Pulse Replication Device for High Dynamic Range Signal Measurement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for measuring uncharacterized single pulse emissions, such as those in LIDAR and laser-based inertial confinement fusion, face challenges in accurately capturing pulse shapes due to unknown amplitude characteristics, often resulting in signal saturation or inability to measure high or low intensity pulses effectively.
Innovation Solution
A pulse replication device that passively converts a single uncharacterized pulse signal into a chain of replica signals with increasing amplitude characteristics, ensuring at least one replica falls within the measurement range of the oscilloscope, using an input node to divide the signal into two pathways with different temporal delays and combining them into a single signal train.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If the incident pulse power is high, then the signal can be detected, but the detector or oscilloscope becomes saturated and no useful data can be retrieved
Solution Approach 1:
The incident pulse is divided into multiple replicas with different amplitudes using a fibre loop ring cavity with an active gain medium. This segmentation creates a sequence of pulses where at least one replica falls within the optimal dynamic range of the detector, preventing saturation while ensuring detectability.
Solution Approach 2:
The amplitude parameter of the pulse replicas is systematically varied through the gain medium in the fibre loop cavity. By changing the amplitude parameter across multiple replicas, the system ensures that at least one replica matches the detector's optimal range, resolving the contradiction between high signal intensity and measurement reliability.
2Reliability
If the incident pulse power is low, then the detector is not saturated, but the signal amplitude is too weak to measure accurately
Solution Approach 1:
The single incident pulse is segmented into multiple replicas with progressively increasing amplitudes. This ensures that even if the original pulse is weak, at least one amplified replica will achieve sufficient amplitude for accurate measurement while remaining within the detector's linear range.
Solution Approach 2:
The pulse replicas are generated in advance before detection, with amplitudes pre-adjusted through the gain medium. This preliminary action ensures that the detector receives optimally scaled signals, improving measurement precision without risking saturation.
3Measurement precision
If multiple oscilloscope channels are used to measure different amplitude ranges, then measurement accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using multiple detectors and oscilloscope channels, the system segments the single incident pulse into multiple replicas with different amplitudes. A single detector then measures these replicas sequentially, achieving the same measurement precision as multiple channels would provide but with significantly reduced device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The incident pulse is copied multiple times to create replicas, each with different amplitude characteristics. These copies are measured sequentially by a single detector, replacing the need for multiple parallel measurement channels and simplifying the overall system architecture.
4Productivity
If the first pulse in a chain saturates the detector, then no further information can be retrieved from subsequent pulses
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using a chain of pulses with decreasing intensity where the first pulse risks saturation, the system inverts the approach by generating pulses with increasing intensity. This ensures that earlier pulses in the chain are weaker and less likely to saturate the detector, preserving information from all subsequent pulses.
Solution Approach 2:
The pulse chain is constructed with increasing amplitudes as a preliminary arrangement, ensuring that the detector is not overwhelmed by strong initial pulses. This preliminary structuring of the pulse sequence prevents saturation and maximizes information retrieval from all pulses in the chain.
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
This solution allows for reliable measurement of uncharacterized single shot pulse signals by ensuring that at least one replica is within the dynamic range of the measuring device, preventing saturation and enabling accurate characterization of high contrast laser pulses.
Implementation Method 1
A fibre loop ring cavity with an active gain medium inside it converts a single pulse into a chain of pulses of increasing energy
Implementation Method 2
convert the pulse into an electrical signal using a photo diode
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to devices and methods of characterising a single unknown pulse signal. They create multiple replica of the original that may be more reliably measured, by dividing the signal through nodes and using different signal pathways that may apply a temporal delay. The device and methods have multiple fields of application, most notably with the internal confinement fusion industry.