Optical Modulator Patents (Class 359/237)
  • Patent number: 9570879
    Abstract: Provided is an optical pulse-generator and an optical pulse-generating method which are capable of generating an optical pulse train with an arbitrary pattern. An optical pulse-generator 1 includes a first optical modulator 21 configured to modulate input light using a first modulation signal SIG1 to generate optical pulses, a second optical modulator 41 configured to perform a modulation operation using a second modulation signal SIG2 synchronizing with the first modulation signal SIG1 and having a signal pattern that is set to output only specific part of the optical pulses, and a dispersion compensator 30 configured to compensate a chirp of the optical pulse output from the first optical modulator 21.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: Sumitomo Osaka Cement Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tokutaka Hara, Youichi Hosokawa
  • Patent number: 9565377
    Abstract: A multifunctional sky camera system and techniques for the use thereof for total sky imaging and spectral irradiance/radiance measurement are provided. In one aspect, a sky camera system is provided. The sky camera system includes an objective lens having a field of view of greater than about 170 degrees; a spatial light modulator at an image plane of the objective lens, wherein the spatial light modulator is configured to attenuate light from objects in images captured by the objective lens; a semiconductor image sensor; and one or more relay lens configured to project the images from the spatial light modulator to the semiconductor image sensor. Techniques for use of the one or more of the sky camera systems for optical flow based cloud tracking and three-dimensional cloud analysis are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Hendrik F. Hamann, Siyuan Lu
  • Patent number: 9494782
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for microscopy, with at least one light source for providing illumination light, with a detection unit for detecting light radiated back from a sample, with a microscopy optical unit for guiding illumination light onto the sample and for guiding light radiated back from the sample in the direction of the detection unit and with, arranged in an illumination beam path, an excitation mask (40) for providing structured illumination. The device is characterized in that the excitation mask is a spatially structured filter, which is transparent to light with a first physical property and which impresses spatial structure onto light with a second physical property that is different from the first physical property. The invention moreover relates to a method for microscopy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss Microscopy GmbH
    Inventors: Nils Langholz, Viktor Drescher, Helmut Lippert
  • Patent number: 9488896
    Abstract: An optical modulator device directly-coupled to a driver circuit device. The optical modulator device can include a transmission line electrically coupled to an internal VDD, a first electrode electrically coupled to the transmission line, a second electrode electrically coupled to the first electrode and the transmission line. A wave guide can be operably coupled to the first and second electrodes, and a driver circuit device can be directly coupled to the transmission line and the first and second electrodes. This optical modulator and the driver circuit device can be configured without back termination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: INPHI CORPORATION
    Inventor: Carl Pobanz
  • Patent number: 9448402
    Abstract: An optical deflection device includes a mirror having a reflection face for deflecting light that enters the reflection face; and a support member to support the mirror including a torsion bar having one end being continuously connected to the mirror; a beam being continuously connected to another end of the torsion bar; and a plurality of piezoelectric elements disposed on the beam including a first piezoelectric element and a second piezoelectric element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Goichi Akanuma, Tomofumi Kitazawa
  • Patent number: 9446586
    Abstract: Included are embodiments for image distortion reduction in web printing. Some embodiments are configured for determining an ink drop speed of ink from a printer and determining a web travel speed of a web of material, where the web of material engages with a folding board during printing that manipulates a plane of the web of material such that a projection of the web width is effectively reduced. Some embodiments may be configured for determining an altered web geometry of the web of material while engaging with the folding board, receiving a desired image for printing on the web of material, and calculating a pixel displacement of the plurality of pixels. Some embodiments may be configured for creating an altered image that utilizes the pixel displacement from the desired image and sending data related to the altered image for printing on the web of material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Claudio Antonio Matos, David Christopher Oetjen
  • Patent number: 9413467
    Abstract: An optical modulator includes optical waveguides on which phase modulation regions are formed. A drive circuit includes a lower-bit drive unit, an upper-bit drive unit, and a bit splitting unit. The bit splitting unit splits an input digital signal into upper bits and lower bits. The lower-bit drive unit outputs a value obtained by performing D/A conversion on the lower bits to phase modulation regions. The upper-bit drive unit outputs, to phase modulation regions, a value greater than a maximum value of values output from the lower-bit drive unit, or a minimum value of the values output from the lower-bit drive unit, according to a value of the upper bits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: NEC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hidemi Noguchi
  • Patent number: 9385503
    Abstract: A method of pumping an optical resonator includes directing light generated by a pumping light at the optical resonator, exciting a propagating surface state of the optical resonator at an interface of the optical resonator, and changing a propagating frequency of the light proximate the interface, where the changed frequency corresponds to a propagation frequency of the surface state. The optical resonator includes a photonic crystal and a material, where the interface is formed between the photonic crystal and the material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: Elwha LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey A. Bowers, William D. Duncan, Roderick A. Hyde, Jordin T. Kare, Nathan Kundtz, Ruopeng Liu, Bruce M. McWilliams, John B. Pendry, Daniel A. Roberts, David Schurig, David R. Smith, Clarence T. Tegreene, Lowell L. Wood, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9310605
    Abstract: A display apparatus includes a first substrate and a second substrate. The first substrate includes a light shielding layer including a first opening which transmits a light. The second substrate includes a shutter including a second opening which corresponds to the first opening, and a first flexible electrode part which is connected to one end of the shutter and transmits or blocks the light by moving the shutter. The first flexible electrode part includes a first flexible electrode, a second flexible electrode, and an insulation pattern. The insulation pattern insulates the first flexible electrode and the second flexible electrode from each other, and exposes upper and lower surfaces of the first flexible electrode and the second flexible electrode which are parallel to the second substrate, by covering portions of the first flexible electrode and the second flexible electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Dae Hyun Kim, Jae Byung Park, Chun-Ho Song, Donchan Cho, Sungsik Yun, Yu-Kwan Kim
  • Patent number: 9304372
    Abstract: A light modulation device comprising an optical element and at least one addressable mask disposed adjacent to the optical element. The optical element comprises at least two sub-elements, each of the at least two sub-elements having at least one optical characteristic wherein at least one optical characteristic of one sub-element is discrete from at least one optical characteristic of another sub-element. The mask comprises at least two regions corresponding to the at least two sub-elements, each of the at least two regions being individually addressable to enable its corresponding sub-element to be light transmitting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: The Technology Partnership PLC
    Inventor: Roger Clarke
  • Patent number: 9291835
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for finding a bias voltage (20) corresponding to a quadrature point of an optical modulator, the modulator comprising a biasable component which is configurable to be biased by application of the bias voltage (20) such that the modulator operates at quadrature, the method comprising: providing a target for the output power of the modulator which corresponds to quadrature; applying, to the biasable component, a bias voltage (20) having an initial value; thereafter, finding a value for the bias voltage (20) that biases the biasable component such that the output power of the modulator is within a pre-defined range of the target by, starting at the initial value, alternately increasing and decreasing (or decreasing and increasing) the bias voltage (20) with gradually increasing amplitude; and identifying the found value for the bias voltage (20) as a bias voltage corresponding to a quadrature point of the optical modulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: BAE SYSTEMS Plc
    Inventors: Andrew James Smith, Mohammed Nawaz, Simon Charles Giles
  • Patent number: 9244296
    Abstract: An optical modulator includes a single-crystal substrate, a lithium niobate film formed on a main surface of the single-crystal substrate, the lithium niobate film being an epitaxial film and having a ridge, a buffer layer formed on the ridge, a first electrode formed on the buffer layer, and a second electrode separated from the first electrode, the second electrode being in contact with the lithium niobate film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: TDK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shinji Iwatsuka, Kenji Sasaki, Masamichi Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 9229224
    Abstract: An image display apparatus includes laser light sources, a light combining section that combines laser light from the laser light sources, and an optical scanner that deflects drawing laser light from the light combining section for two-dimensional scanning. The optical axes of the laser light outputted from the laser light sources and directed toward the optical scanner are present in the same plane. Further, the optical scanner has a light reflection surface configured to be perpendicular to the plane when the optical scanner is not driven. The optical scanner deflects the drawing laser light reflected off the light reflection surface for two-dimensional scanning by causing the light reflection surface to swing within the plane and in the direction perpendicular to the plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yasushi Mizoguchi, Daisuke Ishida
  • Patent number: 9170422
    Abstract: An image display apparatus including a plurality of light source sections, a light combining section that combines light fluxes, an optical element that inclines an optical axis, and an optical scan section that deflects light for scanning, wherein an optical axis of the light flux from each of the plurality of light source sections to the optical scan section is present in a first plane, the optical scan section has a light reflection surface that is perpendicular to the first plane and swings around a first axis present in the first plane and a second axis parallel to the direction of a normal to the first plane, and an angle of radiation of the light flux in the direction of the normal to the first plane is greater than that of the light flux in an in-plane direction in the first plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Daisuke Ishida, Masatoshi Yonekubo, Shuichi Wakabayashi
  • Patent number: 9122107
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device is constituted such that sub-pixels are disposed in an array form in a first direction and a second direction orthogonal to each other, a plurality of gate lines are disposed in the second direction, an optical element for distributing the light to the second direction is disposed on the liquid crystal display device, liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal display device are controlled by an electric field almost in parallel to the surface of the liquid crystal display device, and a data line is disposed to obliquely divide the sub-pixels at a position different from the boundary between the sub-pixels neighboring in the second direction, where the data line can have a small angle with respect to the second direction, and the numerical aperture is not deteriorated greatly even when the lengths of apertures of the sub-pixels in the first direction are constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: NLT TECHNOLOGIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Sekine
  • Patent number: 9124880
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for 2D image and 3D stereoscopic image display are provided. The apparatus includes a display unit to display an image; and a controller to receive a display mode setting signal and to control the display unit according to the received display mode setting signal. The display unit is controlled to display the image in accordance with any one of a 2D display mode, a polarizing glasses 3D display mode, a shutter glasses 3D display mode, and a non-glasses 3D display mode. The method includes receiving a display mode setting signal; reading information stored in a memory, the stored information corresponding to an operation of the switching display panel according to a plurality of display modes, the read information corresponding to the display mode setting signal; and generating a control signal to operate the switching display panel in correspondence to a selected display mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Jun-mo Yoo
  • Patent number: 9088122
    Abstract: A driver for an EA-DFB device includes a switching device. The EA-DFB device is put between a positive power supply and a negative power supply as connected in series to a bias current source and the switching device. The EA device is modulated by the switching device in the differential mode. The switching device includes paired transistors each having a load, one of which is a resistor connected in parallel to the EA device, while, the other is constituted by a resistive element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Akihiro Moto
  • Patent number: 9025235
    Abstract: An optical interference color display comprising a transparent substrate, an inner-front optical diffusion layer, a plurality of first electrodes, a patterned support layer, a plurality of optical films and a plurality of second electrodes is provided. The inner-front optical diffusion layer is on the transparent substrate and the first electrodes are on the inner-front optical diffusion layer. The patterned support layer is on the inner-front optical diffusion layer between the first electrodes. The optical film is on the first electrodes and the second electrodes are positioned over the respective first electrodes. The second electrodes are supported through the patterned support layer. Furthermore, there is an air gap between the second electrodes and their respective first electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Qualcomm MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Wen-Jian Lin
  • Patent number: 9001410
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for manufacturing an electrochromic article, comprising the following successive steps: (a) deposition of a layer of an electrochromic compound on the surface of a transparent or translucent electroconductive substrate; (b) deposition of a redox agent, which is a reducing agent or an oxidizing agent for the electrochromic compound, on the layer of electrochromic compound at a multitude of discrete points or areas thereon; (c) bringing the layer of electrochromic compound, deposited in step (a), and the redox agent, deposited in step (b), into contact with a liquid electrolyte for a time long enough to allow the electrochromic compound to be reduced or oxidized by the redox agent; and (d) elimination of the electrolyte by rinsing and/or drying, the layer of electrochromic compound being a porous layer of open porosity and/or an electrically conductive layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Essilor International (Compagnie Generale d'Optique)
    Inventors: Claudine Biver, Sandrine Duluard
  • Patent number: 9002143
    Abstract: A tunable Radio Frequency (RF) filter device includes a tunable optical source configured to generate an optical carrier signal, and a modulator coupled to the tunable optical source and configured to modulate the optical carrier signal with an RF input signal. The tunable RF filter device may also include first and second optical waveguides coupled to the modulator and having first and second dispersion slopes of opposite sign, and an optical-to-electrical converter coupled to the first and second optical waveguides and configured to generate an RF output signal with a frequency notch therein based upon the tunable optical source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Harris Corporation
    Inventors: Richard Desalvo, Charles Franklin Middleton, IV
  • Patent number: 8988411
    Abstract: The occurrence of crosstalk in a display device which performs 3D display is suppressed. When 3D display is performed, part of a plurality of pixels perform desired color display and the other part of the plurality of pixels perform black display. Thus, as compared to the case where all of a plurality of pixels perform desired color display, the occurrence of crosstalk can be suppressed. A plurality of pixels which perform desired color display are changed depending on the display state. Therefore, as compared to the case where a plurality of pixels which perform desired color display are fixed when 3D display is performed, the display device can have a longer period until display change in a pixel becomes obvious (a longer lifetime) and variations in display among the plurality of pixels can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Miyake
  • Patent number: 8970941
    Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus related to an electromechanical display device. In one aspect, an analog interferometric modulator (AIMOD) includes a reflective display pixel having a movable reflective layer and a stationary absorber layer, the reflective layer and absorber layer defining a cavity therebetween. A color notch filter may be employed to produce an improved white state. In some implementations, the color notch filter is positioned on a side of the substrate opposite the absorber layer. In some other implementations, the color notch filter is positioned between the substrate and the movable reflective layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jian Ma, Tallis Young Chang, John Hyunchul Hong, Ion Bita
  • Patent number: 8971671
    Abstract: A tunable Radio Frequency (RF) filter device includes a tunable optical source generating an optical carrier signal, and a modulator coupled to the tunable optical source and modulating the optical carrier signal with an RF input signal. The tunable RF filter device may include first and second optical waveguide paths coupled to the modulator and having first and second dispersion slopes of opposite sign from each other, one or more of the first and second optical waveguide paths comprising an optical splitter and combiner pair therein, and an optical-to-electrical converter coupled to the first and second optical waveguide paths and generating an RF output signal with a frequency notch therein based upon the tunable optical source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Harris Corporation
    Inventors: Richard DeSalvo, Charles Middleton
  • Patent number: 8933166
    Abstract: The present invention provides poly(ureaurethane)s including a reaction product of components comprising: (a) at least one isocyanate functional ureaurethane prepolymer comprising the reaction product of: (1) at least one isocyanate functional urethane prepolymer comprising the reaction product of: (i) a first amount of at least one polyisocyanate; and (ii) a first amount of at least one branched polyol; and (2) water, to form an isocyanate functional ureaurethane prepolymer; and (b) a second amount of at least one polyisocyanate and a second amount of at least one branched polyol; compositions, coatings and articles made therefrom and methods of making the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: PPG Industries Ohio, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas G. Rukavina, Robert Hunia
  • Patent number: 8922870
    Abstract: An electronic device may have a MEMS device formed of a first conductive material. A trench may be formed in the MEMS device. A layer of non-conductive material may be formed in the trench. A second conductive material may be formed upon the non-conductive material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: DigitalOptics Corporation MEMS
    Inventors: Ankur Jain, Roman C. Gutierrez
  • Patent number: 8902152
    Abstract: A dual-sided electrophoretic display (700) having a first region (701) and a second region (702) is provided. Each of the first region (701) and the second region (702) includes selectively operable members (703,704) that function as pixels for presenting images on the electrophoretic display (700). Each of the selectively operable members (703,704) is driven by a driver circuit (710) by way of corresponding thin film transistors and capacitors (742,742), which are opaque. As the selectively operable members (704) of the second region (702) are bigger than are the selectively operable members (703) of the first region (701), the aperture ratio of the selectively operable members (704) of the second region (702) is greater than in the first region (701) when viewed from the rear side (730). Thus, a contrast ratio of the second region (602), when viewed from the rear side (730) is sufficiently high that text, icons, and characters presented in the second region (602) are legibly visible on the rear side (730).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Motorola Mobility LLC
    Inventors: XiaoPing Bai, John P. Boos, Bharat N. Vakil, Zhiming Zhuang
  • Patent number: 8902947
    Abstract: An optical module providing higher reliability during high-speed light modulation and a lower bit error rate when built into a transmitter (transceiver). An optical module contains a taper mirror for surface emission of output light, an optical modulator device, and an optical modulation drive circuit, and the optical modulator device and the optical modulation drive circuit are mounted at positions so as to enclose the taper mirror.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigeki Makino, Yasunobu Matsuoka, Kenji Kogo, Toshiki Sugawara, Tatemi Ido
  • Patent number: 8897607
    Abstract: A tunable Radio Frequency (RF) filter device includes a tunable optical source configured to generate an optical carrier signal, and a modulator coupled to the tunable optical source and configured to modulate the optical carrier signal with an RF input signal. The tunable RF filter device may also include first and second optical waveguides coupled to the modulator and having first and second dispersion slopes of opposite sign, and an optical-to-electrical converter coupled to the first and second optical waveguides and configured to generate an RF output signal with a frequency notch therein based upon the tunable optical source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Harris Corporation
    Inventors: Richard DeSalvo, Charles Middleton
  • Patent number: 8889447
    Abstract: A method for fabricating an optical modulator includes forming n-type layer, a first oxide portion on a portion of the n-type layer, and a second oxide portion on a second portion of the n-type layer, patterning a first masking layer over the first oxide portion, portions of a planar surface of the n-type layer, and portions of the second oxide portion, implanting p-type dopants in the n-type layer to form a first p-type region and a second p-type region, removing the first masking layer, patterning a second masking layer over the first oxide portion, a portion of the first p-type region, and a portion of the n-type layer, and implanting p-type dopants in exposed portions of the n-type layer, exposed portions of the first p-type region, and regions of the n-type layer and the second p-type region disposed between the substrate and the second oxide portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: William M. Green, Jessie C. Rosenberg, Yurii A. Vlasov
  • Patent number: 8885245
    Abstract: A multi-layer hidden hinge and actuator design for high fill factor biaxial MEMS mirror array for wavelength selective switches (WSS) including a coarsely aligned orthogonal vertical comb drive and/or parallel plate actuator. Each micro-mirror in the MEMS linear piano micro-mirror array comprises a reflective body/mirror layer, a ground/hinge layer and a hot electrode/substrate layer. To increase the amount of surface area available for the hot and ground electrodes, the dimensions of the ground/hinge layer are extended longitudinally or laterally across the air gap between reflective layers to beneath the adjacent reflective layer. Ideally, diffraction patterns are formed on the surface of the ground/hinge layer to prevent stray light from reflecting back into the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: JDS Uniphase Corporation
    Inventors: Abdul Jaleel K. Moidu, John Michael Miller
  • Patent number: 8865853
    Abstract: The present invention provides polyurethanes including a reaction product of components including: (a) an isocyanate functional urethane prepolymer comprising a reaction product of components including: (i) about 1 equivalent of at least one polyisocyanate; and (ii) about 0.1 to about 0.5 equivalents of at least one diol having 2 to 18 carbon atoms; and (b) about 0.05 to about 0.9 equivalents of at least one branched polyol having 4 to 18 carbon atoms and at least 3 hydroxyl groups; and (c) up to about 0.9 equivalents of at least one polyol different from branched polyol (b) and having 2 to 18 carbon atoms, wherein the reaction product components are essentially free of polyester polyol and polyether polyol; compositions, coatings and articles made therefrom and methods of making the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: PPG Industries Ohio, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas G. Rukaivina
  • Patent number: 8867873
    Abstract: An optical wavelength multi/demultiplexing circuit is provided in which temperature dependence at a transmission center wavelength remained in an athermalized AWG is compensated. An AWG according to an embodiment of the present invention is compensated for the main temperature dependence at the transmission center wavelength. The AWG comprises an optical splitter, a first and second arm waveguides, an optical mode combining coupler and a multimode waveguide between an input/output waveguide and a slab waveguide. The optical mode combining coupler couples fundamental mode light from the first arm waveguide as fundamental mode and the fundamental mode light from the second arm waveguide as first mode. The multimode waveguide is capable of propagating the fundamental and first mode light. This AWG is configured such that the temperature dependence remained in the arrayed waveguide grating is compensated by changing the optical path length difference between the first and second arm waveguides with temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
    Inventors: Shin Kamei, Yasuyuki Inoue, Mikitaka Itoh
  • Patent number: 8860845
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes an optical wavefront coding element that performs a dispersion of a light flux emitted from a subject into three or more directions, an imaging element that receives the light flux dispersed by the optical wavefront coding element to acquire a subject preimage, and a generation unit that generates an image of the subject by applying a process corresponding to the dispersion to the subject preimage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: Yukio Hirai
  • Patent number: 8847345
    Abstract: An optical element includes a plurality of optical filters having different characteristics. The element includes a first optical filter including a first metal-structure group including first metal structures periodically arranged in an in-plane direction of a substrate surface and a second optical filter including a second metal-structure group including second metal structures periodically arranged in the in-plane direction, the second metal-structure group exhibiting a plasmon resonance condition different from that of the first metal-structure group. The optical distance between the first metal structures adjacent to each other is in a range of 0.75 to 1.25 times the optical distance between the second metal structures adjacent to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoichiro Handa
  • Patent number: 8848277
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for protecting the seed laser in a laser produced plasma (LPP) extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light system are disclosed in one embodiment, a Bragg AOM is used as a switch on the beam path from the seed laser to other optical components and ultimately to an irradiation site. Power is applied to the Bragg AOM and pulses from the seed laser are thus deflected onto the desired beam path rather than passing straight through the Bragg AOM. Once the pulses have passed through the Bragg AOM, power to the Bragg AOM ceases, so that any reflections from the irradiation site will pass straight through the Bragg AOM and will not be deflected back to the seed laser. Use of the Bragg AOM rather than components previously used results in lower power consumption and better protection for the seed laser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Richard L. Sandstrom, Jonathan D. Grava
  • Patent number: 8848280
    Abstract: A photonic crystal device including a photonic crystal material and an activation surface. The photonic crystal material exhibits a first reflectance spectrum in an unactivated state, and, in response to mechanical stimulation, exhibits a second reflectance spectrum in an activated state. Application of a force at an activation portion of the activation surface offset from a material-supporting portion of the activation surface causes a deformation of the photonic crystal material sufficient to bring the photonic crystal material to the activated state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Opalux Incorporated
    Inventor: Andre Arsenault
  • Patent number: 8843001
    Abstract: An optical transmitter is disclosed. An optical modulator outputs an optical signal by modulating light being input, and has an optical absorption characteristic which changes a degree of optical absorption depending on a bias voltage being applied and includes a first characteristic region and a second characteristic region in which the degree of the optical absorption is greater than the first characteristic region. An power source applies an electric field generated by applying a predetermined shutdown bias voltage corresponding to the second characteristic region to electrodes provided in two interference optical guides formed in the optical modulator, when an output of the optical signal from the optical modulator is shut down to be less than or equal to a desired amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Fujitsu Optical Components Limited
    Inventor: Ryoji Nagase
  • Patent number: 8842356
    Abstract: A micromechanical device includes a micromechanical functional structure and an electromagnetic radiation heating associated with the micromechanical functional structure, which is formed to cause a spatially and temporally defined temperature or a spatially and temporally defined temperature course in the micromechanical functional structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
    Inventors: Thilo Sandner, Harald Schenk, Joerg Heber, Thomas Klose, Andreas Bergmann, Christian Gerwig, Thomas Knieling
  • Patent number: 8835592
    Abstract: The present invention provides polyurethanes including a reaction product of components including: (a) an isocyanate functional urethane prepolymer comprising a reaction product of components including: (i) about 1 equivalent of at least one polyisocyanate; and (ii) about 0.1 to about 0.5 equivalents of at least one diol having 2 to 18 carbon atoms; and (b) about 0.05 to about 0.9 equivalents of at least one branched polyol having 4 to 18 carbon atoms and at least 3 hydroxyl groups; and (c) up to about 0.9 equivalents of at least one polyol different from branched polyol (b) and having 2 to 18 carbon atoms, wherein the reaction product components are essentially free of polyester polyol and polyether polyol; compositions, coatings and articles made therefrom and methods of making the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: PPG Industries Ohio, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas G. Rukavina, Caroline S. Harris, Robert M. Hunia, Veronica L. Frain, Yan Wang
  • Patent number: 8829478
    Abstract: An EUV light source is disclosed herein which may comprise a droplet generator producing a stream of target material droplets, a first optical gain medium amplifying light on a first beam path without a seed laser providing a seed laser output to the first beam path, a second optical gain medium amplifying light on a second beam path without a seed laser providing a seed laser output to the second beam path, and a beam combiner combining light from the first beam path and the second beam path for interaction with a target material droplet to produce EUV light emitting plasma.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventor: Alexander I. Ershov
  • Patent number: 8829147
    Abstract: Polymerizable liquid compositions of the polyurethane type, consisting of two components (A) and (B), wherein component (A) contains at least one cyclo-aliphatic diisocyanate monomer or a mixture of one cyclo-aliphatic diisocyanate monomer and a pre-polymer obtained by reaction, in the presence of an acid phosphate ester catalyst, between said cyclo-aliphatic diisocyanate monomer and one or more polyols having two or more hydroxy 1 groups per molecule and a molecular weight ranging from 50 to 2,000 g/mole; the second component (B) contains one or more polyols having a molecular weight ranging from 50 to 2,000 g/mole and a functionality between 2 and 5; in the absence of polyalkoxylated tertiary diamines and organometallic catalysts, said components (A) and (B) being present in a weight ratio which varies from 1:1 to 2:1 and the process for the production of organic glass starting from polymerizable liquid compositions of the polyurethane type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Acomon AG
    Inventors: Willem Bos, Fiorenzo Renzi, Roberto Forestieri, Andrea Vecchione
  • Patent number: 8817372
    Abstract: A system and method for modulating and displaying optical effects includes a lighting device (BV) and at least one displaying object (DO) located outside the lighting device. The lighting device (BV) includes at least one input polarization unit (POE) for influencing polarization, in particular in a location-dependent manner, and at least one modulation unit (OME) for influencing polarization and/or retardance, in particular in a time-dependent and/or location-dependent manner. The displaying object (DO) includes at least one object retarder unit (POB) for influencing retardance, in particular in a location-dependent and/or time-dependent manner, the at least one object retarder unit being suitable for reversibly or irreversibly impressing a piece of image information, and an output polarization unit (PE).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Kommanditgesellschaft Synoptrix Lichttechnik GmbH & Co.
    Inventor: Horst Prehn
  • Patent number: 8818205
    Abstract: A modulation method, especially an optical modulation method, using the principle of discrete IQ modulation. The modulation method includes generating a carrier signal (Sc) and splitting the carrier signal at a splitting position in an I branch signal and a Q branch signal; modulating the amplitude of the I branch signal according to a first modulation signal and modulating the amplitude of the Q branch signal according to a second modulation signal, each of the first and second modulation signals being arranged to adopt a given number of values according to a given number of constellation points of a given modulation scheme; phase shifting the signal in the Q branch versus the signal in the I branch; and combining the signals in the I branch and Q branch at a combining position. The combined modulated signal (Stx,mod) is arranged to be transmitted over a transmission path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: ADVA Optical Networking SE
    Inventor: Michael Eiselt
  • Patent number: 8810884
    Abstract: A spectrally controlled light source includes a light source with a spectral distribution repeated with a predetermined spatial period along an input plane so as to produce multiple copies of the spectral distribution separated by the spatial period. All copies are propagated through dispersive optics to produce equally dispersed spectra on an image plane. A periodic modulating element with a given filter period is applied to each of the dispersed spectra to produce corresponding modulated outputs. According to the invention, the spatial period of the light source on the image plane and the filter period of the modulating element are selected so as to produce a resonance effect that greatly enhances the utility of the spectrally modulated source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Inventor: Artur Olszak
  • Patent number: 8810892
    Abstract: A micro-mirror system having a micro-mirror actuator, a sensor for detecting the position of the micro-mirror actuator, a light module having at least one light source and an associated control system via which a light intensity of the light source is controllable, and an evaluation and control unit which is designed to control the micro-mirror actuator as a function of an output signal of the sensor. The system provides that the evaluation and control unit includes a compensation routine in which an offset voltage of the output signal of the sensor is settable as a function of the light intensity of the light source to be expected at the point in time that the micro-mirror actuator is activated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Mohamad Iyad Al Dibs, Axel Wenzler, Oliver Krayl
  • Patent number: 8804229
    Abstract: The Multi-MOEMS display comprises at least two MOEMS, and at least one superposition layer. All MOEMS are illuminated by beams which incide with incidence angles larger than the deflection angle onto the mirrors in their ON-state for an improved separation of illumination and reflected modulated beams. The reflected ON-beams accordingly include a zenith angle with the normal of the mirror arrays of the MOEMS. The increased angle between the illumination and the modulated beam facilitates the separation of illumination and modulated beams and diminishes the optic limitations of light energy flux through this reflection at the modulators. The Multi-MOEMS display uncovers a solution for the geometric problems of arranging multiple MOEMS and superposition layers posed by the non-normal reflection of the modulated image beams, by matching the zenith angles and the azimuth angles in the superposition image, and by a defined position of the MOEMS relative to the superposition layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Inventors: Bernhard Rudolf Bausenwein, Max Mayer
  • Patent number: 8792792
    Abstract: [PROBLEM] Providing an optical source that outputs optical frequency modulated light having a constant output optical intensity. [MEANS FOR SOLVING THE PROBLEM] Provided is a light source apparatus that outputs an optical signal having an optical frequency corresponding to a frequency control signal, the light source apparatus including a laser light source section that outputs laser light having an optical frequency corresponding to the frequency control signal; and an optical intensity adjusting section that compensates for intensity change of the laser light to output laser light in which the intensity change caused by a change in the optical frequency is restricted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Advantest Corporation
    Inventors: Shin Masuda, Kazunori Shiota
  • Patent number: 8788022
    Abstract: There is provided a method and system for optical imaging of a light scattering object. The method comprises the detection of one or more time-gates of a temporal point spread function (TPSF) to be used to construct an image of optical properties of the object. The method also comprises the simultaneous detection of two or more selected time-gates using a time-gated camera. The method enables more efficient spatial-temporal acquisition of optical signals for imaging purposes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: President and Fellows of Harvard College
    Inventor: David Jonathan Hall
  • Patent number: 8774564
    Abstract: Disclosed is an optical waveguide element module in which a filter circuit including a capacitor is provided on a line through which a modulation signal is input to a modulating electrode of an optical waveguide element. The module is capable of preventing the deterioration of an electric signal in the filter circuit or the occurrence of a resonance phenomenon within the frequency range used and obtaining flat electrical/optical response frequency characteristics in a wide band of more than several tens of gigahertz. The capacitor is a single-layer capacitor and the relative permittivity of a dielectric in the capacitor is equal to or less than 1000.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Sumitomo Osaka Cement Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryo Shimizu, Shinsuke Kanno, Toru Sugamata
  • Patent number: 8774566
    Abstract: An optical waveguide element module includes an optical waveguide formed on a substrate, an optical waveguide element having a modulation electrode for modulating an optical wave propagating through the optical waveguide, a connector where an external signal line for inputting a modulation signal into the modulation electrode is connected, and a relay line formed on a relay substrate to connect the connector and the modulation electrode. The relay line is a coplanar-type line, in which a signal electrode is interposed between ground electrodes. The impedance of the relay line changes stepwise or continuously so as to suppress reflection of the modulation signal in the optical waveguide element module. A filter circuit including a capacitor is arranged in the middle of the relay line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Sumitomo Osaka Cement Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ryo Shimizu