QUASI-TRANSLATOR, FOURIER MODULATOR, FOURIER SPECTROMETER, MOTION CONTROL SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR CONTROLLING SAME, AND SIGNAL PROCESSOR CIRCUIT

1 . A quasi-translator, comprising:

a. a support;

b. an arm having a first end and a second end and including a driven element disposed on and/or connected to the second end;

c. a driving element;

d. an axis, disposed in or on the support, substantially transverse, substantially perpendicular or perpendicular to the arm, that operates as an axis of rotation of the arm;

e. a bearing system fixed to the support, disposed on or along the axis, that operates to constrain or permit the arm to rotate about the axis in a plane substantially transverse, substantially perpendicular or perpendicular to the axis;

f. a drive coil disposed substantially in, in or adjacent to the plane of rotation, the drive coil operating to interact with the driving element and create the translational motion that moves the arm; and

g. a drive amplifier, connected to the drive coil, acting as a voltage source to drive the arm in an arc of a predetermined size and/or shape approximating a translation in one or more predetermined directions.

2 . The quasi-translator of claim 1 , wherein at least one of:

(i) the quasi-translator operates to produce at least one of at least a substantially pure, smooth translational motion with the predetermined arc regardless of orientation of the quasi-translator; and substantially error-free or error-free motion regardless of orientation of the quasi-translator;

(ii) the quasi-translator operates to substantially reduce or eliminate one or more stresses/forces from affecting the translation and/or movement of the driven element, thereby achieving a design that operates in substantially any or any orientation and is at least one of compact, balanced and inertially compensated;

(iii) the quasi-translator includes one or more bent or angled components to achieve the compact, balanced, and inertially compensated design of the quasi-translator;

(iv) the compact, balanced, and inertially compensated quasi-translator is achieved by arranging the arm or a portion of the arm on an angle with respect to the driven element such that the arm or the portion of the arm is tilted in relation to the driven element, thereby reducing, minimizing and/or eliminating a sideways motion or displacement of the driven element and/or a beam contacting the driven element, and/or thereby reducing a number of steps and resources directed towards calibration or re-calibration of the quasi-translator when the quasi-translator is moved from one orientation or system to another orientation or system;

(v) the driven element is substantially in line, or is in line, with the axis of rotation or a pivot point of the quasi-translator such that the arm that is connected to the driven element and the support of the quasi-translator extends through the axis of rotation or the pivot point of the quasi-translator and the arm is balanced around the pivot point;

(vi) a path of the arc is substantially symmetrical or is symmetrical across at least one of: the line defined between the driven element and the axis of rotation or the pivot point of the quasi-translator; and the arm being balanced around the pivot point;

(vii) a center of gravity of the driven element and a center of gravity of at least one of the driving element and the driving coil are not in line with the pivot point of the quasi-translator such that the line defined between the driven element and the at least one of the driving element and the driving coil does not extend through the pivot point or the axis of rotation of the quasi-translator such that the sideways motion or the displacement of the driven element and/or a beam contacting the driven element that would otherwise occur is reduced, minimized and/or eliminated; and

(viii) the predetermined arc is at least one of a small arc and a broad arc.

3 . The quasi-translator of claim 2 , wherein at least one of:

(i) one or more linear accelerations in one or more of three axes of the quasi-translator do not result in one or more impulses to the moving elements or components of the quasi-translator;

(ii) one or more linear accelerations in all of the three axes of the quasi-translator do not result in one or more impulses to the moving elements or components of the quasi-translator;

(iii) one or more rotational accelerations in one or more axes are resisted or substantially resisted by the quasi-translator;

(iv) one or more rotational accelerations in two or more axes are resisted or substantially resisted by the quasi-translator; and

(v) when rotation accelerations in the two axes are substantially resisted or resisted, only rotational accelerations in the axis of the pivot point produce one or more impulses to the driven element of the quasi-translator.

4 . The quasi-translator of claim 1 , wherein the support at least one of:

(i) is any predetermined size and/or shape for achieving the translation and to properly connect the elements of the quasi-translator together;

(ii) is substantially “L” shaped or substantially “C” shaped;

(iii) is fixed to a predetermined surface or object such that the support remains stationary; and

(iv) operates to fix or orient the quasi-translator to or within a system or optical assembly, the system or optical assembly including at least one of: an interferometer, a modulator, and a spectrometer.

5 . The quasi-translator of claim 1 , wherein the arm at least one of:

(i) has a freedom of rotation or range of movement around the axis of rotation from a fixed or default position of at least one of: about ±5°; about ±10°; about ±15°; about ±20°; about ±25°; from about 1° to about 5°; from about 1° to about 10°; from about 1° to about 25°; from about 5° to about 10°; from about 5° to about 15°; from about 5° to about 20°; from about 5° to about 25°; from about 1° to about 45°; from about 1° to about 90°; from about 10° to about 90°; and from about 1° to about 180°;

(ii) moves at least one of: substantially to the left and to the right of the quasi-translator; substantially transverse or substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation; substantially transverse or substantially perpendicular to the bearing system; around the support in an arc-like path; and substantially within or within a plane of rotation that is substantially transverse, substantially perpendicular or perpendicular to the axis of rotation;

(iii) has a center of mass or a center of gravity being accurately centered on the rotation axis in or substantially in the plane of rotation that is substantially transverse, substantially perpendicular or perpendicular to the axis of rotation;

(iv) moves the driven element around the axis such that the driven element is rotated around the center of gravity or the center of mass of the arm or of the quasi-translator in a balanced, inertially compensated fashion;

(v) is connected to at least one of the drive coil, the driving element and the driven element by at least one of: bonding, fusing, adhering, screwing, molding, and clamping;

(vi) is connected to the driven element having at least one optical surface at the second end of the arm such that the optical flatness of the at least one optical surface of the driven element is at least one of substantially achieved, achieved, substantially maintained, maintained, substantially optimized, and optimized;

(vii) is integral with the driven element such that the optical flatness of the at least one optical surface of the driven element is at least one of substantially achieved, achieved, substantially maintained, maintained, substantially optimized, and optimized; and

(viii) lies in or substantially in a plane of rotation such that the plane of rotation extends and substantially passes through both ends of the arm.

6 . The quasi-translator of claim 1 , wherein the bearing system includes a bearing shaft, and the bearing shaft at least one of:

(i) is disposed such that the bearing shaft is substantially transverse, substantially perpendicular or perpendicular to the arm such that the arrangement of the bearing shaft defines the axis of rotation;

(ii) is disposed such that the bearing shaft is substantially transverse, substantially perpendicular or perpendicular to a plane of rotation of the arm such that the arrangement of the bearing shaft defines the axis of rotation, the plane of rotation of the arm extending and substantially passing through both ends of the arm;

(iii) is connected to the support by at least one of: bonding, fusing, adhering, screwing, molding, and clamping;

(iv) operates to work with one or more bearings of the bearing system such that frictionless, substantially frictionless, substantially smooth, smooth, substantially pure or pure translation of the driven element in a substantially arc-shaped path is achieved, the substantially arc-shaped path being any predetermined size and/or shape; and

(v) the one or more bearings are connected to the bearing shaft by at least one of bonding, fusing, adhering, screwing, molding and clamping.

7 . The quasi-translator of claim 1 , where the bearing system comprises two identical radial bearings disposed approximately equidistantly on one side and on the other side of the plane of rotation.

8 . The quasi-translator of claim 7 , wherein the bearings of the bearing system comprise flexure bearings or flexpivot bearings and/or the flexure bearings or flexpivot bearings are located substantially in the middle or in the middle of the center of mass or gravity of the quasi-translator such that the quasi-translator operates in any orientation.

9 . The quasi-translator of claim 7 , wherein at least one of: (i) the center of mass of the arm is accurately centered on the rotation axis in or substantially in the plane of rotation; (ii) the center of mass of the arm is accurately located substantially in or in a plane midway between the radial bearings; and (iii) the bearings are connected to the support by at least one of bonding, fusing, adhering, screwing, molding and clamping.

10 . The quasi-translator of claim 7 , wherein the driven element comprises at least one of: an optical structure; a mirror; a reflecting panel; a retroreflector; a hollow retroreflector; and an optical cube-corner retroreflector.

11 . The quasi-translator of claim 1 , wherein the drive coil at least one of:

(i) comprises an electromagnetic coil that operates to interact with the driving element such that an electrical signal is converted into the translational motion, thereby moving the driven element along the arc path;

(ii) is fixed in place on the support such that the driving element pushes off of, or pulls on, the drive coil to slide against or move along the drive coil, thereby creating the desired motion or translation;

(iii) is fixed in place on the support and is connected to the drive amplifier without the use of additional unnecessary components including at least one of: one or more sliding contacts and one or more flexible wire leads; and

(iv) interacts with the driving element such that when the driving element is fixed on the support and the drive coil moves, the drive coil pushes off of, or pulls on, the driving element to slide against or move along the driving element, thereby creating the desired motion or translation.

12 . The quasi-translator of claim 11 , wherein, when the driving element is fixed on the support and the drive coil moves, the one or more wires or one or more connecting members connecting each element or component of the quasi-translator are located at one or more movement points of the quasi-translator to avoid the one or more wires or one or more connecting members from being broken or pulled out during operation.

13 . The quasi-translator of claim 1 , wherein the driving element at least one of:

(i) comprises a magnet;

(ii) is disposed at or on at least one of an end of a rotor, at the first end of the arm, and at a portion of the arm when the drive coil is fixed to the support;

(iii) is fixed to the support when the drive coil is disposed in a location on the quasi-translator such that the drive coil operates to move, thereby creating the desired motion or the translation;

(iv) is integral with the rotor or the arm;

(v) operates to interact with the drive coil such that the driving element and the drive coil push off of, pull on, slide against or move along each other to create the desired motion or the translation; and

(vi) acts as a main counterweight to help balance the quasi-translator such that the balance and/or inertial compensation of the quasi-translator is achieved.

14 . The quasi-translator of claim 1 , wherein the drive amplifier at least one of:

(i) comprises an operational amplifier;

(ii) is connected to, disposed on or disposed across the drive coil;

(iii) is connected to, disposed on or disposed across a predetermined fixed location of the quasi-translator, or is connected to the quasi-translator and is disposed remotely or proximately to the quasi-translator such that the drive amplifier operates to interact or communicate with the driving element and the drive coil and to control the motion of the driven element;

(iv) is disposed on the drive coil while at least one processor is located remotely or proximately to the quasi-translator, the at least one processor operating to control the motion of the driven element or to change a path length of a beam interacting with the driven element at a rate determined by the wavelength of a laser and a crystal; and

(v) is a part of, or is connected to, an electrical circuit or a motion control system that operates to control the motion of the driven element.

15 . The quasi-translator of claim 1 , wherein at least one of:

(i) the arc approximating the translation in the one or more predetermined directions incorporates an angle of a predetermined size;

(ii) the angle of a predetermined size is formed by a combination of, and consideration of, the center of gravity or mass of, at least: the driven element, the bearing system and the driving element; and

(iii) the angle of a predetermined size is formed by a combination of, and consideration of, the center of gravity or mass of, at least the driven element, the bearing system, and the driving element and at least one of: one or more counterweights, a portion of the arm, the arm, the drive coil and a rotor.

16 . The quasi-translator of claim 1 , wherein the quasi-translator is inertially compensated such that at least one of a swinging, a movement, jerkiness and one or more velocity variations of the arm, a portion of the arm or any other component of the quasi-translator is substantially reduced and/or eliminated in response to at least one of: one or more forces, one or more ambient vibrations, one or more shocks, one or more shocks during movement or shipping of the quasi-translator, and/or one or more shocks during construction of a system including the quasi-translator.

17 . The quasi-translator of claim 16 , further comprising a relay or coil shorting board that operates to dampen the motion of the drive coil and the driving magnet arrangement.

18 . The quasi-translator of claim 17 , wherein at least one of:

(i) the relay or coil shorting board operates to damp the drive coil and the drive magnet arrangement when one or more of the electronic components of the quasi-translator or a system including the quasi-translator are de-energized;

(ii) energy, which is damped by the relay or the coil shorting board, is dissipated as heat;

(iii) the drive coil is shorted by the deactivation of the relay or coil shorting board when the one or more of the electronic components are de-energized, such that the consequent magnetic damping damps any motion of the one or more components of the quasi-translator and prevents damage from moving and/or shipping the quasi-translator or a system including the quasi-translator;

(iv) the magnetic damping operates to damp motion of at least one component of the quasi-translator or at least one component of the system including the quasi-translator during the moving and/or shipping of the quasi-translator or the system including the quasi-translator sufficiently such that an ordinary rubber bumper or similar cushion is sufficient to prevent excessively damaging or damaging acceleration or deceleration at the one or more limits of motion or shipping of the quasi-translator or the system including the quasi-translator;

(v) the relay or they coil shorting board operates to be disconnected from any processor or power supply for transportation or shipping of the quasi-translator or the system including the quasi-translator or for insertion or removal of the quasi-translator into/from one or more optical assemblies or one or more systems; and

(vi) vibrational movement of the driving element induces a voltage and a current in the drive coil such that a force is created on the driving element that operates to oppose the vibrational movement.

19 . The quasi-translator of claim 1 , further comprising at least one of:

a hermetic enclosure, the hermetic enclosure operating to at least one of: (i) house the quasi-translator; (ii) keep the quasi-translator stable; and (iii) keep one or more circuits and/or one or more components of the quasi-translator disposed therein away from one or more gases or other types of combustible and/or volatile materials located outside of the hermetic enclosure; and

a counterweight comprising tungsten that operates to balance the arm around a pivot point of the quasi-translator.

20 . A Fourier modulator comprising a Michelson interferometer, a quasi-translator of any of claims 1 - 19 , and one or more control electronics that operate to permit the drive amplifier of the quasi-translator to change an optical path difference of at least one of the Michelson interferometer and the quasi-translator at a substantially constant rate or at a constant rate of change such that the resulting beam path difference slows, hinders or impedes a phase of light or radiation passing through the Michelson interferometer such that a two beam optical interference of the Michelson interferometer is permitted or achieved.

21 . A Fourier spectrometer comprising the Fourier modulator of claim 20 , a broadband light source collimated by a first optical system and incident on the Michelson interferometer therein, a second optical system collecting light transmitted by the Michelson interferometer and transmitting it to a sample region, a third optical system collecting light from the sample region and focusing it into a detector region, an optical detector located in the detector region converting the transmitted light from the sample region into an electrical signal, and a Fourier analyzer comprising one or more electronics and software that operate to convert the electrical signal into an optical spectrum.