The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 18, 2025
Filed:
Jun. 09, 2021
Toptica Photonics Ag, Gräfelfing, DE;
TOPTICA Photonics AG, Gräfelfing, DE;
Abstract
The invention relates to a device for generating temporally spaced light pulses. Said device comprises a first light source which emits a first train of light pulses, a second light source which emits a second train of light pulses, and a phase-locked loop which regulates the relative phase of the light-pulse trains towards a target value. When the two light-pulse trains each pass through an optical transmission path to an application site that is spatially remote from the light sources, fluctuating phase differences in the light-pulse trains at the application site occur due to external influences along the transmission paths. The object of the invention is to provide an improved device for generating temporally spaced light pulses. In particular, the above-mentioned fluctuating phase differences are intended to be prevented. To do this, the invention proposes a detection apparatus that interacts with the phase-locked loop and detects a phase difference in the light-pulse trains at the application site caused by propagation-time differences along the transmission paths. In particular, the phase difference in the light-pulse trains at the application site is derived from light pulses that are reflected from the application site and pass through the transmission paths in the return direction. The detected phase difference can then be compensated for by the existing regulation of the relative phase of the light-pulse trains. In addition, the invention relates to a method for generating temporally spaced light pulses.