OPTICAL INTERFEROMETER (VARIANTS)

摘要

The present invention relates to devices characterized by optical measurement means. This invention more precisely relates to optical interferometers being part of low-coherence reflectometers and optical coherence tomography apparatus. In one modification of the Michelson optical interferometer measuring and reference arms (5), (7) include respective polarization switches (9), (11). As a result the polarization direction of optical radiation passing through beam splitter (3) in a backward direction is orthogonal to the polarization direction of optical radiation passing through beam splitter (3) in a forward direction. Therewith, beam splitter (3) is designed polarization sensitive, the later allowing for setting the splitting ratio of beam splitter (3) for each of the polarizations on principle of providing highly efficient use of the optical power of source (1) and best signal-to-noise ratio. In another modification of the developed Michelson interferometer beam splitter (25) is designed non-reciprocal, i.e. its splitting ratios in the forward and backward direction can be chosen arbitrary. In one embodiment of this modification optical source (1) is polarized, in another embodiment an unpolarized optical source (23) is used. Implementation of the balanced reception technique in both modifications ensures highly efficient use of optical source power along with optimal signal-to-noise ratio. <IMAGE>