#Mirrored split pupil finder software

However, to the inventor's knowledge, no prior art split-field imaging devices have been adaptable for use in aligning laser relay optics, and all prior art split-field imaging configurations have been inappropriate for this purpose. Split-field imagers are known in the art, and have been used in a variety of applications, as in rangefinder devices, including those found in cameras. However, to date practitioners have suffered the tedious and imprecise method and means heretofore described, there being no available remedy to make the task either easier or better accomplished. The quality of alignment eventually obtained is limited by patience and eye strain and is, at the best, a subjective decision.Ĭlearly, it would be advantageous to have a more precise means for aligning a laser optical relay system. In addition, a little luck and a great deal of patience is required to achieve proper alignment.

#Mirrored split pupil finder software

Current means of achieving this goal include using outputs from a commercially available optical ray tracing software package and/or the use of various masks, such as the corners of cards or wires, placed in the beam at intermediate pupil planes, the pupil planes being planes intersecting the laser beam where the input pupil is imaged.

The present invention relates generally to optical components for use in conjunction with lasers, and more particularly to an improved means for aligning laser relay optics.ĭuring assembly and alignment of relay optics for a laser optical transport system, proper relay of the input (such as a mask) throughout the system is a primary objective, since this arrangement keeps the beam in the near field and, thus, avoids diffraction effects where the beam is used. W-7405-ENG-48 between the United States Department of Energy and the University of California for the operation of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. The invention described herein arose in the course of, or under, contract No.

Apparatus as recited in claim 5 wherein said mask includes at least one wire disposed across said side-by-side collimated light beams. Apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said collimated beam of light is a laser beam.Ħ. Apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said mask includes at least one wire disposed across said side-by-side collimated light beams.ĥ. Apparatus as recited in claim 2 wherein said mask is a wire disposed across said side-by-side collimated light beams.Ĥ. Apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said mask provides a shadow normal to the optical path and across said side-by-side collimated light beams.ģ.

Means for determining a location where said sections of the reference shadow are aligned in said converging parallel side-by side collimated light beams along said optical path, said pupil plane being located where said sections of the reference shadow are aligned to provide a recombined reference shadow having a configuration similar to the initial configuration of the reference shadow.Ģ. Said relay telescope optics receiving said diverging parallel side-by-side collimated light beams and coupling said received collimated light beams along the optical path, said relay telescope optics further outputting said diverging parallel side-by-side collimated light beams as converging parallel side-by-side collimated light beams toward said pupil plane Apparatus for locating a pupil plane following relay telescope optics along an optical path comprising:Ī pair of optical wedges disposed side-by-side on said optical path for splitting an incident beam of collimated light on said optical path to provide two parallel side-by-side beams of collimated light on said optical path, said parallel side-by-side beams of collimated light being provided such that they diverge while being parallel to the path of the incident beam of collimated light Ī mask disposed to provide a reference shadow having an initial configuration, said mask being disposed so that the reference shadow is split between the diverging parallel side-by side collimated beams to provide a section of said reference shadow in each diverging parallel side-by-side collimated light beam