Heterodyne Interferometers Using Orthogonally Polarized and Two-Frequency Shifted Light Sources with Super-high Extinction Ratio

This paper describes heterodyne interferometers using orthogonally polarized and two-frequency shifted light sources of two types with super-high extinction ratio to reduce non-linearity of the interferometer due to polarization cross-talk. The acousto-optic modulators are used to shift light frequency. In the first interferometer the light source with Glan-Thomson prisms of very high extinction ratio (50 dB) is used to make the polarization cross-talk very small. In the second interferometer the light source of two-frequency shifted beams with small crossing angle (2.5 rnrad-10 mrad) is used to completely exclude non-linearity of the interferometer due to polarization cross-talk. By measuring the thickness of vacuum evaporation film, it was demonstrated that the interferometers are useful to measure thickness of a thin film in nanometer order.     

Polarization Fizeau interferometer based on birefringent thin film

A polarization Fizeau interferometer based on birefringent thin film is presented. The interferometer adopts a birefringent thin film to obtain orthogonally polarized and strictly common-path reference and test beams. Advantages include ease of implementation on large-aperture interferometer, measuring test optics from long distance, and achieving high fringe visibility. The phase shift is obtained by combining a quarterwave plate and an analyzer. The concepts illustrated are verified experimentally.     

Dynamic phase profile of phase objects based in the use of a quasi-common path interferometer

In this paper, we propose a quasi common-path interferometer based on a two beams configuration (TBC) using simultaneous phase shifting interferometry modulated by polarization that shows insensitivity against external vibration. Due to the fact that the configuration is capable of obtaining two beams whose separation can be varied, according to the characteristics of the grid used, to obtain the interference patterns. It can be used to implement a quasi-common path interferometer that allows the measurement of dynamic events with high accuracy. For demodulate the fringe patterns generated by the optical system we using the conventional four step phase shifting method. Experimental results are also given.     

Polarization phase-shifting Jamin shearing interferometer

The Jamin shearing interferometer is very useful in wavefront testing, especially for the low coherent light. Based on this interferometer, a polarization phase-shifting Jamin shearing interferometer is proposed to improve the performance. In the interferometer, two interference beams are linearly polarized and a polarization phase shifter is applied to realize the phase shifting. Different types of configurations of the interferometer are given. With phase-shifting interferograms, the precision of the interferometer can be improved. The interferometer is kept as an equal optical path system and its shearing amount remains changeable with simple structure and easy operation. In experiments, phase-shifting interferograms are obtained by rotating the analyzer. The usefulness of the interferometer is verified.     

基于菌紫质薄膜的相移器及其应用

设计了一种基于菌紫质光致各向异性的相移器,并把它用于相移干涉计量。取向随机分布的极性菌紫质分子对线偏振诱导光的选择性吸收导致分子取向分布不均匀,使其呈现宏观的各向异性,这种各向异性与诱导光的偏振特性密切相关,圆偏振光经过各向异性的菌紫质薄膜后,出射光的偏振特性完全由偏振诱导光决定。基于上述原理设计了一种新型的相移器,用琼斯矩阵法推导了基于相移器的相移干涉原理。该相移器在工作过程中不需要移动Mach-Zender干涉仪内部的任何器件,仅需要改变外部控制光路中诱导光的偏振取向就可以控制参考光的相位,有助于提高设备的抗振能力。用最小二乘法对相移干涉结果进行重建,得到了和实际相位一致的结果,验证了相移器的可行性。     

Polarization phase-shifting interferometer by rotating azo-polymer film with photo-induced optical anisotropy

A new type of phase-shifting interferometer was presented by rotating an azo-polymer film with photo-induced optical anisotropy in the light path of orthogonal polarization interferometry. By changing the angle of the optical axis of the azo-polymer film, four phase-shifted fringe patterns were obtained, from which phase difference between orthogonal polarized light could be calculated. The polarization states and the formation of the interferograms were analyzed theoretically using Jones matrix calculations and the experimental verification of the proposed method was also given. This method has a simple optical configuration which utilizes commercially available polarization devices and anisotropic azo-polymer film of low cost. The phase-shifting interferometer also demonstrates a new application of azo-polymer film.     

Magneto-optic fiber Sagnac modulator based on magnetic fluids

A magneto-optic modulator with a magnetic fluid film inserted into an optical fiber Sagnac interferometer is proposed. The magnetic fluid exhibits variable birefringence and Faraday effect under external magnetic field that will lead to a phase difference and polarization state rotation in the Sagnac interferometer. As a result, the intensity of the output light is modulated under the external magnetic field. Moreover, the modulator has a high extinction ratio and can easily be integrated in a single-mode fiber system. The performance of the modulator is not affected by ambient temperature variation from room temperature to 40 °C.     

Fizeau型偏振移相干涉仪的实验研究

研究了一种Fizeau型偏振移相干涉仪。以中心波长为650nm的多纵模半导体激光器作为光源,利用光源的短相干特性和一套偏振延迟装置分出一对偏振方向正交的参考光和测试光,采用巴比涅-索列尔补偿器作为偏振移相器。测试了一块平行平板的前表面面形,面形PV值为0.0682λ,RMS值为0.0127λ。该方法的优点是移相精度高,移相时无须推动参考镜,适用于大口径光学系统的干涉测试,可消除多表面干涉杂散条纹的影响。     

双折射对基于半导体光放大器的干涉型器件性能影响的模拟分析研究

分析了半导体光放大器中双折射对基于半导体光放大器的干涉型器件性能的影响，对基于半导体光放大器的马赫—曾德尔型波长转换器的理论计算表明，当半导体光放大器有双折射存在时，消光比不仅要比无双折射时的要低，而且还随着探测光的偏振态而改变，变化幅度可大于10dB。提出了减小双折射对干涉型器件影响的方案，并且分析了实现对增益和对相位变化同时具有偏振不灵敏的半导体光放大器的可能性。     

Modeling and simulation of polarization errors in Sagnac fiber optic current sensor

Sagnac fiber optic current sensor (S-FOCS) is a kind of optical interferometer based on Sagnac structure, optical polarization states of sensing light wave in Sagnac fiber optic current sensor are limited. However, several factors induce optical polarization error, and non-ideal polarized light waves cause the interference signal crosstalk in sensor, including polarizer, quarter-wave retarder, splice angular, birefringence and so on. With these errors, linearly polarized light wave in PM fiber and circularly polarized light wave in sensing fiber become elliptically polarized light wave, then, nonreciprocal phase shift induced by magnetic field of the current is interrupted by wrong polarization state. To clarify characteristics of optical polarization error in fiber optic current sensor, we analyze the evolution process of random optical polarization state, linear optical polarization state and circular optical polarization state in Sagnac fiber optic current sensor by using Poincare sphere, then, build optical polarization error models by using Jones matrix. Based on models of polarization state in Sagnac fiber optic current sensor, we investigate the influence of several main error factors on optical polarization error characteristics theoretically, including extinction ratio in polarizer, phase delay in quarter-wave retarder, splice angular between quarter-wave retarder and polarization maintaining fiber. Finally, we simulate and quantify nonreciprocal phase shift to be detected in fiber optic current sensor related with optical polarization errors. In the end, we demonstrate S-FOCS in test. The results show that transfer matrix errors are induced by inaccurate polarization properties during polarization state conversion, then, the stability and accuracy of the S-FOCS are affected, and it is important to control the polarization properties at each step of the polarization state conversion precisely.     

高消光比多偏振态光源系统设计

在现代工程测量中,由于工程的各项技术指标要求越来越高,相应地对光源也提出了更高的要求。依据晶体双折射和晶体相位延迟对光偏振态的影响以及光的折射角与光振动方向有关的原理,设计了高消光比多偏振态光源系统,并设计测试方案对该系统实现的偏振态和消光比进行了验证。该光源系统通过计算机精密控制电机旋转设计的转盘结构很方便快捷地实现了S偏振态、P偏振态和圆偏振光的输出,并且系统中设计了平移和旋转装置自动控制偏振棱镜,获得了高消光比的偏振光,出射光消光比小于等于510-6。     

Generation of collinearly propagating orthogonally polarized beams

A simple monolithic device for simultaneous generation of collinearly propagating orthogonally polarized light beams of equal intensity is presented. The common cube beam splitter masked by two linear polarizers is used to achieve the purpose. This is experimentally verified through the use of a Stoke's polarimeter. It is also shown experimentally that the same setup behaves as a polarization phase shifting interferometer.     

光学玻璃材料破坏测量

报道应用偏振光消光法测量光学玻璃材料在强光作用下激发的内部应力分布情况以及用诺曼斯基偏振光干涉仪对微小破坏点的测量，结果表明诺曼斯基干涉仪能比较好地分析其破坏进程。     

Phase profile analysis of transparent objects through the use of a two windows interferometer based on a one beam splitter configuration

In this research we implemented a two windows interferometer based on polarization phase shifting and grating interferometry techniques in order to retrieve the phase data profile of the object in a single capture. The optical configuration has two optical beams with circular polarization in opposite directions, and it is coupled with a 4-f system. An amplitude grid is used as a filter which is placed at the Fourier plane to obtain replicas of each beam which can properly interfere, depending on the separation between beams. The interferometer presents the capability of changing the beam separation in order to make different orders interfere properly. The interference patterns produced can be separately modulated through the operation of linear polarizer's placed on each interference replica. In order to present the capabilities of the system we will select four interferograms result of contiguous orders interference.     

偏振光学系统中相位延迟机理及其应用

为了实现偏振编码的自由空间量子密钥分发实验,研制了偏振保持的光机系统,并对该系统所采用的相位延迟传输机理及应用进行了研究,建立了偏振误码率在允许范围内的量子链路.首先,采用矩阵光学理论对偏振光的方位角、相位延迟与消光比的关系进行了介绍.接着,通过矩阵光学理论及实验验证了偏振光学系统的相位延迟线性叠加原理.然后,在相位延迟线性叠加原理的基础上,设计了一套偏振保持光学系统,并通过理论分析及实验验证了此系统具备良好的偏振保持效果.最后,将偏振保持光学系统的设计机理应用于量子通信光机系统的设计之中,并取得了良好的设计效果.实验结果表明:相位之间的相互抵消可以有效地进行偏振保持设计,最终设计的量子通信光机系统的偏振消光比优于500∶1.满足了自由空间量子通信实验中对偏振误码率的要求.     

Sinusoidal phase-modulating laser diode interferometer insensitive to intensity modulation for real-time displacement measurement with feedback control system

In sinusoidal phase modulating laser diode (LD) interferometer, the injection current of the LD is sinusoidally modulated to realize the modulation of the wavelength. However, the light intensity of LD is also modulated, which affects the measurement accuracy. An all-fiber sinusoidal phase modulating LD interferometer for real-time displacement measurement is proposed where the influence of the intensity modulation is eliminated with a new algorithm. It is made clear that an optimal depth of the sinusoidal phase modulation (SPM) exists in the algorithm. Moreover, the SPM depth is locked at the optimal value by controlling the injection current with a feedback control system. The feasibility of the proposed interferometer for displacement measurement is verified by experiments.     

In-plane ESPI using an achromatic interferometer with low-coherence laser source

The use of an achromatic interferometer is explored as a means of doing in-plane ESPI measurements using a laser diode as the light source. This interferometer type, which uses a diffraction grating in place of the conventional beamsplitter, has two features that make it suitable for making ESPI measurements over extended areas, even when using a low-coherence laser diode source. First, the parallelogram optical geometry of the interferometer causes all rays passing through to have the same optical path lengths. Second, the interferometer is achromatic, whereby the piezo-actuated mirror that steps the illumination light does so by the same phase angle, independent of wavelength. This latter feature accommodates the spectral impurity of a laser diode source. A periodic variation of fringe visibility is observed in experiments, where narrow ranges of high visibility occur at regular spatial intervals. This behavior derives from the clustered discrete spectral character of laser diode light output. A method to “tune” the interferometer by slightly rotating the diffraction grating is described so as to achieve consistent high fringe visibility throughout the measured images.     

Phase stepping methods based on PTDC for Fiber-Optic Projected-Fringe Digital Interferometry

Active homodyne control can be used to stabilize; π/2-rad phase steps in a Fiber-Optic Projected-Fringe Digital Interferometry. Two beams emitted from a fiber-optic coupler are combined to form an interference fringe pattern on a diffusely reflecting object. Fresnel reflections from the distal fiber ends undergo a double pass in the fibers and interference at the fourth port of the coupler which formed a Michelson interferometer. We suggested a method of PTDC (DC phase tracking) to maintain the interference intensity at quadrature by feedback control. Stepping between quadrature positions force a π/2-rad phase step. A method based on the ratio of harmonic of the interference signal is proposed to estimate phase step accuracy .A root-mean-square phase stability of 2 mrad and phase step accuracy of 13.8 mrad were measured with PTDC for the Fiber-Optic Projected-Fringe Digital Interferometry. It worked well in 2 h without resetting the integrator.     

High-power electro-optic switch technology based on novel transparent ceramic

A novel high-power polarization-independent electro-optic switch technology based on a reciprocal structure Sagnac interferometer and a transparent quadratic electro-optic ceramic is proposed and analyzed theoretically and experimentally.The electro-optic ceramic is used as a phase retarder for the clockwise and counter-clockwise polarized light, and their polarization directions are adjusted to their orthogonal positions by using two half-wave plates. The output light then becomes polarization-independent with respect to the polarization direction of the input light. The switch characteristics, including splitter ratios and polarization states, are theoretically analyzed and simulated in detail by the matrix multiplication method.An experimental setup is built to verify the analysis and experimental results. A new component ceramic is used and a nonpolarizing cube beam splitter(NPBS) replaces the beam splitter(BS) to lower the ON/OFF voltage to 305 V and improve the extinction ratio by 2 d B. Finally, the laser-induced damage threshold for the proposed switch is measured and discussed.It is believed that potential applications of this novel polarization-independent electro-optic switch technology will be wide,especially for ultrafast high-power laser systems.     

Generation of optical vector beams with a diffractive optical element interferometer

We present a novel approach to generating radially and azimuthally polarized vector beams that utilize an interferometer constructed from two identical diffractive optical elements. The measured polarization properties of four vector beam states and their phase relationships are in good agreement with theoretical expectations. This interferometer is passively phase stable and robust, making it suitable for linear and nonlinear optical (superresolution) microscopy.