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. 22, 2003
Filed:
Nov. 13, 2000
Raymond J Chaney, Berkeley, GB;
Mark A V Chapman, Wotton-under-Edge, GB;
Tingdi Liao, Wotton-under-Edge, GB;
Jan Linnenbuerger, Charfield, GB;
Damon M Northeast, Wotton-under-Edge, GB;
Renishaw PLC, , GB;
Abstract
Apparatus for producing and guiding a light beam, in particular for a laser interferometer, includes a laser having a laser tube ( ) and an external cavity ( ). Two laser beams ( A′ and B′) of orthogonal polarization states are directed from the cavity into polarization maintaining fibers ( ). The two beams are generated from a single beam ( ) by a birefringent prism ( ) in the cavity. Additional beam steering prisms ( A and B) are included to direct the beams from the birefringent prism to the fibers. The additional steering prisms compensate for temperature induced beam deviations in the birefringent prisms. Interferometric sensing heads ( ) receive the beams from the fibers and include a rotatable wedge prism and mechanical adjustment means for guiding the beams onto reflecting surfaces on an object for positioning the object. The ends of the fibers attached to the sensing heads are kinematically located in the head.