Dual-etalon cavity ring-down frequency-comb spectroscopy with broad band light source

Patent Number:	8,693,004
Issued:	April 8, 2014
Official Filing:	View the Complete Patent at the US Patent & Trademark Office
Technology:	Dual-Etalon Frequency-Comb Spectrometer
Abstract:	In an embodiment, a dual-etalon cavity-ring-down frequency-comb spectrometer system is described. A broad band light source is split into two beams. One beam travels through a first etalon and a sample under test, while the other beam travels through a second etalon, and the two beams are recombined onto a single detector. If the free spectral ranges ("FSR") of the two etalons are not identical, the interference pattern at the detector will consist of a series of beat frequencies. By monitoring these beat frequencies, optical frequencies where light is absorbed may be determined.
Application Number:	13/050,430
Filed:	March 17, 2011
Current U.S. Class:	356/454 ; 356/484; 356/497;
Current International Class:	G01B 9/02 (20060101);
Field of Search:	Search: </B></TD> <TD ALIGN="RIGHT" VALIGN="TOP" WIDTH="70%"> ;356/454,484,519,497,506,479
Government Interests:	STATEMENT REGARDING GOVERNMENT RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT This invention was made with Government support under government contract no. DE-AC04-94AL85000 awarded by the U.S. Department of Energy to Sandia Corporation. The Government has certain rights in the invention, including a paid-up license and the right, in limited circumstances, to require the owner of any patent issuing in this invention to license others on reasonable terms.