Patent ID: 7257334

Claim:
A device for detecting or generating optical signals, comprising a source of a reference light ray, a beam splitter ( 10 ) positioned downstream of said source to receive the reference light ray and split the same into two partial rays, a prism ( 12 ) arranged on a side of the beam splitter ( 10 ) and as a wavelength-dependent element, a first mirror ( 20 ) arranged on a side of said beam splitter ( 10 ) opposite said incoming reference ray, means for shifting the first mirror ( 20 ) to serve as a phase modulator in reflecting a beam back the beam splitter ( 10 ), a second mirror ( 30 ) pivotally arranged on a side of said prism ( 12 ) opposite said beam splitter ( 10 ) to reflect back and select wavelength of a signal to be detected, a detector ( 40 ) arranged on a side of said beam splitter ( 10 ) opposite said prism ( 12 ), said detector integrating intensity over a whole cross-section of the ray to be detected, a lock-in amplifier arranged as a demodulator ( 50 ) and coupled to said detector ( 40 ), and a modulator control ( 60 ) coupled to both said demodulator ( 50 ) and first mirror ( 20 ) to act as said shifting means to control the first mirror ( 20 ) as the phase modulator.