초록 ▼

An apparatus and method are provided for remotely detecting ice on a polarization preserving surface. A target location on the surface is irradiated with two cross-polarized beams of coherent light. A determination is then made as to whether the speckle patterns from each of the two beams interfere

An apparatus and method are provided for remotely detecting ice on a polarization preserving surface. A target location on the surface is irradiated with two cross-polarized beams of coherent light. A determination is then made as to whether the speckle patterns from each of the two beams interfere with one another. If interference of the speckle patterns from the two beams is detected, ice or some other birefringent material is said to be present on the surface.

대표청구항 ▼

A method of detecting the presence or absence of birefringent material on a polarization-preserving target surface, comprising the steps of: a) irradiating a location on a target surface with at least two beams of coherent, polarized light, the at least two beams being cross polarized with respect t

A method of detecting the presence or absence of birefringent material on a polarization-preserving target surface, comprising the steps of: a) irradiating a location on a target surface with at least two beams of coherent, polarized light, the at least two beams being cross polarized with respect to each other; and, b) allowing the at least two beams to reflect off of the irradiated location of the target surface, in the form of a speckle patterns, each beam having an associated speckle pattern; c) determining if the speckle patterns from the at least two beams interfere with each other, wherein the interference of the speckle patterns, other than a small interference due to imperfections in the polarization-preserving surface, indicates the presence of birefringent material on the target surface.