An apparatus and method for measuring in real time the eccentric error of a rotating body, particularly an encoded optical disk. An eccentricity measurement pattern comprising a plurality of concentric spaced apart diffraction rings are included on an encoded disk. An error read head with a plurality of laser beams is positioned to reflect laser light off the eccentricity measurement pattern on the disk. The relative radial spacing of the laser beams on the error read head is adjusted to a non-integral multiple of the radial spacing of the diffraction rings. Output signals from the error read head are generated according to reflected laser light from the eccentricity measurement pattern which is detected by the error read head. The output signals are converted to count and direction information.

An apparatus and method for determining optical properties of a substance by passing a beam of linearly polarized light through the substance. The polarization vector of the light rotates at a definite frequency but the intensity does not depend upon the orientation of the vector. The relative phase shift and/or modulation coefficient of this beam is compared with a reference beam to effect measurements of light absorption, light scattering, linear and circular birefringency, and linear and circular dichroism, all of which can be measured separately or simultaneously by a single instrument.

The method utilizes the physical phenomenon known as dispersion of the optical rotation. After passage of linearly polarized electromagnetic radiation through the optically active environment (rotator), with the rotating power characterized by a parameter p, and then through the analyzing polarizer, the function R(p) can be measured. For the given active medium and the relative orientation of polarization planes of the input light beam and the analyzing polarizer, R(p) has an unambiguous relation with the spectrum I(.lambda.) of the analyzed radiation (.lambda. stands for wavelength) and allows its unambiguous determination by special mathematical methods. In devices based on the above mentioned principle a linearly polarized collimated beam of analyzed radiation propagates through the optical rotator then passes through the analyzer and strikes a single-channel or multi-channel detector which measures R(p) as a function of the parameter p. Finally the desired spectrum is calculated from the known functional relation between the measured rotogram R(p) and I(.lambda.).

The method utilizes the physical phenomenon known as dispersion of the optical rotation. After passage of linearly polarized electromagnetic radiation through the optically active environment (rotator), with the rotating power characterized by a parameter p, and then through the analyzing polarizer, the function R(p) can be measured. For the given active medium and the relative orientation of polarization planes of the input light beam and the analyzing polarizer, R(p) has an unambiguous relation with the spectrum I(.lambda.) of the analyzed radiation (.lambda. stands for wavelength) and allows its unambiguous determination by special mathematical methods. In devices based on the above mentioned principle a linearly polarized collimated beam of analyzed radiation propagates through the optical rotator then passes through the analyzer and strikes a single-channel or multi-channel detector which measures R(p) as a function of the parameter p. Finally the desired spectrum is calculated from the known functional relation between the measured rotogram R(p) and I(.lambda.).

A method for obtaining spectral radiation data for points in a field of view utilizes a broad band variable filter to produce different intensity distributions on a photocell array. The array is in the focal plane of a camera and photocell locations correspond to points in the field of view. The variable filter has a sequence of optical train elements comprised of a first linear polarizer, a body of optically active material, a retarder and a second linear polarizer. A series of radiance measurements are taken at each photocell of the array and at least one of the optical train components is repositioned between measurements. For each photocell, a collection of photocell values is stored in a computer memory and is converted to a system of linear equations. Intensities for spectral components of light incident thereon are derived for each photocell. The method can be used to create a two-dimensional intensity map for the pixel array for each wavelength measured. Also, the method can be used to create a broad band spectroradiometer for points in the field of view.