Isotropically sensitive optical filter employing atomic resonanc

Details Isotropically sensitive optical filter employing atomic resonanc Isotropically sensitive optical filter employing atomic resonanc

1979-06-21

1981-09-29

Evans, F. L.

Radiant energy

Luminophor irradiation

350312, G02B 520

Patent

active

042925266

ABSTRACT:
An ultra-high Q isotropically sensitive optical filter or optical detector employing atomic resonance transitions. More specifically, atomic resonance transitions utilized in conjunction with two optical bandpass filters provide an optical detector having a wide field of view (.about.2.pi. steradians) and very narrow acceptance bandwidth approaching 0.01 A. A light signal to be detected is transmitted through an outer bandpass filter into a resonantly absorbing atomic vapor, the excited atomic vapor then providing a fluorescence signal at a different wavelength which is transmitted through an inner bandpass filter. The outer and inner bandpass filters have no common transmission band, thereby resulting in complete blockage of all optical signals that are not resonantly shifted in wavelength by the intervening atomic vapor. Two embodiments are disclosed, one in which the light signal raises atoms contained in the atomic vapor from the ground state to an excited state from which fluorescence occurs, and the other in which a pump laser is used to raise the atoms in the ground state to a first excited state from which the light signal then is resonantly absorbed, thereby raising the atoms to a second excited state from which fluorescence occurs. A specific application is described in which an optical detector according to the present invention can be used as an underwater detector for light from an optical transmitter which could be located in an orbiting satellite.

REFERENCES:
patent: 3123711 (1964-03-01), Fajans
patent: 3190172 (1965-06-01), Langberg
patent: 3204105 (1965-08-01), Robinson
patent: 3211055 (1965-10-01), Andres
patent: 3720882 (1973-03-01), Tang et al.
patent: 3795819 (1974-03-01), Harris
patent: 3801797 (1974-04-01), Harris et al.
Marling et al., Journal of Applied Physics, 50(2), Feb. 1979, pp. 610-614.
Marling et al., Lawrence Livermore Laboratory Report Number UCID-17915, available Jan. 9, 1979.

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