US5056919A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Device for measuring a phase shift which is not reciprocal produced in a ring interferometer
Assignee: Thales SA
•
Filing: 1981-10-06
•
Granted: 1991-10-15
•
Expires: 2001-10-06
Abstract
Abstract A ring-shaped interferometer device containing optical means for phase shifting which act on the rays passing through the rings, these means containing an oscillator which delivers a periodic voltage of frequency 1/2τ, in which τ is the time taken by a ray to pass through the ring and a saw-tooth generator whose resonant frequency is slaved to the non reciprocal phase shift.
Inventors
- 👤 Herve J. Arditty
- 👤 Claude Puech
- 👤 Michel Papuchon
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 06:58
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01C; G01C19/00; G01C19/58; G01C19/64; G01C19/72; G01C19/726
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
186 words
An optical interferometer device intended to measure a non reciprocal phase shift undergone by two radiations moving in opposite directions in a ring-shaped wave-guide, the device containing a monochromatic luminous source, means for photodetection of the interference of these radiations, and optical separator and mixer means, which connect the ends of this wave-guide directly to the luminous source and photodetector means: said device containing electrically controlled means for giving an optical phase shift φ, which act on these radiations; an oscillator which delivers a periodic voltage of frequency 1/2τ, in which τ is the time taken by each of the radiations to pass through the path determined by the ring; an adjustable slope saw-tooth generator; a synchronous detector, which receives at one of its inputs this periodic voltage and is connected at its other input to the photodetector means; the output of this synchronous detector being connected to the slope control input of the saw-tooth wave generator, the resonant frequency of the saw-tooth being slaved to the non reciprocal phase shift; the periodic and saw-tooth voltages being superimposed at the input to the phase shift means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
186 words
An optical interferometer device intended to measure a non reciprocal phase shift undergone by two radiations moving in opposite directions in a ring-shaped wave-guide, the device containing a monochromatic luminous source, means for photodetection of the interference of these radiations, and optical separator and mixer means, which connect the ends of this wave-guide directly to the luminous source and photodetector means: said device containing electrically controlled means for giving an optical phase shift φ, which act on these radiations; an oscillator which delivers a periodic voltage of frequency 1/2τ, in which τ is the time taken by each of the radiations to pass through the path determined by the ring; an adjustable slope saw-tooth generator; a synchronous detector, which receives at one of its inputs this periodic voltage and is connected at its other input to the photodetector means; the output of this synchronous detector being connected to the slope control input of the saw-tooth wave generator, the resonant frequency of the saw-tooth being slaved to the non reciprocal phase shift; the periodic and saw-tooth voltages being superimposed at the input to the phase shift means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the phase travel produced by the saw-tooth is roughly equal to 2π.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the periodic function modulating the phase of the waves represents rectangular-shaped signals.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the periodic function modulating the phase of the waves represents sinusoidal or cosinusoidal signals.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the oscillator delivering the periodic voltage and the saw-tooth generator use an electro-optical effect.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
33 words
A device as claimed in claim 1, containing filtering means which enable a particular mode to be selected from among the modes likely to propagate in the loop and reach the detection device.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
A device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the filtering means contain a mode filter and a polarizer which only transmits a single mode.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
116 words
A device as claimed in claim 1 for an interferometer whose ring is formed by an optical fibre and the energy source, the wave separation and mixing means and detection means are produced in a solid medium by integration on a substrate on which have been produced two wave-guides, coupled and joined at one of their ends to the energy source and two detection means respectively and at their other ends to the ends of the optical fibre; said device containing integrated in the substrate, at least one pair of electrodes, arranged on one side and on the other of the two wave-guides to form an electro-optical effect phase modulator, the electrodes receiving the control signal.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
42 words
A device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the wave separation and mixing means are produced by integration of wave-guides on a substrate, these wave-guides being in the shape of two Ys connected one to the other by one of their branches.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
34 words
A device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the substrate is chosen from among the following materials: lithium niobate or tantalate in which titanium or niobium respectively has been diffused to produce the wave-guides.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
26 words
A device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the substrate is of gallium arsenide in which the wave-guides have been made by ion or proton implant.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
12 words
A gyrometer, containing a ring-shaped interferometer device as described in claim 1.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
14 words
A current measurement device, containing a ring-shaped interferometer device as described in claim 1.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3512890A
Cited
US3743969A
Cited
FR2271542A1
Cited
FR2409518A1
Cited
US4265541A
Cited
US4352563A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1994-10-14 | 1995-04-15 | 1995-10-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1998-10-14 | 1999-04-15 | 1999-10-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2002-10-14 | 2003-04-15 | 2003-10-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |