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:
Mar. 03, 2009
Filed:
Aug. 18, 2006
Alice L. Palmer, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Robert D. Sigler, Cupertino, CA (US);
Alice L. Palmer, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Robert D. Sigler, Cupertino, CA (US);
Lockheed Martin Corporation, Bethesda, MD (US);
Abstract
An interferometer for nulling a broad range of wavelengths is provided. The interferometer includes a beamsplitter, a first mirror and a second mirror. Incoming radiation is split by the beamsplitter into a first sub-signal and a second sub-signal, which are reflected by the first mirror and the second mirror, respectively, back to the beamsplitter, where they are combined to form an output signal. The interferometer further includes a first plate disposed between the beamsplitter and the first mirror and a second plate disposed between the beamsplitter and the second mirror. The first plate and the second plate have the same refractive index and thickness. The first plate is disposed perpendicular to the direction of the first sub-signal, and the second plate is disposed at an angle θ to the direction of the second sub-signal. The beam dispersion caused by the tilt of the second plate attenuates the amplitude of a broad range of wavelengths in the output signal.