Title of Invention

DEVICE FOR GENERATING POLYCHROMATIC LIGHT WITH A CONTINUOUS SPECTRUM

Abstract

The invention relates to a dedicated polychromatic light generating device (D). The inventive device (D) comprises optical pumping means (MP) which are used to deliver radiation with at least two different excitation wavelengths ($g(l)l, $g(l)2) and light-guiding means (GL) which are used to deliver polychromatic light at an output (SGL) when excited by the radiation in a non-linear interaction regime.

Full Text

FORM 2 THE PATENTS ACT, 1970 (39 of 1970) & THE PATENTS RULES, 2003 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (See section 10, rule 13) "DEVICE FOR GENERATING POLYCHROMATIC LIGHT WITH A CONTINUOUS SPECTRUM' 1. HORIBA ABX SAS, Pare Euromedecine, Rue du Caducee, F-34090 MONTPELLIER, FRANCE, 2. UNrVERSITE DE LIMOGES, 33 rue Francois Mitterrand, F-87032 LIMOGES, FRANCE, 3. CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE CNRS, 3 rue Michel Ange, F-75794 PARIS Cedex 16, FRANCE; The following specification particularly describes the invention and the manner in which it is to be performed. 2 92166ep Device For Generating Polychromatic Light With A Continuous Spectrum 5 The invention relates to the field of light sources, and particularly sources of white light. As is known in the art, broad spectrum white light can be generated by various 10 methods. A first method is to use a source which directly emits a broad spectrum white light, for example an incandescent lamp, a quartz lamp or a xenon arc. In this case the emission spectrum is substantially continuous but the luminance delivered is fairly 15 weak and the light emission is isotropic, thus making it impossible both to focus on very small areas and to form a spatially coherent beam (or a beam with low divergence). In addition, light sources of this kind are of a considerable size. Moreover the life of these sources is relatively short. Furthermore, arc or incandescent sources generate a great deal of heat and therefore have a poor yield. 20 A second method comprises placing a large number of monofrequency laser diodes in parallel emitting photons of different wavelengths. In this case the dimensions are relatively slight but the spectrum supplied is not continuous, the power supplied is fairly low, the partition noise is fairly high and there may be variations in intensity 25 between diodes. A third method consists in pumping a microstructured optical fibre with a monofrequency laser such as for example a solid laser, e.g. a titanium/sapphire laser, operating in a pulsed regime with impulses of the order of a picosecond to a 30 femtosecond for repetition rates ranging from kilohertz to megahertz. Such pumping induces non-linear effects in the microstructured fibre which make it possible to generate photons with different wavelengths. This type of source is described in particular in the document by J K Ranka et al, Optics Letters, vol. 25, N°l, p.25-27, 3 2000 and in the document by J C Knight et al, Optics Letters, vol. 26, N°17, p. 1356-1358,2001. Because of the type of laser used a light source of this kind is very expensive and additionally very bulky, thus ruling out its use in an integrated product. 5 As there is no known source which is totally satisfactory the invention sets out to improve the situation. To this end it proposes a device for generating polychromatic light comprising, on 10 the one hand, optical pumping means which are used to deliver radiation with at least two different excitation wavelengths, preferably two groups of different wavelengths, and on the other hand light-guiding means arranged to deliver polychromatic light at an output when excited by the radiation in a non-linear light/matter interaction regime. 15 The device according to the invention may take numerous forms, at least some of the features of which may be combined with one another, specifically: • its light-guiding means may have a dispersion profile comprising at least one cut- 20 off associated with one or more selected wavelengths, and its optical pumping means may be designed so as to deliver radiation at excitation wavelengths which are above and below said selected wavelength, and optionally distributed on either side thereof, • its light-guiding means are preferably monomodal, such that the polychromatic 25 light is preferably transverse monomodal, • its optical pumping means may be used to deliver radiation in a pulsed and time-synchronised or virtually continuous or continuous manner, • its optical pumping means may comprise a laser source which delivers radiation at the different excitation wavelengths. In this case the laser source may for 30 example comprise a laser delivering a first excitation wavelength and supplying frequency conversion means which deliver the radiation in at least one second excitation wavelength. These frequency conversion means may for example be produced in the form of one or more frequency doublers, optionally of the non linear crystal type, the second excitation wavelength thus being twice as small as 5 the first. In an alternative embodiment the frequency conversion means may, for example, be made in the form of at least one frequency tripler, the second and third excitation wavelengths then being respectively two and three times smaller than the first excitation wavelength. In another alternative embodiment the laser source may comprise a parametric oscillator which delivers the radiation at the 10 different excitation wavelengths, • its light-guiding means may comprise a light guide, e.g. installed in an integrated circuit, • its light-guiding means may comprise an optical fibre of judiciously selected dimensions. In this case the optical fibre may be a microstructured fibre such as 15 for example a perforated fibre or a photonic fibre, • its light-guiding means may be of the type known as "polarisation-selecting' or "polarisation-maintaining", • it may comprise filtering means used to filter (or select) certain wavelengths downstream of the light-guiding means. Filtering means of this kind may for 20 example comprise one or more Bragg gratings, • it may comprise coupling means used to couple the optical pumping means to the input of the light-guiding means. The invention may be used in a large number of fields, especially for the metrology 25 of physical magnitudes, optical microscopy and particularly tomographic imaging and three-dimensional microscopy, spectroscopy, medical analysis of samples and in particular flow cytometry, medical holography, the transmission of images, particularly holographic images, the manipulation of particles or atoms of microscopic and sub-microscopic dimensions, and interferometry. 5 Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a study of the detailed description that follows and the accompanying drawings, wherein: 5 • Figure 1 diagrammatically shows a first embodiment of a device for generating polychromatic light according to the invention, • Figure 2 diagrammatically shows an alternative embodiment of a pumping module, • Figure 3 is a diagram by way of example showing the intensity I (in arbitrary 10 units) as a function of the wavelength X (in nanometers (or nm)), on the one hand of the polychromatic light delivered by a device according to the invention and on the other hand of the light delivered by pumping by a monofrequency source, • Figure 4 is a diagram by way of example illustrating on the one hand the variation in dispersion Dcx of a fibre (in ps/nm/km) as a function of the wavelength in 15 micrometres (increasing curve related to the y axis on the left, zero dispersion occurring at a wavelength equal to about 0.8 um), and on the other hand the variation in the effective index neff of the fundamental mode of a fibre as a function of the wavelength in nanometres (decreasing curve related to the y axis on the right), 20 • Figure 5 shows in highly diagrammatic form, in a cross-sectional view, a microstructured optical fibre, • Figure 6 shows in diagrammatic form a second embodiment of a device for generating polychromatic light according to the invention, • Figure 7 shows in schematic form a third embodiment of a device for generating 25 polychromatic light according to the invention. The accompanying drawings may not only supplement the invention but may also contribute to the definition thereof, if appropriate. Reference will be made first of all to Figure 1 to describe a first embodiment of a dedicated device D for generating polychromatic light according to the invention. 5 A device D according to the invention comprises first of all an optical pumping module MP used to deliver radiation having at least two different excitation wavelengths W and X2, and preferably two different sets of wavelengths. Of course, this optical pumping module MP could also deliver photons having more than two different wavelengths or more than two different sets of wavelengths, e.g. three or 10 four or even more. The optical pumping module MP of multiple wavelengths may be produced by a number of methods. For example it may take the form of a laser source consisting of a parametric oscillator. As shown in Figure 2 it may also be in the form of a single 15 wavelength laser source SL coupled to frequency conversion means such as a frequency doubler DF, for example. In this case, the laser source SL supplies the frequency doubler DF with photons (or radiation) having a first wavelength A. 1, e.g. equal to 1064 nm, and the frequency doubler DF delivers at its output SMP photons (or radiation) at the first wavelength A.1 and photons (or radiation) at a second 20 wavelength X, equal to half of A.1, i.e. in this case 532 nm. Moreover, the multi-wavelength optical pumping module MP may operate either in pulsed and time-synchronised mode or in a virtually continuous or continuous mode. 25 The device D according to the invention also comprises light-guiding means GL which are used to deliver at their output SGL a polychromatic light corresponding to a "continuum" when they are excited by radiation comprising several wavelengths, delivered by the optical pumping module MP, in a non-linear light/matter interaction regime. 30 "Polychromatic light" here means light with a spectrum of the kind shown in Figure 3 (first curve between the wavelength 350 nm and 750 nm), i.e. substantially -6- continuous and non-discretised, in terms of wavelength (X), over a wide band. As can be seen from this diagram the intensity I (here in arbitrary units) of the polychromatic light which is delivered by the light-guiding means GL varies little over the range between about 420 nm and about 700 nm. 5 In a monomodal optical fibre using a negative dispersion regime (normal dispersion corresponding to a wavelength of less than 800 nm (or 0.8 um) in Figure 4), the pumping by a monofrequency source gives rise to discrete Raman lines towards the high wavelength (as shown in the second curve in Figure 3 which is between 10 wavelengths 500 nm and 700 nm). No signal (or only a very weak signal) can thus be generated at wavelengths which are shorter than the pumping signal. The number of Raman lines generated increases with the intensity of the signal injected. In the case of pumping using at least two judiciously chosen wavelengths (or two sets 15 of wavelengths, each having at least one wavelength), two modifications are thus observed in the spectral profile. As illustrated by the first curve in Figure 3 (between wavelengths 350 nm and 750 nm), a homogeneous and symmetrical spectral broadening actually appears on either side of one of the pumping wavelengths, i.e. the Raman components are minimized. This double modification is chiefly due to a 20 competitive phenomenon between the non-linear effects. The spectral broadening is explained by the combination of the effects of self-phase modulation, cross- phase modulation and parametric effects (a mixture of four waves). The addition of a second pumping power makes it possible to initiate phase tuning between the wavelengths centred around 532 nm and 1064 nm (in this example) and the 25 positioning of the parametric effects which have an appearance threshold below that of the Raman effect. Preferably, the light-guiding means GL have a dispersion profile which comprises one or more cut-offs associated with one or more selected wavelengths nc. In this 30 case the element or elements constituting the optical pumping module MP is or are preferably chosen so as to deliver photons (or radiation) with excitation wavelengths above and below the selected wavelength X.c. In the presence of more than two excitation wavelengths these are preferably distributed either side of the selected wavelength Xx. Thus the spectrum of the polychromatic light is distributed substantially homogeneously and continuously on either side of the selected wavelength A.c and hence on either side of the excitation wavelength X\ and XI. 5 The light-guiding means GL may be made in various ways. They may for example take the form of a light guide (or wave guide) of selected dimensions formed on a substrate. For example, the wave guide (or light guide) is made of a material such as doped glass so as to control the wavelength corresponding to the cut-off of the 10 dispersion. The wave guide (or light guide) is preferably monomodal so that the polychromatic light is preferably transverse monomodal. By "transverse monomodal" is meant here a particular spatial structure of the beam, characterised in that it has only one spatial mode, irrespective of the wavelength of 15 the spectrum emitted in the particular instance. Alternatively, and as shown in Figure 1, the light-guiding means GL may be produced in the form of an optical fibre the non-linear properties of which are a function of its structure and dimensions. For example an optical fibre known as a 20 microstructured optical fibre is used. This type of optical fibre has an adjustable "opto-geometric" structure which makes it possible to control the dispersion profile and allows propagation over the entire transmission band of silica and preferably in a transverse monomodal propagation mode. Furthermore, this type of optical fibre makes it possible to increase significantly the confinement of the guided 25 electromagnetic field, thus reducing the appearance threshold of the non-linear phenomena which are responsible for spectral broadening. For example, the optical fibre GL may be a perforated optical fibre of the type illustrated in Figure 5, in transverse section. This type of optical fibre is described in 30 detail particularly in European Patent No. 1148360. This microstructured fibre consists of hollow channels CC parallel to the longitudinal axis of the optical fibre GL, placed alongside one another around the core CF of the fibre, in a chosen pitch, 9 so as to define a lattice structure (referred to as the photonic crystal), and formed in the material constituting the sheath GF which surrounds the silica core CF of the optical fibre GL. It will be remembered that a photonic crystal is a structure with a barred photon band consisting of diffracting elements (in this case hollow channels 5 CC) defining a lattice (square or triangular, for example), the physical properties of which make it possible to control the propagation of light. Such a structure may be obtained for example by drawing in a wire-drawing die, as described in the publication by Jean-Michel Lourtioz, "les cristaux photoniques", p.324, Editions Hermes, 2003. In the example shown in Figure 5 the diameter of the core CF of the 10 fibre GL measures about 3 um and the pitch of the lattice is of the order of 3 to 4 um. The efficiency of conversion of the excitation photons into the photons of the continuum depends chiefly on the peak power delivered by the optical pumping module MP, the dimensions of the core CF of the optical fibre GL and the "active" 15 length of said optical fibre GL. Thus an optical pumping module MP delivering high power (all the excitation wavelengths combined) makes it possible to use a shorter optical fibre (or wave guide). For example, in the presence of two excitation wavelengths XI and X2 of 1064 nm 20 and 532 nm, respectively, it is possible to use a microstructured silica optical fibre GL having a core 3 um in diameter and several metres long. The spectral broadening corresponding to the generation of broad spectrum polychromatic light takes place here in a single passage through the microstructured 25 optical fibre GL. However, several passages could also be carried out. It is important to note that the spectral broadening is substantially independent of the sign of the chromatic dispersion of the optical fibre GL (or wave guide), thus making it possible to reduce the constraints on the optogeometric parameters of the light-guiding means GL. 30 When the polychromatic light has to be polarised the light-guiding means GL may optionally be of the "polarisation selecting" or "polarisation maintaining" type. The coupling between the output SMP of the optical pumping module MP and the input EGL of the light-guiding means GL may be made either directly, as in the example shown in Figure 1, or indirectly, as in the second embodiment shown in 5 Figure 6. Direct coupling may be envisaged, in particular, when the excitation photons (or radiation) are delivered by the optical pumping module MP at an output SMP consisting of light-guiding means, such as for example a light (or wave) guide or an 10 optical fibre portion. In the case of indirect coupling, the device D according to the invention comprises coupling means MC which may be made, for example, in the form of a lens interposed between the output SMP of the optical pumping module MP and the input 15 EGL of the light-guiding means GL (see Figure 6). Furthermore, the device D according to the invention as described hereinbefore is adapted to deliver continuous polychromatic light over a broad spectrum, visible and/or ultraviolet and/or infrared. However, it is possible to envisage it being 20 coupled to (or comprising) filtering means MF so as to filter (or select) the photons of the continuum, generated in the light-guiding means GL, in order to deliver photons (or radiation) in selected wavelengths or selected portions of the continuous spectrum. This makes it possible to synthesise a tailor-made light source. 25 All kinds of filtering means MF may be envisaged. However, they are advantageously integrated in the light-guiding means GL, for example in the form of one or more Bragg gratings (placed in series) which are well-known to those skilled in the art. In fact, a Bragg grating may be defined in a terminal part coupled to the output SGL of the light-guiding means GL or in a terminal part of this output SGL, 30 for example by local index modulation according to a selected pitch and length, as diagrammatically shown in Figure 1. In this case, by judiciously choosing the 11 structure of the Bragg grating or gratings, it is possible to synthesise a source which emits one or more selected wavelengths. As a variant, the use of one or more Fabry-Perot cavities (placed in series) may be 5 envisaged. However, the filtering means MF may be outside the light-guiding means GL and constitute an added-on component. In this case they may, for example, be coupled to the output SGL of the light-guiding means GL as shown in Figure 7, and comprise a 10 diffraction grating RD illuminated as a parallel beam and used to diffract the light in order to deliver a monochromatic beam to another light guide FO, such as for example an optical fibre FO, used to carry out spatial filtering for spectral selection. This arrangement, which is technologically simpler man a Bragg grating, makes it possible to produce a source which can be continuously tuned in wavelengths in the 15 emission range of the polychromatic light source. Wavelength tuning is thus obtained by rotating the diffraction grating RD. The invention may be used in numerous fields, particularly by virtue of the transverse coherence and the polychromatic nature of the light produced. 20 A first field is the metrology of physical magnitudes. The device D according to the invention may constitute the source of white light in an optical microstratigraphy device, for example of the type described in French Patent 2738343. In this device, white light is transported by an optical fibre to a microscope objective which focuses 25 it on a sample (or object). The microscope objective has a selected chromatism so as to focus all the wavelengths contained in the white light in a Z-coordinate. Detection takes place in co focal mode with chromatic coding of the measuring axis. The spectrometer can be used to analyse the spectrum of the light reflected by the sample and to deduce some of its characteristics, such as, for example, its position relative to 30 the detector and the optical thicknesses of the layers which make it up. The accuracy of the measurements taken depends on the stability over time of the source of white light and the photometric balance, which depends primarily on the energy luminance (or power emitted per unit of surface and per unit of solid angle) of the source. Such characteristics are provided by the source according to the 5 invention. By way of example, the above-mentioned device may incorporate a device according to the invention delivering a beam having the following characteristics, for example: core diameter 6 urn, power 3 mW, numerical aperture equal to 0.4 and mean luminance (between 400 nm and 700 nm) equal to 200 W.mm" 2.sr~'. Compared with the sources currently used (quartz lamp or xenon arc) the light 10 source according to the invention is a thousand times more powerful, thus making it possible to reduce by a factor of a thousand the integration time for an identical signal to noise ratio. A time gain of this kind is particularly useful in applications connected with quality control in the manufacture of products such as plastic films or glass or plastic packaging. 15 A second domain is optical microscopy and particularly the tomographic imaging of biological or non biological materials. For example, the device D according to the invention may constitute the source of white light of a device for optical tomography of the skin in vivo, of the kind described in French Patent 2738140. This device 20 constitutes a confocal microscope with longitudinal chromatic coding using a multichannel analytical spectrophotometer. Such a device requires a source of white light which has sufficient brightness to allow images to be taken in a video sequence in a biological medium. The source according to the invention is therefore particularly well suited to this type of device. It is even more so when the optical 25 tomography is of the so-called coherent kind, as in the case of the OCT technique for "optical coherence tomography", which requires a broadband source with low temporal coherence. This OCT technique is used particularly for high resolution biopsies. In this OCT application the spectral width of the source according to the invention does away with the need for the simultaneous use of several sources 30 centred on different wavelengths. 13 A third domain is three-dimensional microscopy, particularly in applications such as the profilometry of surfaces or the examination of biological cells (e.g. blood cells). A fourth domain combines analysis by phase contrast and strioscopy, which require a 5 light source having great spatial coherence to illuminate a phase object with parallel light. In both applications an image of a light source is formed in the focal plane of an imaging device. This image is stopped (strioscopy) or phase shifted (phase contrast) relative to the light diffracted by the object under observation. The image of the object resulting from the diffraction is observed in the conjugated plane. This 10 type of application requires a light source which is a point of light and very bright, both of which are characteristics of the sources according to the invention. These analyses are used particularly in optical microscopy in the field of biology, for example for studying low-refraction cells, and in metrology, e.g. for measuring microscopic surface rugosity in precision optical equipment Mention may be made 15 in particular of measuring techniques using structured light projection and Shack- Hartmann wave front analysers operating with white light for which laser granularity noise (or the "speckle" effect) can be eliminated. Thus the invention constitutes a major advantage compared with a monochromatic laser. 20 A fifth domain is interferometry, notably so-called low coherence interferometry. In fact it is possible to use a source according to the invention to monitor very high precision optical equipment such as that used in photolithography in the ultraviolet, as described in particular in the publication by A. Courteville, "Methodes et techniques nouvelles pour I’industrie", conference of the SFO at Belfort on 17-21 25 November 2003. It is also possible to use a source according to the invention in fibre-optic interferometers of the type described in US Patent 2002/085208, or in the field of biological and/or chemical sensors of the type described in the publication "Optical biosensors. Monitoring studies of glycopeptide antibiotic fermentation using white light interference", Analytical Chemistry, vol. 73, N°17, September 1, 2001. 30 A sixth field is the monitoring or observation of buildings or monuments. It has been proposed, for example in the publication by F. Figuera et al, "Evaluation of white 14 light Fabry-Perot interferometry fiber-optic gages for small strains", Experimental Techniques, p.31-36, July/August 2003, to couple a source of white light to a Fabry-Perot cavity to form a strain gauge intended in particular for monitoring civil engineering structures. This type of application requires a highly reliable system for 5 measuring strains, which depends principally on the life of the sources of white light of the different sensors (sometimes a hundred of them mounted in parallel). As the incandescent lamps currently used have a much shorter life than the sources according to the invention, particularly when laser sources are used, the invention is particularly well suited to this type of application. Generally speaking, the source 10 according to the invention makes it possible to comply with numerous requirements in terms of spectrum and energy which are imposed by sensor gratings multiplexed with optical fibres coupled to Bragg gratings, as described in the publication by A. Othonos, "Fiber bragg gratings: Fundamentals and applications in telecommunications and sensing", Artech House Optoelectronics Library, Hardcover, 15 June 1999. A seventh field is LIDAR observation (standing for "Light Detection and Ranging"). A LIDAR measuring device has been proposed, notably in US Patent 5394243, for measuring wind speed at low altitudes (typically between 10 m and 100 m). Such a 20 device comprises a broad spectrum light source filtered at the emission stage and at the reception stage by a Fabry-Perot interferometer. The spectroscopy of the light diffused by the atmosphere makes it possible to determine the Doppler effect and from this to deduce a speed vector, particularly when the beam of light is subject to a conical sweep. The source according to the invention is therefore particularly well 25 suited to this type of application as it allows focussing from a long distance, it provides high power over a wide range of wavelengths and substantially less noise than the partition noise produced by the multimodal laser diodes currently used. More generally, the invention is particularly well adapted to the spectroscopy of solids, liquids and gases. In particular, the invention makes it possible to envisage an 30 atmospheric LIDAR-type application for detecting and titrating gaseous species, and application of the multipass measuring cell type which is described in particular in 15 the publication "Two-mirror multipass absorption cell", Applied Optics, vol. 20, N°6, 15 March 1981. An eighth field is the spectroscopy of microscopic objects, which requires the 5 focussingofexcitatory light into a very small point. As the source according to the invention is able to emit in the ultraviolet, the visible and the infrared and is easy to focus, it is therefore particularly well suited to the spectroscopic analysis of microscopic objects such as natural chromophores of cells. It is therefore possible to study the optical properties of erythrocytes at the cellular or sub-cellular level. 10 Moreover, the high power provided by the source according to the invention also allows it to be used in the field of flux microspectroscopy, particularly for studying the coloration phenomena obtained in the diffraction diagrams described in the publication by Kerker, "The scattering of light and other electromagnetic radiation", p.396,1969. 15 A ninth field is the transmission of images, possible holographic images, using optical fibres. This data transmission is carried out using a spectral modulation technique which requires substantially constant spectral distribution of light over a wide range of wavelengths and at high power so as to compensate the losses intrinsic 20 in optical transmission fibres. By reason of its characteristics the source according to the invention is therefore particularly well suited to this application. Numerous other applications may also be envisaged, particularly in the field of white light holography and so-called Lippmann photography, or in the field of the 25 manipulation of atoms or molecules (for example in order to cover one or more optical absorption lines of an atomic edifice, as described in the document "Atom cooling by white light", Applied Physics B54, p.428-433, 1992). The invention is not limited to the embodiments of a white light generating device 30 described above, solely by way of example, but encompasses all the variants which may be envisaged by the skilled man within the scope of the claims that follow. Amended Claims received by the International Bureau on 25 July 2005 (25.07.05); original claims 4 to 10,12,14,15,19,21, amended claims 1,2, 3,11,13,16,17,18 and 20 (4 pages) 5 1. Device (D) for generating polychromatic light, characterised in that it comprises optical pumping means (MP) adapted to deliver radiation of at least two different excitation wavelengths (A.1, XI) and light-guiding means made of doped glass (GL) which are arranged to deliver polychromatic light resulting from 10 competition between non-linear effects at an output (SGL), when excited by said radiation in a non-linear interaction regime. 2. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that said light-guiding means made of doped glass (GL) have a dispersion profile comprising at least one cut-off 15 associated with at least one selected wavelength (Xc), and in that said optical pumping means (MP) are arranged to deliver said radiation in excitation wavelengths (A2, X.1) which are below and above said selected wavelength (Xc). 3. Device according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterised in that said light- 20 guiding means made of doped glass (GL) are of the monomodal type, so as to deliver at their output transverse monomodal polychromatic light. 4. Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that said optical pumping means (MP) are arranged to deliver said radiation in pulsed and time- 25 synchronised manner. 5. Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that said optical pumping means (MP) are arranged to deliver said radiation continuously or quasi- continuously. 30 6. Device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that said optical pumping means (MP) comprise a laser source (SL) capable of delivering said radiation in said different excitation wavelengths (XI, X2). 5 7. Device according to claim 6, characterised in that said laser source comprises a laser (SL) capable of delivering a first excitation wavelength (XI), and in that said optical pumping means (MP) comprise frequency conversion means (DF) supplied with radiation by said laser (SL) and capable of delivering said radiation in at least one second excitation wavelength (X2). 10 8. Device according to claim 7, characterised in that said frequency conversion means (DF) are arranged in the form of at least one frequency doubler capable of delivering said radiation in a second excitation wavelength (X2) which is twice as short as said first excitation wavelength (XI). 15 9. Device according to claim 7, characterised in that said frequency conversion means (DF) are arranged in the form of at least one frequency tripler capable of delivering said radiation in a second excitation wavelength (X2) which is twice as short as said first excitation wavelength (XI) and in a third excitation wavelength 20 (X3) which is three times less than said first excitation wavelength (X.1). 10. Device according to claim 6, characterised in that said laser source (SL) comprises a parametric oscillator capable of delivering said radiation in said different excitation wavelengths (XI, X2). 25 11. Device according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterised in that said doped glass light-guiding means (GL) comprise a light guide. 12. Device according to claim 11, characterised in that said light guide is installed 30 in an integrated circuit. 18 13. Device according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterised in that said doped glass light-guiding means (GL) comprise an optical fibre of selected dimensions. 14. Device according to claim 13, characterised in that said optical fibre (GL) is 5 microstructured. 15. Device according to claim 14, characterised in that said optical fibre (GL) is selected from a group comprising at least one perforated fibre and one photonic fibre. 10 16. Device according to one of claims 1 to 15, characterised in that said doped glass light-guiding means (GL) are of the type known as polarisation-selecting. 17. Device according to one of claims 1 to 16, characterised in that said doped glass light-guiding means (GL) are of the type known as polarisation-maintaining. 15 18. Device according to one of claims 1 to 17, characterised in that it comprises filtering means (MF) adapted to filter some of said wavelengths of the radiation downstream of said doped glass light-guiding means (GL). 20 19. Device according to claim 18, characterised in that said filtering means (MF) comprise at least one Bragg grating. 20. Device according to one of claims 1 to 19, characterised in that it comprises coupling means (MC) arranged so as to couple said optical pumping means (MP) to 25 an input (EGL) of said doped glass light-guiding means (GL). 21. Use of a device (D) according to one of the preceding claims in a range selected from a group comprising at least the metrology of physical magnitudes, optical microscopy and particularly tomographic imaging and three-dimensional 30 microscopy, spectroscopy, medical analysis of samples, and in particular flow cytometry, medical holography, transmission of images and particularly holographic -19- Images, the manipulation of microscopic and sub-microscopic particles, and interferometer 22 Device (D) for generating polychromatic light and its use, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Dated this 31st day of July, 2006 G. DEEPAK SRINIWAS OF K & S PARTNERS AGENT FOR THE APPLICANT(S) Abstract: The invention relates to a dedicated polychromatic light generating device (D). The inventive device (D) comprises optical pumping means (MP) which are used to deliver radiation with at least two different excitation wavelengths ($g(l)l, $g(l)2) and light-guiding means (GL) which are used to deliver polychromatic light at an output (SGL) when excited by the radiation in a non-linear interaction regime.

Documents:

924-MUMNP-2006-ABSTRACT(20-2-2012).pdf

924-MUMNP-2006-ABSTRACT(GRANTED)-(29-3-2012).pdf

924-mumnp-2006-abstract.doc

924-mumnp-2006-abstract.pdf

924-MUMNP-2006-CANCELLED PAGES(20-2-2012).pdf

924-MUMNP-2006-CLAIMS(AMENDED)-(20-2-2012).pdf

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924-MUMNP-2006-CLAIMS(GRANTED)-(29-3-2012).pdf

924-MUMNP-2006-CLAIMS(MARKED COPY)-(29-3-2012).pdf

924-mumnp-2006-claims.doc

924-mumnp-2006-claims.pdf

924-mumnp-2006-correspondance-recieved.pdf

924-MUMNP-2006-CORRESPONDENCE(2-1-2012).pdf

924-mumnp-2006-correspondence(6-2-2008).pdf

924-MUMNP-2006-CORRESPONDENCE(IPO)-(29-3-2012).pdf

924-mumnp-2006-description (complete).pdf

924-MUMNP-2006-DESCRIPTION(GRANTED)-(29-3-2012).pdf

924-MUMNP-2006-DRAWING(20-2-2012).pdf

924-mumnp-2006-drawing(3-8-2006).pdf

924-MUMNP-2006-DRAWING(GRANTED)-(29-3-2012).pdf

924-MUMNP-2006-ENGLISH TRANSALTION(2-1-2012).pdf

924-mumnp-2006-form 1(10-11-2006).pdf

924-MUMNP-2006-FORM 1(20-2-2012).pdf

924-mumnp-2006-form 18(6-2-2008).pdf

924-MUMNP-2006-FORM 2(GRANTED)-(29-3-2012).pdf

924-mumnp-2006-form 2(title page)-(3-8-2006).pdf

924-MUMNP-2006-FORM 2(TITLE PAGE)-(GRANTED)-(29-3-2012).pdf

924-MUMNP-2006-FORM 26(20-2-2012).pdf

924-mumnp-2006-form 26(22-9-2006).pdf

924-MUMNP-2006-FORM 3(20-2-2012).pdf

924-MUMNP-2006-FORM 5(20-2-2012).pdf

924-mumnp-2006-form-1.pdf

924-mumnp-2006-form-2.doc

924-mumnp-2006-form-2.pdf

924-mumnp-2006-form-3.pdf

924-mumnp-2006-form-5.pdf

924-mumnp-2006-pct-search-report.pdf

924-MUMNP-2006-PETITION UNDER RULE 137(20-2-2012).pdf

924-MUMNP-2006-REPLY TO EXAMINATION REPORT(20-2-2012).pdf

924-MUMNP-2006-REPLY TO HEARING(29-3-2012).pdf

924-mumnp-2006-wo international publication report(3-8-2006).pdf

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