Raytheon Company

Hughes Electronics Corporation

Robert Pursel

Margarete Neumann

Brien Douglas Ross

Rekha Doshi

An optical system includes an optical frequency discriminator having a light source of an optical input beam, and an optical bandpass filter having a bandpass filter range and the optical input beam incident thereon at a bandpass-filter angle of incidence and may be desirably be adjusted. The optical bandpass filter transmits a first transmitted beam of a bandpass-filter frequency band and reflects a first reflected beam. An optical second filter has an optical edge in the bandpass range of the bandpass filter and the first reflected beam incident thereon at a second-filter angle of incidence. The optical second filter transmits a second transmitted beam band and reflects a second reflected beam.

Optical system with optical frequency discriminator

A beamsplitter (70) for separating a beam of light (48, 90, 92) into three frequency bands (94, 96, 98) corresponding to a first color (94), a second color (98), and a third color (96) adapted for use with a beam of white light (92). The inventive beamsplitter (70) includes first (78) and second (80) surfaces for reflecting the first color of light (94) and for transmitting the second color of light (98). A third (82) and fourth (84) surface reflect the second color of light (96) and transmit the third color of light (98). A glass support structure (72) supports the first (78), second (80), third (82), and fourth (84) surfaces in a predetermined configuration. The configuration is chosen so that the first color of light (94) is directed in a first direction (94), the second color of light (96) is directed in a second direction (96), and the third color of light (96) is directed in a third direction (96). The support structure (72) includes a first material having a second index of refraction that is sufficiently different than the index of refraction of a surrounding material (86) to minimize undesirable polarization effects. In the illustrative embodiment, the surrounding material (86) is air.

Three color dichroic beamsplitter for separating or combining

A system (50) for separating and combining frequency bands (64, 74, 78) from a beam (62) of electromagnetic energy adapted for use with a beam of white light (62) having a first (64), second (74) and third (78) frequency band. The inventive system (50) includes a first surface (58) for transmitting the first frequency band (64) and reflecting the second (70, 78) and third (70, 74) frequency bands. A second surface (60) reflects the second frequency band (74) and transmits the third (78) frequency band. A transparent support structure (52, 54, 56) supports the first surface (58) and the second surface (60) in a pre-determined orientation that provides for a low angle of incidence (66, 72) of electromagnetic energy impinging on the first surface (58) and the second surface (60) to minimize undesirable polarization effects. In a specific embodiment, the angle (66, 72) is 22.5 degrees. The predetermined orientation includes the first surface (58) angled with respect to the second surface (60) so that the first (64), second (74), and third (78) frequency bands have first (64), second (74), and third (78) separate paths respectively. In the illustrative embodiment, the support structure (52, 54, 56) includes a glass pentaprism (52). The first surface (58) has a dichroic coating on a first lateral surface (58) of the pentaprism (52) and the second surface (60) has a dichroic coating on the other lateral surface (60). The support structure (52, 54, 56) further includes a first (54) and second (56) glass surface attachment attached to the first (58) and second (60) surface respectively.

Dichroic pentaprism for separating or combining frequency bands of

A device for holding and positioning a sample (22) during spectral analysis, having an optical cell (41) comprised of a base member (42), a glass cell (44), and being filled with oil (46) having substantially the same index of refraction as the glass cell (44). The device further includes a rotary stage device (48) attached to the optical cell (41) and a sample holder (50) attached to the rotary stage device (48) such that a sample (22) may be rotated over a range of angles relative to a projected beam (32) to provide a spectral analysis of the sample (22) over the range of angles.

Growing community of inventors

Victoria, Canada

Robert Pursel