Abstract: An interferometer includes a laser beam source, a light wave dividing and synthesizing portion for 2-demultiplexing and irradiating a laser beam irradiated from the laser beam source on a measuring target and synthesizing a light having each displacement information, a multiphase interference light generating portion for generating, from a synthesized laser beam, a first interference light having a first phase, a second interference light having a second phase which is different from the first phase by 180 degrees, a third interference light having a third phase which is different from the first phase by 90 degrees, and a fourth interference light having a fourth phase which is different from the first phase by 270 degrees, a 3-phase signal generating portion for generating a 3-phase signal having a phase difference of 90 degrees on the basis of first to fourth interference signals based on the first to fourth interference lights, and a 2-phase signal generating portion for carrying out a vector synthesis ove

Abstract: A system, process and software arrangement are provided to compensate for a dispersion in at least one portion of an image. In particular, information associated with the portion of the image is obtained. The portion of the image can be associated with an interference signal that includes a first electromagnetic radiation received from a sample and a second electromagnetic radiation received from a reference. The dispersion in the at least one portion of the image can be compensated by controlling a phase of at least one spectral component of the interference signal.

Abstract: A device for the optical measurement of an optical system which, in a useful operating mode, receives useful radiation on a useful radiation entrance side and emits it on a useful radiation exit side. The device includes a measurement radiation source, by which at least one exit-side element, which emits measurement radiation to the optical system, can be positioned on the useful radiation exit side of the optical system, and a detector, by which at least one entrance-side element, which receives measurement radiation coming from the optical system, can be positioned on the useful radiation entrance side of the optical system. The measurement radiation source includes a source-side measurement structure mask for positioning on the useful radiation exit side and/or the detector includes a detector-side measurement structure mask for positioning on the useful radiation entrance side.

Abstract: A technique for acoustic detection of a disbond within a bonded structure involves thermal excitation of the surface of the bonded structure to induce a lifting and membrane vibration and is applicable to laminates and coated structures, as well as foam core structures or a honeycomb structures. The technique does not require access to both sides of the bonded structure. A large etendue interferometer is used to provide surface displacement measurement. The surface displacement measurement can be analyzed both by frequency or amplitude to determine existence of a disbond by membrane vibration, and further a thickness of the disbond can be determined using traditional pulse-echo time analysis. The technique may allow detection of stick bonds.

Abstract: A method is provided for detection of analytes using the Surface Plasmon Resonance effect. The method comprises providing a metal film on a transparent substrate. The free surface of the metal film is exposed to a test sample. An anlyte in the sample can interact directly with the metal film or via analyte binding molecules (ABMs) complexed to the film. Light is directed incident to the surface of film in contact with the substrate. Light is reflected from the surface of the film under SPR conditions. The reflected light is collected and the second and/or third harmonics of the resulting electrical signal, which are indicative of the phase and polarization state of the reflected light, are determined. The second and third harmonics are correlated to the presence and/or concentration of the analyte.

Abstract: A monolithic frame for optics used in interferometers where the material of the monolithic frame may have a substantially different coefficient of thermal expansion from the beamsplitter and compensator without warping, bending or distorting the optics. This is accomplished through providing a securing apparatus holding the optics in place while isolating the expansion thereof from the expansion of the frame. Stability in optical alignment is therefore achieved without requiring a single material or materials of essentially identical coefficients of thermal expansion. The present invention provides stability in situations where it is not possible to utilize a single material for every component of the interferometer.

Abstract: The invention relates to a spectrograph (11) comprising a waveguide (10) provided with accesses (10; 10b, 12), a means for injecting two guided contra-propagative waves by each accesses in such a way that a spatial interference is formed in the waveguide, means (19, 20, 14, 16) for detecting the energy of the evanescent wave of the guided field produced by the interference of said contra-propagative waves.

Abstract: Devices, arrangements and apparatus adapted to propagate at least one electro-magnetic radiation are provided. In particular, a probe housing, a sample arm section and a reference arm section can be included. For example, the sample arm section can be at least partially situated within the probe housing, and configured to propagate a first portion of the electro-magnetic radiation that is intended to be forwarded to a sample. The reference arm section can be at least partially situated within the probe housing, and configured to propagate a second portion of the electro-magnetic radiation that is intended to be forwarded to a reference. In addition or as an alternative, an interferometer may be situated within the probe housing. The first and second portions may travel along substantially the same paths, and the electro-magnetic radiation can be generated by a narrowband light source that has a tunable center wavelength.

Abstract: Described herein is a an optical sensing unit, the optical sensing unit including a one-dimensional array of sensor locations, each sensor location being responsive to an incident optical signal to generate a local analog intensity value representative of the intensity of the optical signal at the sensor location, the sensing unit including a digital interface to deliver a local digital intensity value corresponding to the local analog intensity value, a first microcontroller function in communication with the digital interface for sequentially collecting local digital intensity values to form a group of digital intensity values corresponding to an intensity variation across the array over a predetermined sensing period, a second microcontroller function cooperating with the first microcontroller function to receive the group of digital intensity values for transfer to an output device.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided employing rapid scanning continuous wave terahertz spectroscopy and imaging for the non-destructive evaluation of materials such as animal hides and natural cork, and explosive detection, concealed weapon detection, and drug detection. A system employing an aperiodic detector array and implementing phase modulation at 100 kHz significantly reduces the imaging time and enables interferometric images of a THz point source to be obtained at several frequencies between 0.3 and 0.95 THz.

Abstract: A multi-channel laser interferometric method and apparatus are provided for optically measuring transient motion from a surface (17). A laser beam (11) is generated and then divided into first and second beams having respective intensities representing minor and major fraction of the predetermined laser intensity. The reference beam (18) illuminates the surface (17) at which deformation is expected. The light back-scattered by the surface is collected by a single aperture lens (15) and then made to interfere with the probe beam (67) which has been expanded (32), onto a two-dimensional array of detectors (71). Each signal (83) corresponding to each detector of the array is converted individually to an electrical signal, each electrical signal is amplified and processed (84), and the plurality of processed signals (85) is then averaged in an electrical summing means (45).

Abstract: The general field of the invention is that of rate gyros, of the matter-wave type, allowing the measurement of a speed of rotation in a given direction of measurement. This type of rate gyro works by the Sagnac effect and uses ultracold atoms to perform the measurement. It necessarily comprises an atom trap allowing a cloud of ultracold atoms to be immobilized in a given configuration and means for separation-displacement-recombination of the cloud into two packets of atoms so as to make them trace out a given area.

Abstract: A sensor which comprises a support medium and a hologram disposed therein, wherein an optical characteristic of the medium varies as a result of a change of a property of the medium, and wherein the medium is heterogeneous such that the change of property is heterogeneous.

Abstract: A fiber optic gyroscope includes a light source, a coupler coupled to the light source, a photodetector coupled to the coupler, an integrated optic circuit (IOC) coupled to the coupler by a first element, and a sensing loop coupled to the IOC by second and third elements. At least one of the first, second and third elements includes a polarizing element.

Abstract: A system for determining an object distance z includes a plurality of light emitters. A group of at least one of the plurality of light emitters includes an emitter group, and the pattern projected when one emitter group is emitting includes a fringe set. The light pattern of one fringe set exhibits a phase-shift relative to the light patterns of the other fringe sets, and the phase-shift varies as the distance from the origin of the plurality of fringe sets varies. The system further includes a processing unit that is configured to compute a ripple metric value associated with each of a plurality of possible z values. The processing unit is further configured to determine an approximated z value using the computed ripple metric values. A probe system is also provided. The probe system is configured to project a plurality of fringe sets from the probe onto an object.

Abstract: Desired spectral characteristics are attained by making reflection films close enough. A variable spectroscopy device (1) has a pair of optical substrates (2, 3) opposing each other with an interval therebetween, two reflection films (5) opposing each other which are respectively disposed on opposing surfaces of the optical substrates (2, 3), two sensor electrodes (6) opposing each other which are disposed on the same surfaces as the reflection films (5) and which constitute an interval sensor for detecting an interval between the optical substrates (2, 3), and an actuator (4) which relatively moves the optical substrates (2, 3) and changes the interval between the optical substrates (2, 3). A distance between the opposing surfaces of the two sensor electrodes (6) is longer than a distance between the opposing surfaces of the two reflection films (5).

Abstract: A method is provided for the electronic scanning of the intensity distribution of an optical interference pattern by means of a linear image sensor, wherein the interference pattern is produced by overlapping two temporally partly coherent beams striking at an arbitrarily predefined angle ? in relation to one another and is provided with an interference strip having a carrier frequency greater than the scanning frequency, and amplitude modulation that can be varied slowly in relation to the pixel width, wherein at least one optical grating is disposed in the beam path of at least one of two incident beams and the image sensor is disposed in the diffraction image of the grating(s) such that, at the site of the image sensor, the beams interfere, and the beams enclose an angle ? at the site of the image sensor, the angle being smaller than ?.

Abstract: A coordinate measuring machine (1) for measuring structures (3) on a substrate (2) including a measurement table (20) movable in the X-coordinate direction and in the Y-coordinate direction, a measurement objective (9), at least one laser interferometer (24) for determining the position of the measurement table (20) and the measurement objective (9) wherein the measurement table (20), the measurement objective (9) and the at least one laser interferometer (24) are arranged in a vacuum chamber (50).

Abstract: A method and system for performing two-dimensional laser Doppler vibrometry (LDV) are disclosed. A high speed fiber optic heterodyne imaging vibrometer can be used for the imaging of high speed surface deformation and/or vibration. Images provided by the high speed fiber optic heterodyne imaging vibrometer can be representative of movement, e.g., displacement or vibration, of the surface being imaged.

Abstract: A system includes a measuring tool, a fixture, and a rotatable target. The measuring tool includes a light source, an imaging device, and an electronic circuit. The fixture allows the rotatable target to rotate about an axis. The rotatable target includes a surface having microscopic asperities. The imaging device is mounted to provide a sequence of images derived from said microscopic asperities. The electronic circuit is connected to the imaging device for measuring rotation of the rotatable target from the sequence of images.