Interferometer Wavelength Measurement Without Active Stabilization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wavelength measurement techniques require power-consuming environmental control and stabilization, limiting their use outside laboratory environments and necessitating costly recalibration due to long-term drift.
Innovation Solution
A wavelength measurement system utilizing dual Fizeau interferometers with environmental sensors to monitor and correct for temperature, pressure, and humidity, eliminating the need for passive isolation and active stabilization, and allowing for precise wavelength determination without a permanent reference laser.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If environmental control and stabilization techniques are used, then measurement precision is improved, but use of energy increases and device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces active environmental control systems (mechanical/thermal systems requiring power) with computational correction methods. Environmental sensors monitor conditions, and software algorithms compensate for their effects on wavelength measurements, eliminating the need for power-consuming active stabilization while maintaining high measurement precision
Solution Approach 2:
The measurement system performs self-correction by using environmental sensors to monitor conditions and automatically compensating for environmental effects through computational methods. The system serves itself by detecting and correcting its own measurement errors without external intervention or additional power-consuming control systems
2Measurement precision
If environmental control and stabilization techniques are used, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical environmental control systems with a combination of simple environmental sensors and computational correction algorithms. This substitution dramatically reduces device complexity while maintaining measurement precision through software-based compensation rather than hardware-based active control
3Measurement precision
If passive isolation and active stabilization are used, then measurement precision is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates and adaptability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces bulky passive isolation infrastructure and active stabilization systems with computational environmental compensation. This allows the measurement system to operate accurately in diverse environments without requiring controlled laboratory conditions, dramatically improving portability and adaptability while maintaining precision
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the approach from controlling physical environmental parameters (temperature, pressure) to measuring and computationally compensating for their effects. This parameter change enables the system to adapt to varying environmental conditions without requiring physical isolation or stabilization infrastructure
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables high-precision wavelength measurements with a small form factor suitable for portable devices, achieving accuracy within 6 parts in 10^9 of the frequency without the need for continuous recalibration.
Implementation Method 1
The interferometer includes two reflective surfaces and a transmission medium between the two reflective surfaces. The interferometer is configured to receive an optical signal from a laser and produce an interferogram in response.
Implementation Method 2
The one or more environmental parameters are used to determine a refractive index of the transmission medium
Implementation Method 3
The one or more environmental parameters are used to determine a refractive index of the transmission medium
Implementation Method 4
The one or more environmental parameters are used to determine a refractive index of the transmission medium
Implementation Method 5
The camera system is configured to receive the interferogram from the interferometer and generate interferogram data in response.
Data Source
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Figure 2B
AI summary
In a general aspect, a wavelength of light is measured. In some aspects, a wavelength measurement system includes an interferometer, a camera system, a sensor and a control system. The interferometer includes two reflective surfaces and a transmission medium between the two reflective surfaces. The interferometer is configured to receive an optical signal from a laser and produce an interferogram in response. The camera system is configured to receive the interferogram from the interferometer and generate interferogram data in response. The interferogram data represents the interferogram received from the interferometer. The sensor is configured to sense an environmental parameter of the transmission medium and generate sensor data in response. The control system is configured to perform operations including, receiving the interferogram data from the camera system and the sensor data from the sensor; and computing a wavelength of the laser based on the interferogram data and the sensor data.