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Title:
SYSTEM, APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MONITORING, DETECTING AND/OR SENSING ONE OR MORE LIGHT BEAM CHARACTERISTICS
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO/2018/194968
Kind Code:
A4
Abstract:
A device for collecting light from one or more incident light beams includes a first surface extending in a first plane and a second surface spaced-apart from the first surface. The second surface extends in a second plane parallel to the first plane. At least one of the first surface and the second surface including an optical polish or forming a reflective mirror coating. An edge surface extends from the first surface to the second surface. At least a portion of the edge surface forms a reflective mirror. At least one structure is formed in the first surface. The structure extends inwardly into the device from the first surface. The structure is configured to redirect light from a light source directed at the first surface.

Inventors:
BONITATIBUS MICHAEL H (US)
HMIEL ANDREW F (US)
SILVERMAN JAY M (US)
WITHERS RICHARD (US)
Application Number:
PCT/US2018/027757
Publication Date:
December 20, 2018
Filing Date:
April 16, 2018
Export Citation:
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Assignee:
SOLAR LIGHT COMPANY INC (US)
International Classes:
G01J1/42; G01J1/04
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
VOGELBACKER, Mark T. (US)
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Claims:
AMENDED CLAIMS

received by the International Bureau on 31 October 2018 (31.10.2018)

I/we claim:

1. An apparatus for measuring characteristics of light, the apparatus comprising: a sensor configured to measure characteristics of light; and

a device comprising:

a first surface extending in a first plane;

a second surface spaced-apart from the first surface, the second surface extending in a second plane, the second plane extending parallel to the first plane, at least one of the first surface and the second surface including an optical polish or forming a reflective mirror coating;

an edge surface extending from the first surface to the second surface, at least a portion of the edge surface forming a reflective mirror; and

at least one structure formed in the first surface, the structure extending inwardly into the device from the first surface, the structure being configured to redirect light from a light source directed at the first surface to the sensor.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one hole extending from the edge surface toward a geometric center of the device, the hole being configured to receive at least a portion of the sensor therein.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a surface of the structure is rough to produce light diffusion. 4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein at least a portion of the surface of the structure includes a coating of fluorescent material.

5. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the at least one structure includes a plurality of spaced-apart structures.

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6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the plurality of spaced-apart structures are arranged in a pattern on the front surface, each of the structures being spaced-apart from the edge surface. 7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the pattern is hexagonal.

8. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein each structure has the same size and shape.

9. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein two or more structures of the plurality of spaced-apart structures have a different size or shape.

10. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the structure can be configured to redirect at least one ray of light directed to the front surface internally to the device if the angle with regard to the front surface meets the total internal reflection criteria determined by Snell's Law.

11. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the device is in the form of a disk, the disk having a diameter of approximately 10 mm and a thickness of approximately 1 mm, the disk being formed of at least one of fused silica, quartz, glass and molded plastic. 12. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the edge surface has a length of approximately

1 mm as measured from the first surface to the second surface.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the entire structure is spaced-apart from the second surface.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein localized cracks are formed inside the device and act as a diffusion feature.

15. A method for collecting light from one or more incident light beams to sense one or more characteristics of the one or more light beams, the method comprising:

20 receiving light from one or more incident light beams in a device having (a) a first surface with a plurality of spaced-apart structures in the first surface, each of the plurality of spaced-apart structures extending inwardly into the device from the first surface, (b) a second surface, the first surface extending in a plane that is parallel to a plane defined by the second surface, the second surface being spaced-apart from the first surface, and (c) an edge surface extending from the first surface to the second surface;

directing at least some of the light to a sensor at least partially positioned in a hole formed in the edge surface of the device, the sensor being configured to measure characteristics of the light; and

sensing characteristics of the light directed to the sensor.

16. The method of claim 20, wherein the plurality of spaced-apart structures are arranged in a pattern on the front surface, and wherein the pattern is hexagonal. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the device is in the form of a disk, the disk having a diameter of approximately 10 mm and a thickness of approximately 1 mm, the disk being formed of at least one of fused silica, quartz, glass and molded plastic

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

placing the device in a block such that the device is positioned transverse to the direction of the light from the light source.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the characteristic is selected from the group consisting of: irradiance and wavelength.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the characteristic is selected from the group consisting of: irradiance and wavelength.

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