Abstract: An interferometer is used to provide control to the intensity profile and position of a spot of light. In this invention, each light ray from a spectral source is regenerated into a plurality of light rays by an interferometer. These rays are focused by a lens into a constructive interference fringe on a focal plane. A voltage across the interferometer can change the index of reflection of the interferometer thus defines the position of the constructive interference fringe on the disk.

Abstract: An interferometer is used to provide control to the intensity profile and position of a spot of light. In this invention, each light ray from a spectral source is regenerated into a plurality of light rays by an interferometer. These rays are focused by a lens into a constructive interference fringe on an optical disk. A voltage across the interferometer can change the index of reflection of the interferometer thus defines the position of the constructive interference fringe on the disk.

Abstract: An optical apparatus for reading from and writing to an ultra high density disk and comprising a light source emitting a pencil of light rays to an optical path along an optical axis; two interferometers, a beamsplitter, a quarter-wave plate, and an objective lens. The pencil of light rays is transmitted through the apparatus to become a narrow fringe ring which in turn is used to generate an ultra small spot of light. The resulting ultra small spot of light can address far more storage locations per a same unit area than a conventional much larger spot of light.

Abstract: A composite interferometer and electro-optical prism provide a means to control the position of a spot of light to read and write data on an optical disc. In this invention each light ray from a spectral source of a cone of light rays is regenerated into a plurality of light rays by an interferometer. These rays are transmitted through an electro-optic crystal and focused by a lens into a constructive interference fringe on an optical disc. A voltage across the electro-optical crystal and magnetic field inside the spectral source define the position of the constructive interference fringe on the disc.

Abstract: An optical light beam position control system utilizes Kerr cells and Lummer-Gehrcke plates to produce sets of optical phased linear arrays for beam positioning and beam monitoring. The system controls a light beam in the vertical and horizontal axes by the means of two optical phased linear array generators with associated monitoring and positioning optics.