Multiwavelength light beam deflection and modulation

Claim 2

Apparatus for diffracting light of a plurality of different selected optical wavelengths including a first wavelength and at least one other wavelength longer than said first wavelength, said apparatus diffracting the light into a plurality of respectively different wavelength beams such that the diffracted light beams scan the same angular range with no more than a predetermined maximum variation of the light intensity, said apparatus comprising: an acoustooptic deflector cell in the path of the light; means for generating variable frequency acoustic waves in said cell; means for selectively activating the light of said first wavelength only during those times during which said variable frequency is within a range which will result in no more than said predetermined maximum light intensity variation, and for selectively activating the light of said other wavelengths only during those times during which said variable frequency is within a range which will result in angular diffraction ranges which will match the angular diffraction range of the diffracted light of said first wavelength when activated.

Claim 3

Apparatus as defined in claim 1 further comprising means for independently intensity modulating the diffracted light beams, said modulating means comprising: an acoustooptic modulator in the path of the light; and means for impressing, upon said modulator, intensity modulating information for each of said selected optical wavelengths at respective rates corresponding to the respective duration of light activation.

Claim 4

Apparatus comprising: means for diffracting light of a plurality of different optical wavelengths into a plurality of respectively different wavelength light beams such that the diffracted light beams scan the same angular range at differetn scan rates; and means for independently intensity modulating the diffracted light beams by separately synchronizing a series of modulating signals to the respective scan rates of each of the different wavelength light beams.

Claim 5

Apparatus comprising: means for diffracting light of a plurality of different optical wavelengths into a plurality of respectively different wavelength light beams such that the diffracted light beams scan the same angular range at differetn scan rates; and means for independently intensity modulating the diffracted light beams by separately synchronizing a series of modulating signals to the respective scan rates of each of the different wavelength light beams.

Claim 6

Apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said modulating means comprises: an acoustooptic modulator in the path of the light; and means for impressing, upon said modulator, intensity modulating information for each of said optical wavelengths at rates corresponding to the respective scan rage of each respective beam.

Claim 7

Apparatus for diffracting light of a plurality of different selected optical wavelengths including a first wavelength and at least one other wavelength longer than said first wavelength, said apparatus diffracting the light into a plurality of respectively different wavelength light beams such that the diffracted light beams scan the same angular range with no more than a predetermined acceptable variation of the light intensity, said apparatus comprising: an acoustooptic deflector cell in the path of the light; means for generating acoustic waves in said cell, the frequency of said acoustic waves sweeping a bandwidth which includes the minimum and maximum frequencies which will result in no more than said predetermined variation of the light beam of said first wavelength; and means for selectively activating the light of each of said selected optical wavelengths only during respective active scan times during that portion of said acoustic wave frequency sweeps when said frequency is within a range which will result in angular diffraction ranges which will match the angular diffraction range of the diffracted light of said first wavelength when the acoustic wave frequency is swept between said minimum and maximum frequencies.

Claim 8

Apparatus for diffracting light of a plurality of different selected optical wavelengths including a first wavelength and at least one other wavelength longer than said first wavelength, said apparatus diffracting the light into a plurality of respectively different wavelength light beams such that the diffracted light beams scan the same angular range with no more than a predetermined acceptable variation of the light intensity, said apparatus comprising: an acoustooptic deflector cell in the path of the light; means for generating acoustic waves in said cell, the frequency of said acoustic waves sweeping a bandwidth which includes the minimum and maximum frequencies which will result in no more than said predetermined variation of the light beam of said first wavelength; and means for selectively activating the light of each of said selected optical wavelengths only during respective active scan times during that portion of said acoustic wave frequency sweeps when said frequency is within a range which will result in angular diffraction ranges which will match the angular diffraction range of the diffracted light of said first wavelength when the acoustic wave frequency is swept between said minimum and maximum frequencies.

Claim 9

Apparatus as defined in claim 5 further comprising means for independently intensity modulating the diffracted light beams, said modulating means including: an acoustooptical modulator in the path of the light; and means for impressing, upon said modulator, intensity modulating information for each of said selected optical wavelengths (1) only during said respective active scan times and (2) at respective rates corresponding to the respective durations of said active scan times.

Claim 10

Apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein said impressing means comprises: means for generating said intensity modulating information; memory means for storing said intensity modulating information for each of said selected optical wavelengths; and clock means, associated with said memory means, for causing said stored information to be applied to said modulator during said respective active scan times and at said respective rates.

Claim 11

Apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein said memory means comprises a shift register for storing the intensity modulating information for each of said selected optical wavelengths.

Claim 12

Apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein said impressing means comprises: means for generating said intensity modulating information for each of said selected optical wavelengths; and means for transmitting said generated information to said modulator by (1) delaying the start of the information for each of said selected optical wavelengths, except the longest such wavelength, until said acoustic wave frequency is within the respective matching range for that wavelength and (2) progressively delaying the transmission rate of the information for each of said other selected optical wavelengths.

Claim 13

Apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein said transmitting means comprises: a shift register for storing the information for each of said other selected optical wavelengths; and clock means for driving said shift registers, said clock means having predetermined frequencies which decrease linearly during said active scan time.

Claim 16

A method as defined in claim 11 further comprising the step of independently intensity modulating the diffracted light beams by impressing, upon an acoustooptic modulator in the path of the light beams, information for each of the diffracted light beams (1) only during said respective active scan times and (2) at respective rates corresponding to the respective durations of said active scan times.