Magnetooptic phase correlator

Claim 2

A magneto-optic phase correlator, comprising: means for generating a phase-coherent first polarization axis polarized light beam the spatial characteristic of which, in a plane across its optical axis, represents a known data signal; a magnetizable data plane, in the path of said polarized light beam, having data recorded along each of two orthogonal data axes in the plane thereof which data are recorded in said data plane as respectively associated varying levels of partial switching of the magnetization through the thickness thereof and along said data axes for generating a corresponding varying angular degree of Faraday rotation of said polarized light beam; a quarter wave plate, in the path of said Faraday rotated light beam, for componenting said Faraday rotated light beam along two orthogonal optical axes that are in the plane thereof; and, an analyzer filter, in the path of said componented light beam, having a second polarization axis in the plane thereof for repolarizing said componented light beam along said second polarization axis and generating a corresponding varying phase shift in said repolarized light beam.

Claim 3

The magneto-optic phase correlator of claim 1 in which said polarized light beam is comprised of a plurality of separate, parallel light beams and said analyzer filter generates corresponding, linearly varying, phase shifts in said light beams along said two orthogonal optical axes.

Claim 4

The magneto-optic phase correlator of claim 2 in which its optical axis and said light beams are linearly aligned.

Claim 5

The magneto-optic phase correlator of claim 1 in which said polarized light beam is directed orthogonally incident to the plane of said data plane.

Claim 6

The magneto-optic phase correlator of claim 4 in which the planes of said data plane and of said quarter wave plate are parallel.

Claim 7

The magneto-optic phase correlator of claim 5 in which each of said orthogonal data axes are parallel to a respective one of said optical axes.

Claim 8

The magneto-optic phase correlator of claim 6 in which said first polarization axis is parallel to one of said two orthogonal optical axes.

Claim 9

The magneto-optic phase correlator of claim 7 in which the planes of said quarter wave plate and of said analyzer filter are parallel.

Claim 10

The magneto-optic phase correlator of claim 8 in which said second polarization axis bisects said two orthogonal optical axes at an angle of 45*.

Claim 11

The magneto-optic phase correlator of claim 1 in which the said levels of partial switching are in an analoglike form.

Claim 12

A magneto-optic phase correlator, comprising: means for generating a plurality B of separate, parallel, phase-coherent, first polarization axis polarized light beams whose spatial characteristics are defined along two orthogonal data axes in a plane normal to their paths and represent a first data signal; a magnetizable data plane, in the path of said polarized light beams, in which a signal is recorded as an associated analoglike varying level of partial switching of the magnetization through the thickness thereof and along said two orthogonal data axes, which level provides a corresponding analoglike varying angular degree of Faraday rotation of each of said polarized light beams when directed orthogonally incident to the plane of said data plane; a quarter wave plate, in the path of said Faraday rotated liGht beams, for componenting each of said Faraday rotated light beams along two orthogonal optical axes that are in the plane of said quarter wave plate, one of which optical axes is parallel to said first polarization axis; and, an analyzer filter, in the path of said componented light beams, having a second polarization axis in the plane thereof that bisects said two orthogonal optical axes for repolarizing said Faraday rotated light beams along said second polarization axis and generating a corresponding analoglike varying phase shift in each of said repolarized light beams, with respect to the corresponding one of said polarized light beams, that corresponds to said associated analoglike varying level of partial switching.

Claim 13

A magneto-optic phase correlator, comprising: means for generating a plurality B of separate, parallel, phase-coherent, first polarization axis polarized light beams whose spatial characteristics are defined along two orthogonal data axes in a plane normal to their paths and represent a first data signal; a magnetizable data plane, in the path of said polarized light beams, in which a signal is recorded as an associated analoglike varying level of partial switching of the magnetization through the thickness thereof and along said two orthogonal data axes, which level provides a corresponding analoglike varying angular degree of Faraday rotation of each of said polarized light beams when directed orthogonally incident to the plane of said data plane; a quarter wave plate, in the path of said Faraday rotated liGht beams, for componenting each of said Faraday rotated light beams along two orthogonal optical axes that are in the plane of said quarter wave plate, one of which optical axes is parallel to said first polarization axis; and, an analyzer filter, in the path of said componented light beams, having a second polarization axis in the plane thereof that bisects said two orthogonal optical axes for repolarizing said Faraday rotated light beams along said second polarization axis and generating a corresponding analoglike varying phase shift in each of said repolarized light beams, with respect to the corresponding one of said polarized light beams, that corresponds to said associated analoglike varying level of partial switching.

Claim 14

The magneto-optic phase correlator of claim 11 in which the planes of said data plane, of said quarter wave plate and of said analyzer filter are aligned in a parallel, superposed manner along the linear optical axis of said correlator.

Claim 15

The magneto-optic phase correlator of claim 12 in which the same second polarization axis bisects said two orthogonal optical axes at an angle of 45*.

Claim 16

A magneto-optic phase correlator, comprising: means for generating a plurality B of separate, parallel, phase-coherent, first polarization axis polarized light beams whose spatial distribution along two orthogonal data axes in a plane normal to their paths conforms to a time duration sample of a corresponding plurality B of first signals; a magnetizable data plane, in the path of said polarized light beams, having a plurality F of data channels in which an associated plurality B of second signals are recorded along said two orthogonal data axes as respectively associated linearly varying levels of partial switching of the magnetization through the thickness thereof, which levels provide a corresponding linearly varying angular degree of Faraday rotation of said polarized light beams; a quarter wave plate, in the path of said Faraday rotated light beams, for componenting each of said Faraday rotated light beams along two orthogonal optical axes that are in the plane of said quarter wave plate; and, an analyzer filter, in the path of said componented light beams, having a second polarization axis in the plane thereof for repolarizing each of said componented light beams along said second polarization axis and generating a corresponding linearly varying phase shift in each of said repolarized light beams along said two orthogonal data axes.

Claim 17

A magneto-optic phase correlator, comprising: means for generating a plurality B of separate, parallel, phase-coherent, first polarization axis polarized light beams whose spatial distribution along two orthogonal data axes in a plane normal to their paths conforms to a time duration sample of a corresponding plurality B of first signals; a magnetizable data plane, in the path of said polarized light beams, having a plurality F of data channels in which an associated plurality B of second signals are recorded along said two orthogonal data axes as respectively associated linearly varying levels of partial switching of the magnetization through the thickness thereof, which levels provide a corresponding linearly varying angular degree of Faraday rotation of said polarized light beams; a quarter wave plate, in the path of said Faraday rotated light beams, for componenting each of said Faraday rotated light beams along two orthogonal optical axes that are in the plane of said quarter wave plate; and, an analyzer filter, in the path of said componented light beams, having a second polarization axis in the plane thereof for repolarizing each of said componented light beams along said second polarization axis and generating a corresponding linearly varying phase shift in each of said repolarized light beams along said two orthogonal data axes.

Claim 18

The magneto-optic phase correlator of claim 14 in which said data plane is a tapelike recording medium that is continuously driven along a plane normal to the parallel paths of said polarized light beams.

Claim 19

The magneto-optic phase correlator of claim 14 in which said plurality F of data channels are each of different frequency band widths of linearly increasing frequency.

Claim 20

The magneto-optic phase correlator of claim 14 in which said plurality B of second signals are pulselike having a linearly varying amplitude over said spatial distribution of said polarized light beams.

Claim 21

The magneto-optic phase correlator of claim 14 in which said polarized light beams are directed orthogonally incident to the plane of said data plane.

Claim 22

The magneto-optic phase correlator of claim 18 in which the planes of said data plane and of said quarter wave plate are parallel.

Claim 23

The magneto-optic phase correlator of claim 19 in which each of said data axes are parallel to a respective one of said optical axes.

Claim 24

The magneto-optic phase correlator of claim 20 in which said first polarization axis is parallel to one of said two orthogonal optical axes.

Claim 25

The magneto-optic phase correlator of claim 21 in which the planes of said quarter wave plate and of said analyzer filter are parallel.

Claim 26

The magneto-optic phase correlator of claim 22 in which said second polarization axis bisects said two orthogonal optical axes at an angle of 45*.

Claim 27

The magneto-optic phase correlator of claim 14 in which the said levels of partial switching in each of said data channels are in an analoglike form.

Claim 28

A magneto-optic phase correlator, comprising: means for generating a phase-coherent light beam the spatial characteristic of which, in a plane across its optical axis, represents a known data signal; a magnetizable data plane; means for recording a received data signal in the magnetization of said data plane along two orthogonal received data signal axes; said received data signal recorded as a linearly varying level of partial switching of the magnetization of said data plane through the thickness thereof, said linearly varying level of partial switching providing a corresponding linearly varying angular degree of Faraday rotation of an orthogonally incident light beam; a polarized input filter having a first polarization axis in the plane thereof and which is parallel to one of said two orthogonal received data signal axes; said plane coherent light beam orthogonally incident to the plane of said input filter for polarizing said phase-coherent light beam along said first polarization axis; said polarized light beam orthogonally incident to the plane of said data plane; said polarized light beam subjected to a linearly varying Faraday rotation, the linearity of which corresponds to the linearly varying level of partial switching of the magnetization of said data plane along said two orthogonal received data signal axes; a quarter wave plate having two orthogonal optical axes in the plane thereof, one of which is parallel to said first polarization axis; said Faraday rotated light beam orthogonally incident to the plane of said quarter wave plate; said quarter wave plate componenting said Faraday rotated light beam for forming a respectively associated componented light beam having two orthogonal components, a separate component along each of said orthogonal optical axes; an analyzer filter having a second polarization axis in the plane thereof that bisects said two orthogonal optical axes; said componented light beam orthogonally incident to the plane of said analyzer filter; said analyzer filter repolarizing said componented light beam along said second polarization axis and shifting the phase of said componented light beam, with respect to said polarized light beam, for forming a repolarized light beam of linearly varying phase shifts having a linearly varying relationship along said two orthogonal optical axes; a detector array; means for focusing said repolarized light beam upon said detector array; means coupled to said detector array for providing an indication of the correlation between said known data signal and said received data signal as a function of the degree of said linearly varying relationship of the phase shift of said repolarized light beam.

Claim 29

A magneto-optic phase correlator, comprising: means for generating a phase-coherent light beam the spatial characteristic of which, in a plane across its optical axis, represents a known data signal; a magnetizable data plane; means for recording a received data signal in the magnetization of said data plane along two orthogonal received data signal axes; said received data signal recorded as a linearly varying level of partial switching of the magnetization of said data plane through the thickness thereof, said linearly varying level of partial switching providing a corresponding linearly varying angular degree of Faraday rotation of an orthogonally incident light beam; a polarized input filter having a first polarization axis in the plane thereof and which is parallel to one of said two orthogonal received data signal axes; said plane coherent light beam orthogonally incident to the plane of said input filter for polarizing said phase-coherent light beam along said first polarization axis; said polarized light beam orthogonally incident to the plane of said data plane; said polarized light beam subjected to a linearly varying Faraday rotation, the linearity of which corresponds to the linearly varying level of partial switching of the magnetization of said data plane along said two orthogonal received data signal axes; a quarter wave plate having two orthogonal optical axes in the plane thereof, one of which is parallel to said first polarization axis; said Faraday rotated light beam orthogonally incident to the plane of said quarter wave plate; said quarter wave plate componenting said Faraday rotated light beam for forming a respectively associated componented light beam having two orthogonal components, a separate component along each of said orthogonal optical axes; an analyzer filter having a second polarization axis in the plane thereof that bisects said two orthogonal optical axes; said componented light beam orthogonally incident to the plane of said analyzer filter; said analyzer filter repolarizing said componented light beam along said second polarization axis and shifting the phase of said componented light beam, with respect to said polarized light beam, for forming a repolarized light beam of linearly varying phase shifts having a linearly varying relationship along said two orthogonal optical axes; a detector array; means for focusing said repolarized light beam upon said detector array; means coupled to said detector array for providing an indication of the correlation between said known data signal and said received data signal as a function of the degree of said linearly varying relationship of the phase shift of said repolarized light beam.

Claim 30

The magneto-optic phase correlator of claim 25 wherein the planes of said input filter, data plane, quarter wave plate and analyzer filter are aligned in a parallel, superposed manner along the linear optical axis of said correlator with said light beams being directed orthogonally incident to the planes thereof.

Claim 31

A magneto-optic phase correlator, comprising: a data mask having a plurality B of optical apertures, the spatial distribution of which along two orthogonal data axes conforms to a time-duration sample of a plurality F of separate known data signals; a magnetizable data plane; means for recording a plurality F of separate received data signals in said data plane along two orthogonal data axes; said plurality of F separate received data signals recorded in F separate associated data channels in said data plane as analoglike varying levels of partial switching of the magnetization of said data plane through the thickness thereof, said levels of partial switching providing a corresponding analoglike varyIng angular degree of Faraday rotation of an orthogonally incident light beam; a polarized input filter having a first polarization axis in the plane thereof; means for applying an orthogonally incident phase-coherent light beam to said input filter for polarizing said phase-coherent light beam along said first polarization axis; said polarized light beam orthogonally incident to the plane of said data mask for forming a plurality B of separate, parallel, phase-coherent, first polarization axis polarized light beams whose spatial distribution in a plane normal to their parallel paths conforms to the spatial distribution of the optical apertures in said data mask; said plurality B of polarized light beams orthogonally incident to the plane of said data plane; each of said plurality B of polarized light beams subjected to a Faraday rotation, the analoglike varying angular degree of which corresponds to the analoglike varying level of partial switching at the respective incident portion of said data mask; a quarter wave plate having two orthogonal optical axes in the plane thereof, one of which is parallel to said first polarization axis; said plurality B of Faraday rotated light beams orthogonally incident to the plane of said quarter wave plate; said quarter wave plate componenting said plurality B of Faraday rotated light beams for forming a plurality B of respectively associated componented light beams having two orthogonal components, a separate component along each of said two orthogonal optical axes; an analyzer filter having a second polarization axis in the plane thereof that bisects said two orthogonal optical axes; said plurality B of componented light beams orthogonally incident to the plane of said analyzer filter; said analyzer filter repolarizing each of said plurality B of componented light beams along said second polarization axis and shifting the phase of each of said plurality B of componented light beams, with respect to said plurality B of polarized light beams, for forming a plurality B of respectively associated repolarized light beams of respectively associated phase shifts having an analoglike varying relationship along said two orthogonal optical axes; a detector array; means for focusing said plurality B of repolarized light beams upon said detector array; means coupled to said detector array for providing an indication of the correlation between said received data signals and said known data signals as a function of the degree of the analoglike varying relationship of the phase shifts of said repolarized light beams along said two orthogonal optical axes.

Claim 32

A magneto-optic phase correlator, comprising: a data mask having a plurality B of optical apertures, the spatial distribution of which along two orthogonal data axes conforms to a time-duration sample of a plurality F of separate known data signals; a magnetizable data plane; means for recording a plurality F of separate received data signals in said data plane along two orthogonal data axes; said plurality of F separate received data signals recorded in F separate associated data channels in said data plane as analoglike varying levels of partial switching of the magnetization of said data plane through the thickness thereof, said levels of partial switching providing a corresponding analoglike varyIng angular degree of Faraday rotation of an orthogonally incident light beam; a polarized input filter having a first polarization axis in the plane thereof; means for applying an orthogonally incident phase-coherent light beam to said input filter for polarizing said phase-coherent light beam along said first polarization axis; said polarized light beam orthogonally incident to the plane of said data mask for forming a plurality B of separate, parallel, phase-coherent, first polarization axis polarized light beams whose spatial distribution in a plane normal to their parallel paths conforms to the spatial distribution of the optical apertures in said data mask; said plurality B of polarized light beams orthogonally incident to the plane of said data plane; each of said plurality B of polarized light beams subjected to a Faraday rotation, the analoglike varying angular degree of which corresponds to the analoglike varying level of partial switching at the respective incident portion of said data mask; a quarter wave plate having two orthogonal optical axes in the plane thereof, one of which is parallel to said first polarization axis; said plurality B of Faraday rotated light beams orthogonally incident to the plane of said quarter wave plate; said quarter wave plate componenting said plurality B of Faraday rotated light beams for forming a plurality B of respectively associated componented light beams having two orthogonal components, a separate component along each of said two orthogonal optical axes; an analyzer filter having a second polarization axis in the plane thereof that bisects said two orthogonal optical axes; said plurality B of componented light beams orthogonally incident to the plane of said analyzer filter; said analyzer filter repolarizing each of said plurality B of componented light beams along said second polarization axis and shifting the phase of each of said plurality B of componented light beams, with respect to said plurality B of polarized light beams, for forming a plurality B of respectively associated repolarized light beams of respectively associated phase shifts having an analoglike varying relationship along said two orthogonal optical axes; a detector array; means for focusing said plurality B of repolarized light beams upon said detector array; means coupled to said detector array for providing an indication of the correlation between said received data signals and said known data signals as a function of the degree of the analoglike varying relationship of the phase shifts of said repolarized light beams along said two orthogonal optical axes.

Claim 33

The magneto-optic phase correlator of claim 27 wherein the planes of said input filter, data plane, quarter wave plate and analyzer filter are aligned in a parallel, superposed manner along the linear optical axis of said correlator with said light beams being directed orthogonally incident to the planes thereof.