Acting On Polarized Light Patents (Class 359/301)
  • Patent number: 10641807
    Abstract: In an optical modulator capable of modulating incident laser beam L by a compound semiconductor single crystal having a property of generating an electro-optic effect, the attenuation of the signal strength in a low frequency band is prevented without lowering the carrier concentration of the compound semiconductor. The optical modulator 23 comprises: incidence limiting means 25 which is provided on or near an incidence plane 24a, on which the laser beam L can be incident, of the compound semiconductor single crystal 24 so as to limit incidence of light other than the laser beam L on the incidence plane 24a; and a shielding member 26 which is formed from a low-permittivity material having a light blocking effect, and covers a surface 24c of the compound semiconductor single crystal 24 extending along a traveling direction of the laser beam L that entered the compound semiconductor single crystal 24.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignees: JX NIPPON MINING & METALS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mitsuru Shinagawa, Toshiaki Asahi
  • Patent number: 10508991
    Abstract: A polarization analysis apparatus includes: a light source that radiates light to a sample; a liquid crystal panel that outputs polarized light in a specific direction from light radiated from an excited state sample; an image sensor that measures a luminance of polarized light; and a controller that controls the liquid crystal panel and the image sensor. The controller calculates a reference voltage of a rectangular wave; calculates a corrected reference voltage by correcting the reference voltage in the rectangular wave where an absolute value of the reference voltage changes in response to a phase change; applies the reference voltage and the corrected reference voltage to the liquid crystal panel; operates the image sensor in accordance with a light exposure time to measure luminance of polarized light; and calculates a degree of polarization of the sample based on results of the measurement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: TIANMA JAPAN, LTD.
    Inventor: Chikaaki Mizokuchi
  • Patent number: 8570644
    Abstract: The present invention realizes an enhancement of a fabrication yield and a reduction of a size regarding an optical modulator or an optical device including polarization beam combining means. An optical modulator of the present invention (1) includes: first and second optical modulators (LN optical modulators (101) to (104)) that are formed on a substrate; a polarization beam rotating unit (107) that rotates at least one polarization beam of modulated light beams modulated by the first and second optical modulators; and a polarization beam combining element (110) that is disposed outside the substrate and that combines the polarization beams of the modulated light of which the polarization beams are rotated by the polarization beam rotating unit (107).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Sumitomo Osaka Cement Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hitoshi Oguri
  • Patent number: 8437068
    Abstract: The optical modulator includes an optical waveguide element in which a first waveguide is formed obliquely to an outgoing end surface, and a second waveguide is formed obliquely to both the first waveguide and the outgoing end surface, a lens which makes parallel optical paths of first and second modulated light beams outgoing from the first and second waveguides, a phase delay element which applies a phase delay to at least one of the first and second modulated light beams, a polarization beam rotating unit which rotates at least one polarized wave of the first and second modulated light beams to make the polarized waves orthogonal to each other between the two modulated light beams, and a polarization beam combining element which combines the first and second modulated light beams whose polarized waves are made orthogonal to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Sumitomo Osaka Cement Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takuji Maie, Tokutaka Hara
  • Patent number: 8390913
    Abstract: Provided is a compound semiconductor nanoparticle that exhibits circularly polarized luminescence characteristics. CdS prepared inside a core of ferritin, which is a cage-like protein, exhibits a high circularly polarized luminescence (CPL). A wavelength of the circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) can be controlled by laser irradiation, thereby enabling utilization of the compound semiconductor nanoparticle in the field of bionanotechnology, for example, in creating a WORM (Write-Once Read-Many times) memory. As the cage-like protein, which is a protein with a cavity formed therein, a protein belonging to the ferritin protein family, such as apoferritin, or a recombinant thereof can be used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: National University Corporation Nara Institute of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Masanobu Naitou, Kenji Iwahori
  • Patent number: 8373692
    Abstract: A first linearly polarized bundle of rays of incident rays is converted by optical modulation with an input video signal into a second linearly polarized bundle of rays orthogonal to the first rays in polarization. The first rays pass through a polarizer before optically modulated. A second linearly polarized bundle of rays originally involved in the incident rays is reflected by the polarizer in a first direction. The second rays obtained by the optical modulation are reflected by the polarizer in a second direction. The second rays reflected in the second direction pass through another polarizer. A first linearly polarized bundle of rays involved in the reflected second rays is reflected by the other polarizer. The reflected first rays is detected by an optical sensor that is positioned outside an optical path of the second rays originally involved in the incident rays and reflected in the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: JVC Kenwood Corporation
    Inventors: Yuji Uchiyama, Masato Furuya, Tatsuru Kobayashi, Ryo Nishima, Motoshi Tohda, Yoshio Fukuzaki, Takeshi Makabe, Yasuo Ishizaka, Akihiro Hamaguchi
  • Patent number: 8305637
    Abstract: A multicolor image forming apparatus includes an exposure unit to direct optical beams for optically writing different single-color images on image carriers, respectively, a pattern forming unit to form a positioning pattern on a transport member, a pattern detector to detect the positioning pattern, disposed above the transport member, a positional data detector disposed on a scanning line to detect positional data in a sub-scanning direction of the optical beams, an adjustment unit, and a storage unit. The adjustment unit detects positional deviations among the different single-color images based on detection results generated by both the pattern detector and the positional data detector, respectively, and then corrects the positional deviations. The storage unit stores as reference data the positional data in the sub-scanning direction of the optical beams detected when the positional deviations are corrected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventor: Tadashi Shinohara
  • Patent number: 8295710
    Abstract: The invention describes a modulator for the quadrature modulation of an optical carrier signal with an I- and a Q-portion, where a first optical multimode interferometer (MMI) splits the optical carrier signal into four branches and that in pairs of branches the I-portion and the Q-portion respectively is modulated with a Mach-Zehnder-Structure and a second optical multimode interferometer (MMI) combines the modulated I-portion and Q-portion again to one quadrature modulated optical output signal (OS).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Nokia Siemens Networks Oy
    Inventor: Winter Marcus
  • Patent number: 8279379
    Abstract: There is provided a light receiving device including a polarization dispersing section that disperses a polarization direction of incoming light into a plurality of polarization directions, a light collecting section that has a metal pattern shaped like concentric circles on a surface thereof, where the light collecting section collects light that has passed through the polarization dispersing section, and a light receiving section that receives the light collected by the light collecting section. Also provided are a light receiving device manufacturing method and a light receiving method. The light collecting section may have a surface plasmon antenna that has the metal pattern shaped like the concentric circles on a surface thereof, and the light receiving section may receive the light collected toward a center of the concentric circles of the metal pattern of the light collecting section, through a hole at the center of the concentric circles, on a rear side of the light collecting section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Advantest Corporation
    Inventors: Shin Masuda, Eiji Kato
  • Patent number: 8023178
    Abstract: A line-like (line) laser beam flux irradiating apparatus includes a laser source which emits a divergent laser beam flux, a conversion lens which converts the divergent laser beam flux to a parallel laser beam flux, a first lens which forms a first line-like laser beam flux, a second lens which forms a second line-like laser beam flux intersecting the first line-like laser beam flux, and a reflective optical system having a first reflective surface which reflects the parallel laser beam flux toward the first lens and a second reflective surface which reflects the parallel laser beam flux toward the second lens. The parallel laser beam flux is simultaneously guided to the first and second reflective surfaces so as to form a cross-wise line-like laser beam flux on the same plane by the cooperation of the first line-like laser beam flux and the second line-like laser beam flux.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Topcon
    Inventor: Junichi Kodaira
  • Patent number: 8014061
    Abstract: To provide a variable-focal length lens capable of altering its focal length at high speed. The variable-focal length lens has an electrooptic material and electrodes formed on an incident surface of light and on an exit surface of the light of the electrooptic material. An optical axis is set so that the light is inputted into a gap where the electrodes of the incident surface are not formed and is outputted from a gap where the electrodes of the exit surface are not formed. A focus of the light that is transmitted through the electrooptic material becomes variable by varying an applied voltage between the electrodes of the incident surface and the electrodes of the exit surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
    Inventors: Tadayuki Imai, Masahiro Sasaura, Jun Miyazu, Shogo Yagi, Kazuo Fujiura
  • Publication number: 20110205519
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a polarization converting unit, for converting incident light into light in a predetermined polarization state and emitting the converted light, has a first optically rotatory member having a first thickness distribution of thicknesses in an optical-axis direction different at a plurality of locations and a second optically rotatory member having a second thickness distribution, each of which is a member to rotate linearly polarized light incident thereto as propagating light, around the optical-axis direction. The first and second optically rotatory members are comprised of an optical material with an optical activity arranged so as to have a crystal axis coincident or parallel with the optical-axis direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2010
    Publication date: August 25, 2011
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nobumichi KANAYAMAYA, Osamu TANITSU
  • Publication number: 20100321613
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a polarizer is provided that makes it possible to virtually simultaneously perform a contact of a hydrophilic polymer film with liquid and stretch of the hydrophilic polymer film in a width direction by a tenter method, or the like, using a small and simple manufacturing equipment. A method of manufacturing a polarizer includes a width direction stretching process for stretching a hydrophilic polymer film 1 in the width direction, which is continuously supplied, by gripping both ends in a width direction thereof with grip means 2 and moving the grip means 2 in a longitudinal direction of the film 1 as well as by bringing the film 1 into contact with liquid and also moving the grip means 2, which grips at least one of both ends in the width direction of the film 1, outwardly in the width direction of the film 1; and a dyeing process for dyeing the film 1 by a dichroic material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2007
    Publication date: December 23, 2010
    Applicant: NITTO DENKO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryota Hatsuda, Seiji Umemoto, Kazuya Hada, Hiroyuki Yoshimi, Satoshi Hirata
  • Publication number: 20100296152
    Abstract: A polarization controller includes a first polarization controller, a demultiplexer, a second polarization controller, and a multiplexer. The first polarization controller controls the state of polarization of input light such that a part of the wavelength components of the input light is in a first state of polarization. The demultiplexer demultiplexes the light output from the first polarization controller into a plurality of wavelength components. The second polarization controller controls the plurality of wavelength components in a second state of polarization by using liquid crystal modulation devices. The multiplexer multiplexes the plurality of wavelength components output from the second polarization controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2010
    Publication date: November 25, 2010
    Applicant: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventor: Takashi SHIRAISHI
  • Patent number: 7719754
    Abstract: In various embodiments described herein, methods for forming a plurality of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices on a substrate are described. The MEMS devices comprise x number of different sacrificial or mechanical structures with x number of different sacrificial structure thicknesses or mechanical structure stiffnesses and wherein the x number of sacrificial or mechanical structures are formed by x-1 depositions and x-1 masks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Qualcomm Mems Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Sapna Patel, Fan Zhong
  • Publication number: 20100079852
    Abstract: The invention relates to an optical system for providing on-axis destructive interference of light received from an object along a predetermined system optical axis. The system comprises a receiving and guiding optical structure and a combining optical structure. The receiving and guiding optical structure is for receiving and guiding at least three beams of light received from the receiving and guiding optical structure arranged to provide a relative optical path difference between the at least three beams; the combining optical structure is for combining the at least three beams. According to the invention, a polarization varying optical structure is arranged between the receiving and guiding optical structure and the combining optical structure, for varying a polarization state of the beams relative to each other in order to provide on-axis destructive interference.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2007
    Publication date: April 1, 2010
    Applicant: Nederlandse Organisatie voor toegepast- natuurwetenschappelikj Onderzoek TNO
    Inventor: Julien Felix Paul Spronck
  • Patent number: 7649676
    Abstract: A system and method are used to form an unpolarized light beam from a polarized light beam. A system comprises a source of radiation and a unpolarizing system. The source of radiation produces a linear polarized beam. The unpolarizing system has first and second optical paths and splits the linear polarized beam. A first portion of the split beam travels along the first optical path having a first path length. A second portion of the split beam travels along the second optical path having a second, different path length. The first and second portions of the split beam are combined to form the unpolarized beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2010
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Johannes Jacobus Matheus Baselmans, Huibert Visser
  • Publication number: 20090213453
    Abstract: Devices and techniques that use a polarization controller and a feedback control to the polarization controller to systematically control the polarization of light output from the polarization controller in measuring the polarization dependent loss (PDL) of an optical device or material that receives the light from the polarization controller or the degree of polarization (DOP) of a light beam directed into the polarization controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2009
    Publication date: August 27, 2009
    Inventor: X. Steve Yao
  • Patent number: 7561758
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a scanning module, which is capable of integrating optical paths of illuminating and imaging for size reduction, and improving the quality of scanned image by using optical polarizers for filtering, and further achieving the same effect as the “projection scanning” digital camera. The scanning module comprises: a light source, a first polarizer, a quarter-wave plate, a polarizing beamsplitter, an image detection device, and a second polarizer. The light from the light source consists of both a first-polarized and a second-polarized light. The first polarizer is placed in front of the light source that only allows the first-polarized light to pass through. The optics unit directs the first-polarized light to a scanning object and transforms the reflected light into the second-polarized light before receiveded by the image detection device for image acquiring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2009
    Inventor: Shi-Hwa Huang
  • Patent number: 7542194
    Abstract: A projection system includes an image-forming device and a polarizing beamsplitter. Illumination light illuminates the image-forming device via the first polarizing beamsplitter. A retardation element is disposed between the image-forming device and the polarizing beamsplitter. A bias controller applies a bias to pixels of the image-forming device in the dark state so as to substantially maximize contrast in image light reflected from image-forming device. In some arrangements, the volume between the polarizing beamsplitter and the image-forming device is sealed, with the retarding element being disposed within the sealed volume and being attached to either the polarizing beamsplitter or the image-forming device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2009
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Charles L. Bruzzone, David J. W. Aastuen, Michael P. Keyes
  • Patent number: 7532390
    Abstract: A method for recovering an initial linear state of polarization, of an optical beam after the beam has passed through an optical fiber and whose polarization state was disrupted, attaining power which is directly proportional to the power of the beam before it has passed through the optical fiber. The method comprises: splitting the beam into two beams, a first beam with a first polarization state and a second beam with a second polarization state, the second polarization state being orthogonal to the first polarization state; changing the polarization state of the first beam; and combining the first and second beams in half of their intensities into at least one linearly polarized beam. This way a linearly polarized output beam with power that is directly proportional to the power of the beam prior to its passing through the optical fiber is achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2009
    Assignee: Bioscan Ltd.
    Inventors: Arkady Khachaturove, Uri Voitsechov, Avram Matcovitch, Sergey Zaslavsky
  • Patent number: 7511093
    Abstract: A polyvinyl alcohol polymer film includes a polyvinyl alcohol polymer and a plasticizer selected from the group consisting of ethylene glycol, glycerin, propylene glycol, diethylene glycol, diglycerin, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, and trimethylolpropane. The amount of the polyvinyl alcohol polymer eluted when a 10 cm square of the polyvinyl alcohol polymer film is left in 1 liter of water of 50° C. for 4 hours is from 1 to 100 ppm. The film has only a small number of defects and is useful as raw material for producing a polarization film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2009
    Assignee: Kuraray Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigeyuki Harita, Takanori Isozaki, Naoki Fujiwara
  • Publication number: 20080316585
    Abstract: A fiber-optical, wavelength selective switch, especially for channel routing with equalization and blocking applications. The input signals are converted to light beams having predefined polarizations (41). The beams are then laterally expanded (43), and then undergo spatial dispersion in the beam expansion plane. The different wavelength components are directed through a polarization rotation device, pixilated along the wavelength dispersion direction such that each pixel operates on a separate wavelength. Each beam is passed into a pixilated beam steering array (48), for directing each wavelength to a desired output port. The beam steering devices can be MEMS-based or Liquid crystal-based, or an LCOS array. When the appropriate voltage is applied to a pixel and its associated beam steering element, the polarization of the light passing through the pixel is rotated and the beam steered to couple to the selected output port.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2006
    Publication date: December 25, 2008
    Applicant: XTELLUS, INC.
    Inventors: Gil Cohen, SeongWoo Suh, Yossi Corem
  • Patent number: 7466878
    Abstract: A polarization controller includes a phase retarder having a rotation about an {1,0,0} axis that receives an optical signal from a waveguide structure. At least one nanoelectromechanical dielectric perturber produces ±45° birefringent axes by placing the at least one nanoelectromechanical dielectric perturber at selective positions around the phase retarder to produce dynamic change in the effective index in one of the modes existent in an extraordinary axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2008
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Poh-Boon Phua, Chee Wei Wong, Erich P. Ippen
  • Patent number: 7291829
    Abstract: A polarization separating element such as a beam splitter receives a first light of a first polarization plane. The polarization separating element derives out of the first light a second light of a second polarization plane set perpendicular to the first polarization plane. A photoelectric element converts the second light into an electric signal. The intensity of the second light is in this manner detected. Since the second light is derived out of the first light, the phase of the second light is allowed to synchronize with the phase of the first light. The extinction ratio of the second light accurately reflects the extinction ratio of the first light. The detection of the intensity of the second light at the photoelectric element enables an accurate detection of the intensity of the first light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2007
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: Masaki Iwamoto
  • Patent number: 7221812
    Abstract: A bulk-optics assembly for a transmitting/receiving QKD station (BOB1) in a two-way autocompensating QKD system (101) is disclosed. The assembly consists of a first beamsplitter (104) having a high (e.g., 90:10) beamsplitting ratio, a 50:50 beamsplitter (106) and a polarizing beamsplitter (108). The assembly also optionally includes a polarizer (102), and/or a fixed attenuator (FOA), and/or an optional blocking filter (110) downstream of the polarizing beamsplitter. The compact bulk-optics assembly is easier to manufacture than a fiber-based optical system, and is simpler and more compact than prior art bulk-optics assemblies for QKD systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2007
    Assignee: MagiQ Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael J. Lagasse
  • Patent number: 7209284
    Abstract: An optical apparatus which is reduced in the number of optical devices arranged on a main optical signal transmission path, thereby reducing the size and cost of the device, and which is improved in optical transmission quality. An optical amplifier includes an amplification medium, which is doped with an active material for optical amplification and to which pump light is introduced, for amplifying an optical signal to be output. A reflection-type variable optical attenuator includes a reflecting mirror for reflecting an input light to generate a reflected light, and a magneto-optical crystal arranged in a position where the input and reflected lights pass. The magneto-optical crystal is applied with a magnetic field to induce a Faraday rotation angle therein and thereby vary an attenuation amount of the amplified optical signal, and part of light transmitted through the reflecting mirror is converted, as input monitor light, into an electrical signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Norifumi Shukunami, Norihisa Naganuma, Yuichi Suzuki, Takashi Ishiwada
  • Patent number: 6943850
    Abstract: An optical apparatus for irradiating light emitted from a light source onto a predetermined object, comprising a polarized light separating optical element for passing a first of two linearly polarized light beams polarized in directions perpendicular to each other and reflecting a second of said two linearly polarized light beams of light emitted from said light source; a phase shifter for converting said first linearly polarized light beams passed from said polarized light separating optical element into substantially circularly polarized light; and a reflecting mirror for reflecting said substantially circularly polarized light passed from said phase shifter back toward and through said phase shifter so that said circulatory polarized light is converted into a third linearly polarized light beam, wherein light emitted from said polarized light separating element, passed through said phase shifter, reflected by said reflecting mirror, and passed back through said phase shifter is irradiated on said predeter
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshihisa Sato
  • Patent number: 6859573
    Abstract: An optical device for rerouting and modifying an optical signal that uses a double pass through a liquid crystal modulator is disclosed. The optical device includes a first polarizer for providing polarized light, a liquid crystal modulator for selectively modifying the polarized light, a second polarizer for analyzing the light passed through the liquid crystal modulator, and a reflector for reflecting the analyzed light back through the second polarizer, the liquid crystal modulator, and the first polarizer. This arrangement provides a double pass through the liquid crystal modulator, thus significantly improving the attainable extinction ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2005
    Assignee: JDS Uniphase Inc.
    Inventors: Oleg Bouevitch, Paul Colbourne
  • Patent number: 6853363
    Abstract: A projection type image display apparatus projects, under magnification by using a projection lens, image information carried by a luminous flux emitted from a ferroelectric liquid crystal display device. A field-sequential color-decomposing illumination optical system generates illumination color light for irradiating the ferroelectric liquid crystal display device. An analyzer and a quarter wave plate are arranged between the ferroelectric liquid crystal display device and the projection lens successively from the ferroelectric liquid crystal display device side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2005
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Optical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuya Yoneyama, Yasuyuki Miyata
  • Patent number: 6847389
    Abstract: The present invention provides an optical beam scanning device and an image forming apparatus capable of restraining the light amount irregularity in the main scanning direction in the image plane. An optical beam scanning device of the present invention is for having a light beam with the width in the main scanning direction wider than the width in the main scanning direction of the reflection surface of a deflector incident on the deflector, reflecting and polarizing a part thereof by the reflection surface of the deflector, and focusing the polarized light beam on a surface to be scanned by optical means including a transmission type optical member. Then, the polarization direction of the light beam incident on the deflector is substantially in the main scanning direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2005
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takashi Shiraishi
  • Patent number: 6810169
    Abstract: A modular optical platform for selective wavelength switching that can be adapted to perform various other functions, such as dynamic gain equalization (DGE) and add/drop multiplexing (ADM) provides the versatility and modularity that will be essential to the future of the fiber optics industry. The basic platform includes a first lens for directing an optical signal, a diffraction grating for dispersing an optical signal into its component wavelength channels, a second lens for directing the component wavelength channels, and a modifying device for conducting one or more of a variety of functions including switching, DGE and ADM. The first and second lens are preferably replaced by a single concave reflective mirror having optical power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2004
    Assignee: JDS Uniphase Inc.
    Inventor: Oleg Bouevitch
  • Publication number: 20040207902
    Abstract: A method for compensating for polarization mode dispersion of an incoming optical communications signal including the step of orienting the state of polarization of the incoming optical communications signal with respect to the axes of a polarization splitter. The communications signal is split into a first and a second orthogonal states of polarization at a split point. The first of the polarization states is directed to a first birefringent optical waveguide having a first chirped grating having a first reference reflection point. The second of the polarization states is directed to a second birefringent optical waveguide having a second chirped grating having a chirp pattern substantially similar to that of the first chirped grating and having a second reference reflection point. The optical path length from the second reflection point to the split point is adjustably varied to compensate for polarization dispersion between the first and second states of polarization.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2001
    Publication date: October 21, 2004
    Inventors: Barry J. Koch, Terry L. Smith, Barbara A. DeBaun
  • Patent number: 6768573
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to an optical space switch accommodating a plurality of input light paths and output light paths. The optical space switch comprises a plurality of polarization control optical switches, each consisting essentially of: polarization control means having elements, one for each input light path, for rotating through 90° the polarizing direction of light information incident from each input light path or otherwise retaining the polarizing direction thereof for output; and a light path routing element for routing the light path for the light information output from the polarization control means in accordance with the polarizing direction of the light information. These polarization control optical switches are arranged in a matrix pattern or coupled in cascade to implement a polarization control optical space switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2004
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Tetsuya Nishi, Takuji Maeda, Satoshi Kuroyanagi, Tsuyoshi Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 6728019
    Abstract: An optical gate according to the invention comprises a polarization divider to divide an optical signal into two orthogonal polarization components and to output them as a first polarization component which precedes in the time base and a second polarization component which follows the first one in the time base; a semiconductor optical amplifier to modulate the phase of the second polarization component output from the polarization divider according to a control light; an assist light supplier to supply to the semiconductor optical amplifier an assist light to help the recovery of the refractive index variation of the semiconductor optical amplifier caused by the control light; a polarization combiner to combine the first and second polarization components of the optical signal transmitting on the semiconductor optical amplifier so as to adjust them in the same time location; and a polarization extractor to extract a predetermined polarization direction component from the output from the polarization combine
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2004
    Assignee: KDD Submarine Cable Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Masashi Usami, Kosuke Nishimura, Munefumi Tsurusawa
  • Patent number: 6665106
    Abstract: The invention specifies a method and apparatus for optical polarization control which enable non-ideal component behavior to be corrected by means of a calibration table. This ensures shorter constructional length, lower operating voltages or higher level functions (ER instead of GSBA).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2003
    Inventor: Reinhold Noe
  • Publication number: 20030030885
    Abstract: A spatial light modulation array, which is capable of controlling the diffraction characteristic of light in each portion in a substrate, a method for manufacturing the same, and a laser display device, which is capable of displaying an image regardless of mechanical reliability using the spatial light modulator in the form of an array are provided. The laser display device includes a lens for converting a laser beam oscillated by a light source into a one-dimensional slit beam, a spatial light modulation array for determining the diffraction degree of the slit beam according to the voltage applied to the pixel electrodes, diffracting the slit beam, and delivering the slit beam, a blocking portion for selectively transmitting the diffracted beam, a condensing lens for condensing the selectively transmitted beam, and a scanner for scanning the condensed beam to a screen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2002
    Publication date: February 13, 2003
    Applicant: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Hyun-Ho Oh, Jong-Uk Bu, Don-Hee Lee
  • Patent number: 6504642
    Abstract: A polarization independent optical device is provided wherein the device has two optical paths that include one or more birefringent crystals, a electrically controllable rotator, and a fixed waveplate. The device may operate as a switch, attenuator, coupler, or polarization mode dispersion compensator. The device may also include several folded path embodiments, a multifunctional embodiment, and a temperature insensitive embodiment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2003
    Assignee: Spectraswitch, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Albert, Arne Erstling, Desmond L. Seekola, Brent Bergner, Michael Knotz
  • Patent number: 6498872
    Abstract: An optical device for rerouting and modifying an optical signal that is capable of operating as a dynamic gain equalizer (DGE) and/or a configurable optical add/drop multiplexer (COADM) is disclosed. The optical design includes a front-end unit for providing a collimated beam of light, an element having optical power for providing collimating/focusing effects, a diffraction element for providing spatial dispersion, and modifying means which in a preferred embodiment includes one of a MEMS array and a liquid crystal array for reflecting and modifying at least a portion of a beam of light. The modifying means functions as an attenuator when the optical device operates as a DGE and as a switching array when the optical device operates as a COADM.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2002
    Assignee: JDS Uniphase Inc.
    Inventors: Oleg Bouevitch, Thomas Ducellier, W. John Tomlinson, Paul Colbourne, Jacques Bismuth
  • Patent number: 6493139
    Abstract: The present invention relates to optical switches in which switching occurs by changing the rotation of the plane of polarization by application of an externally applied control signal, particularly to magneto-optical switches controlling the port by which light emerges from the switch by externally-applied magnetic fields. The switches of the present invention function for randomly polarized input light, producing similarly randomly polarized light at the appropriate output port. Specific embodiments relate to 1×2 and 1×4 switches in both single pass and dual pass embodiments. Single pass embodiments are switches in which light passes through the optical components in one direction emerging at the appropriate output port depending on the desired switching. Dual pass embodiments are switches in which the light makes a forward and reverse traverse of the switch with total reflection. Dual pass switches typically reduce crosstalk without increasing the size of the switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2002
    Inventors: Hongdu Liu, Daxin Liu, Shizhuo Yin, Lee Lisheng Huang
  • Patent number: 6476967
    Abstract: The invention provides a compact optical circulator with three ports positioning between a dual-core collimator and a single-core collimator. The inventive circulator has a propagation director to couple a light from the dual-core collimator to one port of the circulator and another light form the other port of the circulator to the dual-core collimator. The invention further provides a compact optical circulator with three ports having a reflective compensator. The reflective compensator compensates the optical path length of two polarized beams. Furthermore, the invention eliminates the polarization mode dispersion by utilizing a reflective compensator. As well, the inventive circulator forgoes use of the reciprocal polarizing-rotating unit, thus reducing production costs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2002
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Chieh Hu, Chen-Bin Huang, Chin-Lan Liao
  • Patent number: 6462306
    Abstract: A material machining system for machining a workpiece (PCB, PWB etc.) for drilling blind vias. The system includes a laser supply system (20, 26, 30) for supplying discrete machining beams (22a, 22b) that are separate from each other. A deflecting devices (28, 32) is provided for deflecting each of the discrete machining beams to generate multiple independent beams at a plurality of positions within a field of operation on the workpiece. A scan lens (34) having an entrance pupil configured to receive the multiple independent beams from the deflecting devices is provided proximate to the entrance pupil of the scan lens. A computer is used for controlling the deflecting devices to change the respective positions of the multiple independent beams in at least one co-ordinate direction within the field of operation. The deflecting devices include galvo/mirror pairs at the entrance pupil of the scan lens. This is accomplished since the scan lens has a relatively large entrance pupil and the mirror parts are small.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2002
    Assignee: GSI Lumonics, Inc.
    Inventors: Anton Theodore Kitai, Ian James Miller, Steven Harold Moffat
  • Publication number: 20020105710
    Abstract: A light beam polarization converter for converting non-polarized light beams of an illumination source having a plurality of polarization states into a single polarization state is disclosed. The light beams from the bottom converged by the lower surface of the under plate and further parallelized by the upper surface thereof enter the converter. After a series of optical processes of polarization splitting, reflection or total reflection, and phase retardation within the converter, the light beams will pass through the converter as light beams of a single polarization state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2001
    Publication date: August 8, 2002
    Inventors: Chih-Kung Lee, Chih-Ting Lin, Shu-Sheng Lee, Ching-Heng Tang
  • Publication number: 20020080467
    Abstract: A polarization mode dispersion generator for generating polarization mode dispersion (“PMD”) spectra is provided. The generator includes a plurality of birefringent stages, each stage including a differential group delay (“DGD”) element and a phase-shifting element. The generator is capable of inducing an amount of polarization mode-mixing between at least one adjacent pair of stages. The shape of a PMD spectrum can be preserved while frequency shifting the spectrum in either direction. Alternatively, the shape of the PMD spectrum can be changed without frequency shifting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2001
    Publication date: June 27, 2002
    Applicant: Yafo Networks, Inc.
    Inventor: Jay N. Damask
  • Publication number: 20020071180
    Abstract: A device serving as an optical switch or attenuator is disclosed, based on the insertion of a halfwave plate in a collimated beam space between two lenses. All beams have first been aligned to a same polarization state by standard polarization diversity techniques. Moving the halfwave plate into or out of the beam incident thereon enables switching the beams direction based on polarization. Partial insertion of the waveplate attenuates the beam through rotation of polarization state for part of the beam. Preferably, polarizers are used to improve extinction ratio and wavelength flatness.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2000
    Publication date: June 13, 2002
    Inventors: Thomas Ducellier, Neil Teitelbaum
  • Patent number: 6404552
    Abstract: A projection type display device constructed so that light source beams via a polarization beam splitter are separated of colors by a color separating/synthesizing optical system and enter light valves disposed for every color light, the light beams exiting from the respective light valves are synthesized by the color separating/synthesizing optical system, the synthesized light beams exit, the polarization beam splitter analyzes the synthesized light beams and takes out the analyzed light beams, and the analyzed light beams are projected on a screen through a projection lens. A normal line of an outgoing surface of the polarization beam splitter with respect to the light source beams exiting toward the color separating/synthesizing optical system from the polarization beam splitter, has a predetermined angle larger than zero degree with respect to an optical axis of the light source beams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2002
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Yuji Manabe
  • Patent number: 6400493
    Abstract: An optical imaging assembly for imaging light from a display. The optical assembly is constructed from first and second linear polarization filters, first and second lenses that are preferably concave-convex lenses, and first and second ¼ wave plates. The first linear polarization filter passes light polarized in a first direction, and second linear polarization filter passes light polarized in a second direction that is orthogonal to the first direction. A folded imaging assembly is constructed from the first and second lenses and the first ¼ wave plate. The first and second lenses have partially reflecting coatings on one surface of each lens. The folded imaging assembly and the second ¼ wave plate are located between the first and second linear polarization filters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2002
    Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Pierre H. Mertz, Shahida Rana
  • Patent number: 6396637
    Abstract: An image display device comprising a light modulation panel, a light conductor arranged opposite the light modulation panel and a light source connected to the light conductor. The light conductor comprises a serrated foil which reflects a light beam emitted by the light source and having a first direction of polarization, and transmits a light beam modulated by the light modulation panel and having a second direction of polarization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2002
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Wouter Roest, Helmar Van Santen
  • Patent number: 6344919
    Abstract: Methods and devices are provided for quickly producing all possible linear polarization states of light at the output of a length of optical fiber. Linearly polarized light is input and is transmitted through a fiber. Due to the birefringence of the fiber, light at the output of the fiber is elliptically polarized irrespective of the input polarization. The elliptically polarized states of light at the output are generated as an arbitrary circle on an output Poincare sphere. This arbitrary circle is then manipulated to produce a final circle substantially coinciding with the equator of the Poincare sphere. This final circle represents all possible linear polarization states at the output of the fiber. The invention eliminates the need for determining transformation matrices and performing point-by-point calculations in order to obtain input polarization settings for polarization-based, passive optical network (“PON”) testing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2002
    Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Ranjan Dutta, William R. Holland
  • Publication number: 20010055158
    Abstract: An apparatus for channel interleaving comprises a spatial birefringent element assembly and a reflector which is configured so as to direct light from the spatial birefringent element assembly back through the spatial birefringent element assembly. The spatial birefringent element assembly comprises at least one spatial birefringent element. Directing light from the spatial birefringent element assembly back through the spatial birefringent element assembly substantially mitigates cross-talk and/or dispersion of the apparatus for channel interleaving in communications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2001
    Publication date: December 27, 2001
    Inventor: Bin Zhao