Patent ID: 8737439

Claim:
Optical assembly ( 1 ) comprising a pulsed light source ( 2 ) for generating primary light pulses ( 4 ), a pulse splitter ( 5 ) for splitting said primary light pulses ( 4 ) into first and second secondary light pulses ( 6 , 7 ), and a delay element ( 8 ) for delaying said second secondary light pulses ( 7 ) relative to said first secondary light pulses ( 6 ), where the pulse repetition rate of said pulsed light source ( 2 ) is variable, characterized in that said optical assembly ( 1 ) comprises a temperature insulation ( 12 ) for thermally insulating said delay element ( 8 ), and/or a temperature stabilizer ( 16 ) for thermally stabilizing said delay element ( 8 ), and/or a temperature compensator ( 13 ) for compensating a temperature-dependent change of an optical path length of said delay element ( 8 ) and/or a control circuit ( 27 ) for controlling said pulse repetition rate of said pulsed light source.