A laser interference device includes a measurement laser that outputs a laser beam, a beam splitter that divides the laser beam into a measurement laser beam and a frequency monitor laser beam, a reference laser that outputs a reference laser beam, a frequency detector that detects a beat frequency resulting from interference between the reference laser beam and the frequency monitor laser beam, a wavelength calculator that calculates a wavelength of the frequency monitor laser beam (a wavelength measurement value) on the basis of the beat frequency, a light detector that detects an interference light of the measurement light and the reference light of the measurement laser beam and outputs a light detection signal, and a displacement calculator that calculates a displacement of the measurement mirror by performing an arithmetic process based on the wavelength measurement value and the light detection signal.

A laser interference device includes a measurement laser that outputs a laser beam, a beam splitter that divides the laser beam into a measurement laser beam and a frequency monitor laser beam, a reference laser that outputs a reference laser beam, a frequency detector that detects a beat frequency resulting from interference between the reference laser beam and the frequency monitor laser beam, a wavelength calculator that calculates a wavelength of the frequency monitor laser beam (a wavelength measurement value) on the basis of the beat frequency, a light detector that detects an interference light of the measurement light and the reference light of the measurement laser beam and outputs a light detection signal, and a displacement calculator that calculates a displacement of the measurement mirror by performing an arithmetic process based on the wavelength measurement value and the light detection signal.

The optical distance measurement device is configured in such a manner that the frequency-swept light output unit outputs frequency-swept light during a time period from when frequency sweeping of frequency-swept light being output is completed to when the next frequency sweeping becomes possible, the frequency-swept light output during the time period being frequency swept at a different frequency from the frequency-swept light being output.

A sensor system includes a self-mixing interferometry sensor; a drive circuit configured to apply a modulated drive signal to an input of the self-mixing interferometry sensor; a mixer circuit configured to mix a modulated output of the self-mixing interferometry sensor with a local oscillator signal that is orthogonal to the modulated drive signal over a period of time; an integrator circuit configured to integrate an output of the mixer circuit over the period of time; and a processor configured to determine, using an output of the integrator circuit, at least one of a round-trip propagation time of electromagnetic radiation emitted by the self-mixing interferometry sensor and reflected back into the self-mixing interferometry sensor by an object or medium, or a velocity of the object or medium.

An optical system can include a mirror that reflects incoming light to a sensor for detection. The position and/or orientation of the mirror can be controlled to reflect incoming light from different locations and/or directions. Position and/or orientation of the mirror may be tracked and/or detected by an optical position sensor. The position sensor can transmit a beam to a reflector on the mirror, and the reflected beam can be received by the position sensor. Characteristics of the reflected beam can be measured to determine the position and/or orientation of the mirror. For example, the beam can be used for interferometric and/or intensity measurements, which can then be correlated with a position and/or orientation of the mirror.

An optical system can include a mirror that reflects incoming light to a sensor for detection. The position and/or orientation of the mirror can be controlled to reflect incoming light from different locations and/or directions. Position and/or orientation of the mirror may be tracked and/or detected by an optical position sensor. The position sensor can transmit a beam to a reflector on the mirror, and the reflected beam can be received by the position sensor. Characteristics of the reflected beam can be measured to determine the position and/or orientation of the mirror. For example, the beam can be used for interferometric and/or intensity measurements, which can then be correlated with a position and/or orientation of the mirror.

An interferometer system comprises a sample interferometer arm for guiding a first wave to a sample, and receiving a reflected wave from the sample and a phase amplifier for amplifying a phase shift of the reflected wave, to provide phase-shift-amplified intermediate wave. The interferometer system can also comprise an additional interferometer arm for guiding an additional wave to combine with the intermediate wave, to provide an output wave, and a detector for detecting the output wave.

An interferometer system comprises a sample interferometer arm for guiding a first wave to a sample, and receiving a reflected wave from the sample and a phase amplifier for amplifying a phase shift of the reflected wave, to provide phase-shift-amplified intermediate wave. The interferometer system can also comprise an additional interferometer arm for guiding an additional wave to combine with the intermediate wave, to provide an output wave, and a detector for detecting the output wave.

A digital measuring device implemented on a photonic integrated circuit, the digital measuring device including a tunable laser source implemented on the photonic integrated circuit configured to sweep over a frequency range to provide multi-wavelength light, a first waveguide structure implemented on the photonic integrated circuit configured to direct a first portion of light from the laser source at a moving object and receive light reflected from the moving object, a second waveguide structure implemented on the photonic integrated circuit configured to combine a second portion of light from the laser source with the light reflected from the moving object to produce a measurement beam, and a first detector implemented on the photonic integrated circuit configured to detect intensity values of the measurement beam to measure a distance between the digital measuring device and the moving object.

A digital measuring device implemented on a photonic integrated circuit, the digital measuring device including a tunable laser source implemented on the photonic integrated circuit configured to sweep over a frequency range to provide multi-wavelength light, a first waveguide structure implemented on the photonic integrated circuit configured to direct a first portion of light from the laser source at a moving object and receive light reflected from the moving object, a second waveguide structure implemented on the photonic integrated circuit configured to combine a second portion of light from the laser source with the light reflected from the moving object to produce a measurement beam, and a first detector implemented on the photonic integrated circuit configured to detect intensity values of the measurement beam to measure a distance between the digital measuring device and the moving object.