Ultrastable calibrated light source

Claim 1

A system for producing a precisely calibrated energy output level and maintaining said output level for extended periods of time comprising: radiant energy producing means for forming a detectable energy output; power supply means connected with said energy producing means for supplying power to said energy producing means, said power supply means including rectifier means for converting alternating current to full wave rectified direct current power having amplitude fluctuations occurring at a frequency corresponding to the frequency of said alternating current power; monitoring means for monitoring said detectable energy output and forming a first electrical signal representative of the value of said energy output; ultrastable reference signal forming means for generating an ultrastable electrical reference signal; comparing means for comparing said reference signal and said first electrical signal and forming a second electrical signal representing the difference between said reference signal and said first electrical signal; control switching means operable by said second electrical signal to electrically connect or disconnect said power supply means and said light energy producing means to control the power supplied to said light energy producing means to control switching means comprising a silicon controlled rectifier for selectively conducting said full way rectified power to the radiant energy producing means and trigger circuit means to selectively trigger said silicon controlled rectifier into and out of the conduction state, said trigger circuit means comprising a unijunction transistor means and biasing circuit means for regulating conduction through said unijunction transistor means, said biasing circuit means including capacitive means for storing an electrical charge and a transistor switching means for regulating the leakage across said capacitive means and the charge storage by said capacitive means to regulate conduction through said unijunction transistor means; means for phase locking said full wave rectified power and said unijunction transistor means, whereby said unijunction transistor means is rendered conductive during a portion of the power phase as controlled by said biasing circuit means to precisely regulate the amount of power supplied to said radiant energy producing means; and filtering means for filtering the full wave rectified power conducted through said silicon controlled rectifier whereby a constant direct current voltage is delivered to said radiant energy producing means to maintain an ultrastable radiant energy output.

Claim 2

A system for producing a precisely calibrated energy output level and maintaining said output level for extended periods of time comprising: radiant energy producing means for forming a detectable energy output; power supply means connected with said energy producing means for supplying power to said energy producing means, said power supply means including rectifier means for converting alternating current to full wave rectified direct current power having amplitude fluctuations occurring at a frequency corresponding to the frequency of said alternating current power; monitoring means for monitoring said detectable energy output and forming a first electrical signal representative of the value of said energy output; ultrastable reference signal forming means for generating an ultrastable electrical reference signal; comparing means for comparing said reference signal and said first electrical signal and forming a second electrical signal representing the difference between said reference signal and said first electrical signal; control switching means operable by said second electrical signal to electrically connect or disconnect said power supply means and said light energy producing means to control the power supplied to said light energy producing means to control switching means comprising a silicon controlled rectifier for selectively conducting said full way rectified power to the radiant energy producing means and trigger circuit means to selectively trigger said silicon controlled rectifier into and out of the conduction state, said trigger circuit means comprising a unijunction transistor means and biasing circuit means for regulating conduction through said unijunction transistor means, said biasing circuit means including capacitive means for storing an electrical charge and a transistor switching means for regulating the leakage across said capacitive means and the charge storage by said capacitive means to regulate conduction through said unijunction transistor means; means for phase locking said full wave rectified power and said unijunction transistor means, whereby said unijunction transistor means is rendered conductive during a portion of the power phase as controlled by said biasing circuit means to precisely regulate the amount of power supplied to said radiant energy producing means; and filtering means for filtering the full wave rectified power conducted through said silicon controlled rectifier whereby a constant direct current voltage is delivered to said radiant energy producing means to maintain an ultrastable radiant energy output.