Patent ID: 8243369

Claim:
An optical system, comprising: a broadband light source for producing broadband light signals; a splitter dividing the light signals into first and second portions; a sweeping tunable filter coupled to the splitter to receive the first portion of the light signals prior to outputting respective filtered light portions to a comb filter and a wavelength reference element; control circuitry configured to evaluate detected signals from the comb filter and the reference element to generate a control signal output; a spectrum modifier coupled to the splitter and the control circuitry to receive the second portion of the light signals and the control signal output, wherein the modifier is configured to adjust the second portion of the light signals based on the control signal output, thereby providing a stabilized broadband light output; and a sensor element coupled to the modifier and configured to provide response signals from interrogation by the stabilized broadband light output that is unswept in time across wavelengths produced by the source; a receiver coupled to the sensor element and configured to detect and process the response signals.