude data into the sample data to compensate for amplitude drift of the tunable signal over the wavelength scan.

7. An optical referencing system as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the wavelength reference comprises an etalon.

8. An optical referencing system as claimed in claim 4 , further comprising a thermoelectric cooler on a backside of the optical bench for controlling a temperature of the system.

9. An optical referencing system, comprising:

an optical bench receiving a first tunable optical signal from a first tunable signal source via a first optical fiber and receiving a second tunable optical signal from a second tunable signal source via a second optical fiber;

a combiner mounted on the bench for combining the first tunable signal and the second tunable signal into a common beam of a combined optical signal on the optical bench;

a tap for splitting the combined optical signal;

a wavelength reference detector mounted on the bench for receiving a first portion of the combined optical signal from the tap and determining a wavelength of the combined optical signal;

a wavelength reference mounted on the bench for filtering the combined optical signal from the tap to generate a fringe pattern that is detected by the wavelength reference detector; and

an output optical signal fiber for transmitting a second portion of the combined optical signal directly from the tap to a sample, with a signal detector directly receiving light from the sample illuminated by the combined optical signal.

10. An optical as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the combiner is a polarization combiner.

11. An optical as claimed in claim 9 , further comprising a thermoelectric cooler on a backside of the optical bench for controlling a temperature of the system.

12. An optical referencing system as claimed in claim 9 , further comprising:

a controller;

a wavelength analog to digital converter for converting and providing a response of the wavelength reference detector to the controller;

a signal analog to digital converter for converting and providing the response of the signal detector to the controller;

wherein the controller simultaneously monitors the response of the wavelength reference detector and the signal detector, via the wavelength analog to digital converter and the signal analog to digital converter, to wavelength reference a scan of the sample by the combined signal.

13. An optical referencing system as claimed in claim 12 , further comprising:

an amplitude reference detector mounted on the bench for determining an amplitude of the tunable optical signal;

an amplitude analog to digital converter for converting and providing the response of the amplitude reference detector to the spectroscopy controller;

wherein the controller simultaneously monitors the response of the wavelength reference detector, the amplitude reference detector, and the signal detector, via the wavelength analog to digital converter, the signal analog to digital converter, and the amplitude analog to digital converter, to wavelength and amplitude reference a scan of sample by the combined optical signal during the scan.

14. An optical referencing system, comprising:

an optical bench receiving a first tunable optical signal from a first tunable signal source via a first optical fiber and receiving a second tunable optical signal from a second tunable signal source via a second optical fiber;

a polarization combiner mounted on the bench for combining the first tunable signal and the second tunable signal into a common beam of a combined optical signal on the optical bench;

a first lens on the bench for collimating the first tunable optical signal to pass through the combiner;

a second lens on the bench for collimating the second tunable optical signal to pass through the combiner;

a wavelength reference detector mounted on the bench for determining a wavelength of the combined optical signal;

a wavelength reference mounted on the bench for filtering the combined optical signal to generate a fringe pattern that is detected by the wavelength reference detector;

and

a third lens on the bench for coupling the combined optical signal into an output optical fiber, said output optical fiber transmitting the combined optical signal directly from the bench to a sample, with a signal detector directly receiving light from the sample illuminated by the combined optical signal.

15. An optical referencing system as claimed in claim 14 , further comprising a thermoelectric cooler on a backside of the optical bench for controlling a temperature of the system.

Assignments (6)