Patents by Inventor Arnold Thorton

Arnold Thorton has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Optical head with a diffractive lens for focusing a laser beam
    Patent number: 6167016
    Abstract: A head slider for flying above a rotating magneto-optic or optical disk and an optical mechanical assembly with a fixed height above a rotating magneto-optic or optical disk contains magnetic coils and a lens plate with a diffractive optic structure for focusing laser light into a small spot on the disk. The diffractive optic structure may be a zone plate, a phase zone plate or a blazed phase zone plate or other diffractive focusing optical element. The diffractive optic structure does not require curved transparent material such as glass or a high index of refraction. The diffractive optic structure is easily manufactured using lithographic or other techniques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2000
    Assignee: Aerial Imaging Corporation
    Inventors: Barry Block, Arnold Thorton