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:
Jul. 12, 1988
Filed:
May. 15, 1986
Jacob Y Wong, Santa Barbara, CA (US);
Hibshman Corporation, San Luis Obispo, CA (US);
Abstract
The measurement of weak absorption lines is facilitated by the use of a long transmission path length, which is difficult to obtain in compact or portable instruments. In the present invention, light is made to travel through a limited volume of gas thousands of times. The light is placed on a closed optical path on which it circulates through the gas sample. After a desired number of passes through the gas sample, the light is removed from the closed optical path. Introduction of the light to the closed optical path and removal therefrom is accomplished through the use of a polarizing beamsplitter and a pockels cell located on the closed path. Light is put onto the closed path by the polarizing beamsplitter which imparts a specific polarization. During the first circuit the pockels cell alters the polarization by 90 degrees thereby preventing the light from escaping back out through the polarizing beamsplitter. After the desired number of circuits, the pockels cell again alters the polarization by 90 degrees thereby permitting the light to be redirected out of the closed path by the polarizing beamsplitter.