Patent ID: 9448058
Filing Date: 2016-09-20
CPC Classification: G01B

Claim Text:
1. An interferometer apparatus comprising; a) an a reference optical fiber stretcher comprising a reference outer surface defining a reference perimeter, first and second reference delay optical fibers wound around the reference outer surface, and a reference actuator configured to temporally vary the reference perimeter of the reference outer surface; b) a sample optical fiber stretcher comprising a sample outer surface defining a sample perimeter, first and second sample delay optical fibers wound around the sample outer surface, and a sample actuator configured to temporally vary the sample perimeter of the sample outer surface; c) a first fiber optic coupler receiving coherent light of wavelength λ d) a second fiber optic coupler receiving first low coherence light of center wavelength λ e) a first reference reflector coupled to an output end of the first reference delay optical fiber and reflecting coherent light back through the first reference delay optical fiber, and back through the first fiber optic coupler into a coherent light detector; f) a first sample reflector coupled to an output end of the first sample delay optical fiber and reflecting coherent light back through the first sample delay optical fiber, and back through the first fiber optic coupler and into the coherent light detector; g) a second reference reflector coupled to an output end of the second reference delay optical fiber and reflecting first low coherence light back through the second reference delay optical fiber, and back through the second fiber optic coupler into a first low coherence light detector; and h) a first optical probe coupled to the output end of the second sample delay optical fiber and configured to transmit first low coherence light to a first location on an object comprising at least one optical interface, and receive first low coherence light reflected back from the at least one optical interface, and transmit the reflected first low coherence light back through the first optical probe, back through the second sample delay optical fiber, and back through the second fiber optic coupler and into the first low coherence light detector.