Patent ID: 7283572
Filing Date: 2007-10-16
Classification: G01J,H01S

Abstract:
1. An optical system comprising: an input port; a signal divider coupled to the input port and configured to divide an optical signal into at least first and second samples; a first optical path and a second optical path, the first and second optical paths being coupled to an output of the signal divider, the second optical path having an optical path length that is longer than the optical path length of the first optical path such that said second sample traversing the second path will be delayed relative to said first sample traversing the first path by a time that is at least as long as is necessary for a wavelength transient of the optical signal to be completed; a signal combiner that will combine the first and second samples after transit through said optical paths to generate an optical heterodyne signal; and an optical signal detector coupled to the signal combiner that will convert the optical heterodyne signal into an electronic signal, wherein said optical heterodyne signal is such that said electronic signal has frequency components substantially lower than the frequency of said optical signal.