Patent ID: 7151265

Claim:
A chopped radiation source comprising: a) a radiation source component comprising: (1) a radiation source in a fixed position (2) means for collimating radiation emitted by said radiation source, if the radiation emitted by said radiation source is not already collimated, and (3) means for directing collimated radiation to a focal point, b) a chopping component comprising: (1) a reed which at one end is capable of moving freely and at the other end is relatively fixed, (2) a chopper flag positioned at a 90° angle with respect to the end of the reed which is capable of moving freely, (3) a means for adjusting pressure on the reed in a manner such that the chopper flag when at rest will be aligned with the focal point of the collimated radiation, (4) means for exciting the reed sufficiently to cause the reed to vibrate at its resonant frequency, and (5) a radiation detector positioned to receive and detect chopped radiation emanating from an optical fiber connector component, and c) the optical fiber connector component comprising: (1) optical fiber positioned so that one end receives radiation at the focal point of the collimated radiation, (2) a housing for the optical fiber with (3) an opening positioned so that radiation emitted through the opening will be received by the detector in said chopping component in which said radiation source component, said chopping component, and said optical fiber connector component are maintained in its proper position within a housing.