Patent ID: 7508523
Filing Date: 2009-03-24
Classification: G01B,G01N

Abstract:
1. A system for detecting optical characteristics of a sample, comprising: an interferometer for mixing light collected from the sample with reference light for interfering therewith, the interferometer comprising: a first differential detector having two input optical ports coupled to a first two of the at least three output ports of the optical coupler for providing a first electrical signal having a first interferometric component; and, a second differential detector having two input optical ports coupled to a second two of the at least three output ports of the optical coupler for providing a second electrical signal having a second interferometric component; wherein the first optical coupler is such that the first and second interferometric components have a relative phase shift therebetween that is not an integer multiple of π, so as to provide information separately characterizing real and imaginary components of a complex interferometric signal related to the sample.