Patent ID: 11913886
Assignee: GEORGIA TECH RESEARCH CORPORATION
Field: Measurement (Instruments)
Classification: CPC G | IPC G

Claim 20:
21. A system comprising:
a delay module configured to delay a first light field to create a delayed light field;
a detector configured to combine a second light field with the delayed light field after the second light field interacts with an object of interest; and
a processor;
wherein the delay module comprises:
a movable mirror;
a focusing optical element having a focal axis perpendicular to a movement direction of the movable mirror; and
a return mirror;

wherein the movable mirror is configured to receive the first light field and vary a path length of the first light field as the movable mirror moves;
wherein the movable mirror is further configured to reflect the first light field to the focusing optical element along a direction that is out of a plane of motion of the first light field;
wherein the focusing optical element is configured to receive the first light field reflected from the movable mirror and focus the first light field on the return mirror;
wherein the focal axis of the focusing optical element is perpendicular to a movement of light so that the first light field remains focused on the return mirror with minimum aberration throughout a range of the first light field motion, even though first light field is reflected from the movable mirror to the return mirror in a direction out of the plane of motion of the first light field;
wherein the return mirror is configured to receive the first light field reflected from the focusing optical element and reflect the first light field back to the focusing optical element; and
wherein the processor is configured to calculate a complex refractive index of the object of interest based on optical interference between the delayed light field and the second light field after the second light field interacts with the object of interest.