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:
Apr. 15, 1997
Filed:
Feb. 06, 1995
Thomas Vogeler, Darmstadt, DE;
Theo Tschudi, Darmstadt, DE;
Nelson Tabirian, Orlando, FL (US);
Boris Zel'dovich, Winter Park, FL (US);
University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL (US);
Abstract
Meters detect power parameter information about laser beams using liquid crystals to propagate the beam therethrough with photodiode detectors. The power parameters include intensity in watts per square meter, beam waist size, and the location of the focal spot based in light induced orientational phenomena in the liquid crystal. The detectors can can count the number of interference fringe rings produced by a laser beam passing through the liquid crystal(LC). Alternatively, the time between the occurrence of each interference fringe ring can be measured to determine the power parameters. A preferred embodiment has a standard liquid crystal oriented at approximately 45 degrees to the axis of an incoming laser beam to be measured. The beam passing through the LC can be centered through a pinhole on a planar plate causing the interference fringe rings to appear on the surface of the plate. An alternative embodiment measures intensity based on determining the voltage necessary to produce fringe ring patterns. Corresponding the fringe ring patterns to intensity values can be done manually upon visual observation and calculation or automatically by computer.