Polarimeter to simultaneously measure the stokes vector components of light

Patent 7038776 Issued on May 2, 2006. Estimated Expiration Date:

March 25, 2025. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.

Abstract Claims Description Full Text

Patent References

Filter structure having combined wavelength and polarization sensitive characteristics
Patent #: 5038041
Issued on: 08/06/1991
Inventor: Egan

Infrared laser polarimeter
Patent #: 5247176
Issued on: 09/21/1993
Inventor: Goldstein

Apparatus and method for measuring the thickness of thin films
Patent #: 5365340
Issued on: 11/15/1994
Inventor: Ledger

5408321

Method and apparatus for measuring angular velocity of a transparent object
Patent #: 5517306
Issued on: 05/14/1996
Inventor: Yakubovich, et al.

Polarimeter Patent #: 6043887
Issued on: 03/28/2000
Inventor: Allard, et al.

Inventors

Assignee

Raytheon Company

Application

No. 11089899 filed on 03/25/2005

US Classes:

356/364, BY POLARIZED LIGHT EXAMINATION250/349, Plural signalling means250/338.1, Infrared responsive356/504, Refraction from surfaces of different refractive index356/366, With polariscopes356/459Rotation rate (e.g., ring laser gyros)

Examiners

Primary: Turner, Samuel A.
Assistant: Akanbi, Isiaka O.

Attorney, Agent or Firm

International Class

G01J 4/00

Abstract

A polarimeter simultaneously measures the Stokes vectors of a light beam using an optics unit with a slit with a slit axis, a foreoptics that focuses the light beam from the point location through the slit, a collimator that receives the light beam from the slit and collimates the light beam, a cylinder lens that receives the light beam from the collimator, wherein the cylinder lens has a cylindrical axis parallel to the slit axis, a re-imaging lens that images the light beam from the cylinder lens onto a focal plane, and a set of polarizing filters including three polarization filters having three different polarizations. The polarization filters are adjacent to each other in a direction perpendicular to the slit axis and lie between the cylinder lens and the focal plane so that the light beam is directed onto the set of polarizing filters.

Other References

Schneider Optics, “Xenoplan Bilateral Telecentric”, and “Xenoplan 0.95/17mm”, 3 page download from www.schneideroptics.com, downloaded on Jul. 25, 2004.