Echelette Or Blazed Grating Patents (Class 359/571)
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Patent number: 6246521Abstract: A compact illumination device intended especially for illuminating an active matrix in a monochromatic or trichromatic display device. This device includes a source and collimating device in order to deliver a lighting direction from the source along a direction (Dy) and two optical components (M1) and (M2) which anamorphose the lighting in a direction parallel to the direction (Dy) and in a direction (Dz) perpendicular to the direction (Dy), respectively. These components may typically be of the holographic grating type operating in transmission or in reflection.Type: GrantFiled: May 5, 1999Date of Patent: June 12, 2001Assignee: Thomson-CSFInventors: Anne Delboulbe, Jean-Pierre Huignard, Cécile Joubert, Brigitte Loiseaux
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Patent number: 6246522Abstract: The invention relates to a method of easily and quantitatively determining the diffraction efficiency of a relief type diffraction optical element, and provides a method of designing an optical system comprising a diffractive optical element using diffraction efficiency as at least one estimation index. The diffractive optical element is a transmission blaze grating constructed of a relief having a sawtooth shape in section. The transmission blaze grating having a side wall substantially vertical to a grating surface. The estimation index is given by a predetermined mathematical expression including at least a phase difference due to a relief discontinuity and shadow effects thereof. The mathematical expression includes as the shadow effects of said discontinuity at least a light attenuation effect dependent on an angle-of-incidence and a light attenuation effect independent on the angle-of-incidence in a separate manner.Type: GrantFiled: April 14, 1999Date of Patent: June 12, 2001Assignee: Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.Inventor: Tetsuya Ishii
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Publication number: 20010003035Abstract: Large, high quality diffraction gratings having carefully formed blazing angles and defect free reflective surfaces can be fabricated on specially oriented substrates using photolithographic or micromachining techniques. By selecting a single crystal substrate whose surface is at a known angle with respect to certain crystallographic planes of the substrate, anisotropic etching of the substrate can achieve diffraction grating grooves with reflective surfaces corresponding to the to specific crystallographic planes. The angle between the surface of the substrate and the specific crystallographic planes determines the blazing angle of the diffraction grating. Thus, large, high quality diffraction gratings can be fabricated for use in, for example, laser systems, or for use as master gratings in the manufacture of replica gratings.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 10, 1998Publication date: June 7, 2001Inventors: ROBERT G. OZARSKI, JOHN L. CROWLEY
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Patent number: 6222661Abstract: A scanning optical system is provided with a semiconductor laser, a polygonal mirror, which deflects a beam emitted from the semiconductor laser, an f&thgr; lens for converging the beam deflected by the deflector onto a surface to be scanned, and a diffractive surface between the polygonal mirror and the surface to be scanned. The diffractive surface compensates for a lateral chromatic aberration caused by the f&thgr; lens. Further, the diffraction efficiency of the diffractive surface on an optical axis of the f&thgr; lens is smaller than that of a peripheral portion to cancel a power variation due to a variation of the light quantity transmitted through the scanning lens.Type: GrantFiled: January 18, 2000Date of Patent: April 24, 2001Assignee: Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Shuichi Takeuchi, Junji Kamikubo
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Patent number: 6215591Abstract: Disclosed are a lens efficiently manufactured into an accurate shape at a low cost, a manufacturing method thereof, and an optical pickup using the lens. The lens includes a geometrical optics portion for converging light having been incident thereon from its light incoming plane, and two diffraction optics portions provided on the light incoming plane and a light outgoing plane of the geometrical optics portion, wherein the diffraction optics portions are made from a material different from that of the geometrical optics portion.Type: GrantFiled: July 14, 1999Date of Patent: April 10, 2001Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Hiroyuki Ueda, Shinji Saito, Satoshi Kawakita, Hiroyuki Sakakibara
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Patent number: 6193376Abstract: A display apparatus of the present invention includes: an illumination optical system for emitting illumination light; a reflective display panel divided into a plurality of pixels, illuminated by the illumination light from the illumination optical system, and selectively reflecting the incident illumination light pixel by pixel as projection light; a projection optical system for projecting image information the reflective display panel onto a projected surface by transmitting the projection light reflected at the reflective display panel; and a reflection angle converting optical system disposed ahead of the reflective display panel, changing the angle of incidence of the illumination light on the reflective display panel, and adjusting the sum of the angle of incidence of the illumination light on the reflective display panel and the angle of reflection of the projection light at the reflective display panel.Type: GrantFiled: February 26, 1999Date of Patent: February 27, 2001Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kohtaro Hayashi, Kenji Konno, Shunta Takimoto, Yasumasa Sawai, Shigeru Sawamura
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Patent number: 6172779Abstract: A two-focal-point pickup device capable of suppressing the generation of glitch or bump in reproduced signal. The optical pickup device irradiates a light beam emitted from a light source onto an optical recording medium to form a light spot on a track of a recording surface of the optical recording medium to read the optical recording medium while controlling the position of the light spot relative to the track of the recording surface. The optical pickup device includes a converging lens section coaxially disposed in an optical axis of the light beam to converge the light beam onto the recording surface; and a hologram lens section coaxially disposed in the optical axis of the light beam to diffract the light beam.Type: GrantFiled: March 7, 2000Date of Patent: January 9, 2001Assignee: Pioneer Electronic CorporationInventors: Shinichi Takahashi, Masayuki Koyama
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Patent number: 6172792Abstract: An apparatus for redirecting physical energy includes a substrate defining a first boundary of a region, a first electrode defining a second boundary of the region, the second boundary disposed opposite to the first boundary, a second electrode adjacent to the first boundary for cooperating with the first electrode to apply a non-uniform electric field to the region, the non-uniform electric field having electrical field intensities simultaneously including a first electric field intensity and a second electric field intensity, and a layer of material disposed in the region, the layer having a variable index of refraction responsive to the electric field intensities of the non-uniform electric field, the variable index of refraction including a first index of refraction in response to the first electric field intensity and a second index of refraction in response to the second electric field intensity.Type: GrantFiled: January 30, 1998Date of Patent: January 9, 2001Inventors: Mary Lou Jepsen, Phillip Alvelda
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Patent number: 6166854Abstract: A zone plate having an aberration correcting function in a wavelength selecting manner and a diffraction grating substantially having a light shielding function in a wavelength selecting manner are formed, respectively, in a center region and a marginal region of a filter, whereby only a predetermined wavelength of light is converged or diverged by the zone plate and is diffracted sideways by the diffraction grating, whereby the luminous flux diameter of the irradiation light is changed while the aberration caused by a convergent lens is favorably corrected. The diffraction type filter 8A is constituted by a first region 11 comprising a central circular portion and a second region 12 comprising a marginal portion thereof. The first region 11 is provided with a zone plate 11A (diffraction grating formed like concentric circles) having such a wavelength selectivity that light at a wavelength of 635 nm is transmitted therethrough as it is and that light at a wavelength of 780 nm is converged thereby.Type: GrantFiled: December 11, 1998Date of Patent: December 26, 2000Assignee: Fuji Photo Optical Co., Ltd.Inventor: Toshiaki Katsuma
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Patent number: 6160646Abstract: A two-focal-point pickup device capable of suppressing the generation of glitch or bump in reproduced signal. The optical pickup device irradiates a light beam emitted from a light source onto an optical recording medium to form a light spot on a track of a recording surface of the optical recording medium to read the optical recording medium while controlling the position of the light spot relative to the track of the recording surface. The optical pickup device includes a converging lens section coaxially disposed in an optical axis of the light beam to converge the light beam onto the recording surface; and a hologram lens section coaxially disposed in the optical axis of the light beam to diffract the light beam.Type: GrantFiled: March 7, 2000Date of Patent: December 12, 2000Assignee: Pioneer Electronic CorporationInventors: Shinichi Takahashi, Masayuki Koyama
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Patent number: 6157487Abstract: An optically variable surface pattern includes at least one graphic representation producing an achromatic impression when viewed in visible light over a certain angular range without noticeable color fringes occurring in the adjoining angular ranges. A plane surface portion includes a grating structure which disperses incident light with comparable intensity into a cone within a predetermined angle range regardless of differing wavelength. An overlap of several successive high orders of diffraction results in a recombination of the dispersed light to white light at any diffraction angle within the cone. The surface portion viewed from a direction within the cone reflects white light, in contrast to a simple flat mirror which has a very narrow range of specular reflection. At viewing angles outside the cone, the surface portion is dim or dark grey. The shape of the surface portion is then recognized as an area white lit or dark depending upon a particular viewing angle relative to incident light.Type: GrantFiled: April 29, 1998Date of Patent: December 5, 2000Assignee: OVD Kinegram AGInventors: Rene Staub, Wayne Robert Tompkin
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Patent number: 6151166Abstract: A color image display device has a light source which emits an approximately parallel beam of light, a color separation element for separating this parallel beam into beams of light of different colors, a liquid crystal display panel having picture elements and a lens array for focusing the separated beams at corresponding ones of these picture elements. The color separation element is formed with a prism array having two diffraction gratings on both sides of it such that a beam of white light passing through it will be separated into beams of different colors and the angles between the optical axes of these beams of different colors will be greater as they leave the separation element than if this beam of white light passed through only one of these diffraction gratings. Either one or both of these diffraction gratings may be integrally formed respectively on one or both of the surfaces of the prism array.Type: GrantFiled: May 19, 1998Date of Patent: November 21, 2000Assignee: Omron CorporationInventors: Tomohiko Matsushita, Masayuki Shinohara, Shigeru Aoyama
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Patent number: 6104533Abstract: An optical viewfinder system comprising two optical elements, and a field stop or a reticle, to provide an image of a scene to a viewer, and further comprising a diffractive optical element to provide a clear, stationary image of the field stop or reticle to the viewer.Type: GrantFiled: September 16, 1998Date of Patent: August 15, 2000Assignee: Polaroid CorporationInventors: Peter P. Clark, William T. Plummer
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Patent number: 6084710Abstract: A diffraction grating with a wavelength selectivity having one sectional side formed like a step is disposed at a marginal region of a filter, and only a wavelength of light whose luminous flux diameter is to be narrowed is diffracted sideways at the diffraction grating, whereby the luminous flux diameter of irradiation light is changed by a simple configuration without complicating an electric control system or restricting the direction of vibration of the irradiation light, while reducing noise. Disposed on a glass substrate 10 are a first region 11 having no diffraction grating 12A, and a second region 12 having diffraction gratings 12A constituted by long protrusions arranged in parallel at a predetermined pitch, each protrusion being continuous in one direction and having one sectional side formed like a step.Type: GrantFiled: November 23, 1998Date of Patent: July 4, 2000Assignee: Fuji Photo Optical Co., Ltd.Inventor: Toshiaki Katsuma
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Patent number: 6067197Abstract: An echelle grating having a groove facet angle and groove periodicity such that for laser-emitted light of two different wavelengths the highest propagating diffraction order is blazed and the next higher order is non-propagating such that the intensity of each blazed order is enhanced. In an example, the 84th diffraction order of a KrF excimer laser emitting at 248.4 nm and the 108th diffraction order of an ArF excimer laser emitting at 193.3 nm will both be blazed when the groove spacing d is 0.010623 mm, corresponding to a frequency f of 94.13 grooves per mm, and the groove facet angle .theta..sub.g is about 80.degree., whereas the next higher order for each laser, i.e., the 85th and 109th orders, respectively, are non-propagating, and thus both blaze orders are enhanced.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 1998Date of Patent: May 23, 2000Assignee: Spectronic Instruments, Inc.Inventors: Thomas C. Blasiak, Semyon L. Zheleznyak
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Patent number: 6064057Abstract: In a color image reading apparatus, a plurality of line sensors are arranged on a same substrate and an image of an object is formed on the sensors by an imaging optical system. A blazed diffraction grating is disposed in an optical path between the imaging optical system and the sensors so as to color-separate a light beam from the object into a plurality of color light beams. A correction element such as a plane-parallel glass, prism or the like is disposed in an optical path between the blazed diffraction grating and the sensors so as to correct different imaging positions on the surfaces of the sensors caused by different wavelengths of the plurality of color light beams color-separated by the blazed diffraction grating.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 1998Date of Patent: May 16, 2000Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Hidekazu Shimomura, Hiroshi Sato
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Patent number: 6055107Abstract: Method for the preparation of diffractive lens with one single etching step and using one single etching mask. While the widths and intervals of the masked areas of the photo masks are decided under a geometric relation, an etching mask can be prepared on the substrate of the lens where the widths and the intervals of the masked areas can be determined. As the included angle between the etching mask and the plan of the material of the lens is in a certain ratio to the etching efficiency of the etchant to the substrate of the lens, a one step etching process can be developed whereby multilevel diffractive lens with required number, widths and heights of the levels can be obtained. This invention also provides an oxidation-isotropic etching process on the diffractive lens so prepared.Type: GrantFiled: August 12, 1997Date of Patent: April 25, 2000Assignee: Industrial Technology Research InstituteInventors: Yeh-Tseng Li, Chen-Kuei Chung, Jin-Shown Shie
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Patent number: 6055076Abstract: A two-focal-point pickup device capable of suppressing the generation of glitch or bump in reproduced signal. The optical pickup device irradiates a light beam emitted from a light source onto an optical recording medium to form a light spot on a track of a recording surface of the optical recording medium to read the optical recording medium while controlling the position of the light spot relative to the track of the recording surface. The optical pickup device includes a converging lens section coaxially disposed in an optical axis of the light beam to converge the light beam onto the recording surface; and a hologram lens section coaxially disposed in the optical axis of the light beam to diffract the light beam.Type: GrantFiled: January 12, 1998Date of Patent: April 25, 2000Assignee: Pioneer Electronic CorporationInventors: Shinichi Takahashi, Masayuki Koyama
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Patent number: 6055105Abstract: An optical system that can be used in an optical imaging system and displays good imaging performance with corrected chromatic aberration without increasing the number of lenses is provided by employing a lens surface with a diffractive effect. The optical system uses a lens with a concave incident surface and positive refractive power. A grating element surface 40 with positive refractive power is formed on at least one surface of the lens. The surface on which the grating element is formed is an aspherical surface with a radius of curvature that becomes bigger with increasing distance from the optical axis.Type: GrantFiled: September 9, 1997Date of Patent: April 25, 2000Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kazutake Boku, Shusuke Ono
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Patent number: 6040943Abstract: A lens system having a reduced number of injection-molded singlet lens elements with at least one diffractive surface to control axial and lateral chromatic aberrations is disclosed. In one embodiment, the diffractive surface is placed on the first surface of the third lens, which is closest to the image plane. An opaque spacer provides suppression of stray light from reaching the image plane.Type: GrantFiled: March 23, 1998Date of Patent: March 21, 2000Assignee: Donnelly OpticsInventor: Michael P. Schaub
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Patent number: 6034819Abstract: The invention has for its object to reduce the overall length of a single lens using a diffractive optical element, and provides a diffractive optical element applicable to an optical system for cameras such as silver salt cameras, and electronic cameras, in which both surfaces of the single lens are constructed of diffractive surfaces, are plane surfaces or have curvature, and comprise diffractive surfaces having, in order from a subject side thereof, positive power and positive power, positive power and negative power, and negative power and positive power.Type: GrantFiled: August 29, 1997Date of Patent: March 7, 2000Assignee: Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.Inventor: Yasuji Ogata
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Patent number: 6028705Abstract: A color image reading apparatus is provided wherein a color picture image is read out by a monolithic three line sensor through a reflection type one-dimensional blazed diffraction grating acting as a color separating means. The diffraction grating is concavely curved forward the line sensor, and a light beam, diverging after being focused by an image forming optical element having a predetermined refracting power only in a sub-scan cross section, is color-separated into three color light components by the diffraction grating and re-imaged on the surface of the three line sensors located at a predetermined position. As a result, the blur of .+-.1 order diffracted lights in a sub-scanning direction can be prevented which is due to the deviation of a reflective diffraction angle resulting from the difference in an incident angle of respective lights on the grating surface in the sub-scan cross section.Type: GrantFiled: May 26, 1994Date of Patent: February 22, 2000Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Takehiko Nakai
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Patent number: 6016222Abstract: A color image reading apparatus includes a light receiving device having a plurality of line sensors disposed on a surface of a common substrate, an imaging optical system for forming an image of an object, a blazed diffraction grating, disposed in an optical path between the imaging optical system and the light receiving device, for color-separating a beam from the object into a plurality of color beams, a first optical element provided near a position where the plurality of color beams are focused in a sub scanning cross section by the imaging optical system and a second optical element provided in an optical path between the first optical element and the light receiving device. The plurality of color beams color-separated by the blazed diffraction grating are focused on the light receiving device through the first optical element and the second optical element.Type: GrantFiled: November 14, 1997Date of Patent: January 18, 2000Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Michitaka Setani, Emiko Ueno
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Patent number: 6008942Abstract: A diffractive optical element for diffracting non-collimated light includes a base surface and a periodic structure formed on the base surface and having a plurality of diffractive surfaces and a plurality of boundary surfaces. The boundary surfaces are separated into plural zones, and in each zone, the boundary surface is placed substantially parallel to a main portion of a light beam impinging on that zone.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 1997Date of Patent: December 28, 1999Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Makoto Ogusu, Hiroshi Maehara, Keita Sakai
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Patent number: 5995286Abstract: An optical system has a diffractive optical element. A diffractive optical surface of the optical element has a blaze-shaped diffraction grating. The grating heights are smaller in the peripheral region of the grating than in the central region of the grating around its optical axis. The optical element acts as a lenses a result of light rays being deflected by the light-diffracting action of the diffractive optical surface.Type: GrantFiled: March 5, 1998Date of Patent: November 30, 1999Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hiromu Mukai, Yuichiro Ori, Shigeto Ohmori
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Patent number: 5982543Abstract: A zoned lens comprises at least two adjacent zones (16) formed such that the differences between the optical path lengths between an object point and a pixel of light beams extending through these two adjacent zones (16) of the lens (15) are at least equal to half the coherence length of the light used, preferably at least equal to the coherence length of the light used.Type: GrantFiled: December 13, 1996Date of Patent: November 9, 1999Assignee: Bifocon Optics Forschungs-Und EntwicklungsgmbhInventor: Werner Fiala
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Patent number: 5978139Abstract: The invention provides a diffraction grating lens suitable for use as an objective lens for an optical disk recording/reproducing apparatus. This lens includes a light transmissive substrate of which a refractive index is larger than 1, having one plane and the other plane, and a diffraction grating pattern having a lens effect and constituted by a plurality of diffraction gratings formed on one plane of the light transmissive substrate. The diffraction grating pattern is for focusing an incident light beam flux at a focal point provided on a side of the other plane of the light transmissive substrate and is formed so that a numerical aperture, calculated with the focal point as a peak point, becomes larger than 1.Type: GrantFiled: September 17, 1997Date of Patent: November 2, 1999Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha ToshibaInventors: Genichi Hatakoshi, Masahiro Yamamoto
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Patent number: 5966244Abstract: An eyepiece lens has a single lens element having a positive optical power, and the single lens element has a refractive power of an aspherical surface and a diffractive power. The eyepiece lens satisfies the following condition:-0.0006<{1 /(fl.multidot..nu.)}+.phi.DOE/.nu.DOE<0.0002where fl represents the focal length resulting from both refractive effect and diffractive effect of the eyepiece lens, .nu. represents the Abbe number of the eyepiece lens, .phi.DOE represents the power resulting from the diffractive effect of the eyepiece lens, and .nu.DOE represents the Abbe-number-equivalent value resulting from the diffractive effect of the eyepiece lens.Type: GrantFiled: October 3, 1997Date of Patent: October 12, 1999Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hiromu Mukai, Shigeto Ohmori
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Patent number: 5949578Abstract: A reflective grating for the optical diffraction of light rays comprises k juxtaposed, grooved, plane sub-gratings, the planes of the sub-gratings being offset in terms of height with respect to one another along the normal to the plane of the reflective surface of the grooves, enabling the difference in optical path of the grating to be reduced to the difference in optical path between the two ends of a sub-grating.Type: GrantFiled: February 19, 1998Date of Patent: September 7, 1999Assignee: France TelecomInventor: Bernard Sermage
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Patent number: 5914815Abstract: An optical rearview system for a vehicle includes a reflective element which reflects light incident thereon and at least one diffraction grating in the path of light from an object rearward of the vehicle towards the reflective element. The at least one diffraction grating diffracts light from the object wherein light passing through the diffraction grating is directed towards the reflective element. Such optical rearview system eliminates secondary reflections and flare which have precluded successful commercialization of previously known optical rearview systems.Type: GrantFiled: August 29, 1997Date of Patent: June 22, 1999Assignee: Donnelly CorporationInventor: Brent J. Bos
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Patent number: 5914811Abstract: A birefringence polarizing beam-splitter is provided. A series of periodic blazed grooves or grooves with echelon profile having a number of steps is provided on the surface of an optically birefringent material. The birefringent substrate material may be crystalline or plastic. In another embodiment, two substrates of birefringent material having a series of periodic blazed grooves or grooves with echelon profile are combined to achieve greater angle of beam splitting.Type: GrantFiled: August 30, 1996Date of Patent: June 22, 1999Assignee: University of HoustonInventors: Yansong Chen, Shangquiq Liu, Alex Ignatiev, NaiJuan Wu
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Patent number: 5907436Abstract: The design and fabrication of dielectric grating structures with high diffraction efficiency used in reflection or transmission is described. By forming a multilayer structure of alternating index dielectric materials and placing a grating structure on top of the multilayer, a diffraction grating of adjustable efficiency, and variable optical bandwidth can be obtained. Diffraction efficiency into the first order in reflection varying between 1 and 98 percent has been achieved by controlling the design of the multilayer and the depth, shape, and material comprising the grooves of the grating structure. Methods for fabricating these gratings without the use of ion etching techniques are described.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 1995Date of Patent: May 25, 1999Assignee: The Regents of the University of CaliforniaInventors: Michael D. Perry, Jerald A. Britten, Hoang T. Nguyen, Robert Boyd, Bruce W. Shore
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Patent number: 5844233Abstract: A color image reading apparatus includes a light-receiving unit in which a plurality of line sensors are disposed at equal intervals on a same substrate, an imaging optical system for imaging an object on the light-receiving unit, a blazed diffraction grating, disposed in an optical path between the imaging optical system and the light-receiving unit, for color-separating light from the object into a plurality of color light beams, and a dichroic mirror disposed in an optical path between the blazed diffraction grating and the light-receiving unit, and having at least two reflecting surfaces.Type: GrantFiled: February 5, 1996Date of Patent: December 1, 1998Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Hiroshi Sato
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Patent number: 5805315Abstract: A holographic scanner for scanning a surface with a light beam is provided. The holographic scanner includes a light source for emitting light used as the light beam, a front hologram for diffracting the light emitted from the light source to produce a first diffracted beam, a rotary hologram disk having a disk plane and rotatable around an axis thereof vertical to the disk plane, the rotary hologram disk including a plurality of scanning holograms arranged on the disk plane in a circumferential direction, the scanning holograms diffracting the first diffracted beam to produce a second diffracted beam, and a rear hologram for diffracting the second diffracted beam to produce a third diffracted beam, the third diffracted beam being used as the light beam for illuminating the scanning plane.Type: GrantFiled: May 15, 1997Date of Patent: September 8, 1998Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Tadashi Iwamatsu, Tetsuro Toyoshima
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Patent number: 5801795Abstract: White light is input to light diffracting means so composed as to have a structure including macro prisms combined with a lenticular structure and include diffraction gratings at a microscopic level. As the height (h(x)) of unit steps of said diffraction grating is modulated at every period of arranged pixels, the output diffracted light is decomposed into three primary colors, and guided with highly accurate matching to the three respective primary color pixels of a liquid crystal panel means. In the pitch modulation type diffraction grating of the prior art, it was basically impossible to avoid the defect that the converged positions of a red light ray and a blue light ray deviate about 30%.Type: GrantFiled: April 10, 1997Date of Patent: September 1, 1998Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventor: Masanori Ogino
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Patent number: 5790321Abstract: An imaging optical system comprising at least one diffractive optical element having a positive refractive power, at least one refractive optical element having a positive refractive power and at least one refractive optical element having a negative refractive power; and characterized in that it favorably corrects aberrations, in particular, chromatic aberration.Type: GrantFiled: May 10, 1994Date of Patent: August 4, 1998Assignee: Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.Inventor: Hisashi Goto
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Patent number: 5760871Abstract: A tri-focal diffractive lens defining three foci, for viewing a band of light having a representative wavelength of .lambda., including a diffractive surface having a number of optical heights, h.sub.o, wherein the difference between the highest and the lowest optical heights is, modulo .lambda., substantially different from .lambda./2, wherein each of the foci receives at least 20% of light incident on the lens.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 1993Date of Patent: June 2, 1998Assignee: Holo-Or Ltd.Inventors: Tatiana Kosoburd, Joseph Kedmi, Israel Grossinger, Uri Levy
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Patent number: 5748372Abstract: The invention provides a high-magnification and high-NA objective having a long working distance, which is corrected for various aberrations, especially chromatic aberrations over a wide wavelength range and allowed to have an aligning pupil position without making much use of cemented lenses and anomalous dispersion glass. The objective comprises a first lens group G1 including a meniscus lens concave on the object side and having a positive power as a whole, two optical elements of the diffraction type (DOEs), and a second lens group G2 including at least one cemented lens, and satisfies the condition for ensuring the edge thickness of the front lens as well as either one of two conditions for making effective correction for longitudinal chromatic aberration and chromatic aberration of magnification.Type: GrantFiled: April 17, 1996Date of Patent: May 5, 1998Assignee: Olympus Optical Company LimitedInventor: Junichi Kitagawa
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Patent number: 5729365Abstract: A microlithographic tag comprising an array of individual computer generated holographic patches having feature sizes between 250 and 75 nanometers. The tag is a composite hologram made up of the individual holographic patches and contains identifying information when read out with a laser of the proper wavelength and at the proper angles of probing and reading. The patches are fabricated in a steep angle Littrow readout geometry to maximize returns in the -1 diffracted order. The tags are useful as anti-counterfeiting markers because of the extreme difficulty in reproducing them.Type: GrantFiled: January 11, 1996Date of Patent: March 17, 1998Assignee: Sandia CorporationInventor: William C. Sweatt
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Patent number: 5699142Abstract: A diffractive, multifocal ophthalmic lens including an apodization zone with echelettes having a smoothly reduced step height to shift the energy balance from the near image to the distant image and thus reduce the glare perceived when viewing a discrete, distant light source.Type: GrantFiled: May 23, 1996Date of Patent: December 16, 1997Assignee: Alcon Laboratories, Inc.Inventors: Chun-Shen Lee, Michael J. Simpson
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Patent number: 5682265Abstract: Optical apparatus for dispersing a visible light spectrum into primary color bands and directing each color band into a specific pixelated cell of a passive display. The apparatus includes an array of refractive microlenses arranged parallel to the plane of the passive display such as a liquid crystal display and a diffraction grating arranged parallel and in close proximity to the lens array. The microlenses focus visible light onto the display while the diffraction grating separates the visible light into primary color bands in different diffraction orders such that the colors are directed to and transmitted through the corresponding specific pixelated cells.Type: GrantFiled: February 18, 1994Date of Patent: October 28, 1997Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyInventors: Michael W. Farn, Wilfrid B. Veldkamp
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Patent number: 5682266Abstract: A blur filter for use with a multi-element electro-optical sensor is formed with a plurality of diffractive elements positioned adjacent each other with each of the elements being comprised of uniformly spaced concentric diffractive features. The plurality of diffractive elements are secured in a plane near the sensing surfaces of a multi-element electro-optical sensor. Each element of the multi-element sensor has a plurality of sensing surfaces for receiving incident light from a plurality of diffractive features.Type: GrantFiled: April 5, 1995Date of Patent: October 28, 1997Assignee: Eastman Kodak CompanyInventor: Mark M. Meyers
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Patent number: 5680252Abstract: A miniature lens system that corrects for imaging and chromatic aberrations, the lens system being fabricated from primarily commercially-available components. A first element at the input to a lens housing is an aperture stop. A second optical element is a refractive element with a diffractive element closely coupled to, or formed a part of, the rear surface of the refractive element. Spaced closely to the diffractive element is a baffle to limit the area of the image, and this is closely followed by a second refractive lens element to provide the final correction. The image, corrected for aberrations exits the last lens element to impinge upon a detector plane were is positioned any desired detector array. The diffractive element is fabricated according to an equation that includes, as variables, the design wavelength, the index of refraction and the radius from an optical axis of the lens system components.Type: GrantFiled: March 23, 1995Date of Patent: October 21, 1997Assignee: Martin Marietta Energy Systems, Inc.Inventors: David N. Sitter, Jr., Marc L. Simpson
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Patent number: 5652681Abstract: A dispersive optical element called a "grism" (50) which has characteristics of both a prism (56) and a grating (62). The grism (50) consists of a prism (56) with a grating (62) disposed adjacent to one surface of the prism (56). Light passing through the grism (50) is dispersed by both the prism (56) and the grating (62). The grating (62) may be attached to either the first or second surface of the prism (56) or may be simply adjacent to the prism (56). The grism (50) has dispersive characteristics such as resolving power that can be optimized in a very flexible manner by choice of both the grating (62) and prism (56) characteristics. For example, the grating (62) may be used to amplify the angular spread introduced by a prism (56). Also different diffractive orders of the grating (62) may be used simultaneously. The result is a device with a very flexible and improved dynamic range of its resolving power, which is particularly useful in applications such as spectrometers.Type: GrantFiled: January 11, 1996Date of Patent: July 29, 1997Assignee: Hughes ElectronicsInventors: Chungte W. Chen, Ernest W. Gossett
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Patent number: 5615024Abstract: A display device comprises a liquid crystal spatial light modulator (1) associated with diffractive means, such as a diffraction grating comprising grating elements (5). The diffraction grating is illuminated by a light source (6, 7) and each element is chirped and blazed so as to separate the primary colors of the illuminating light and direct them to individual light-modulating elements (R, G, B) of the modulator (1). By dispensing with conventional color filters, the efficiency of the display device is improved. Further, the focusing action of the grating elements (5) directs light to the elements of the modulator (1) so as to prevent light wastage caused by blocking of light by opaque regions of the display.Type: GrantFiled: August 10, 1993Date of Patent: March 25, 1997Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Paul May, Graham J. Woodgate, David Ezra
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Patent number: 5589982Abstract: A polychromatic diffractive lens is usable with broadband or multi-spectral illumination to bring a plurality of spectral components of the illumination to a common focus in space. The lens has a Fresnel zone structure of zones and a profile which provides a phase jump delay at each zone boundary to the illumination of at least one of the spectral components which is greater than one period (wave) of that wavelength, and more particularly, a multiple of 2.pi.p, where p is an integer greater than or equal to two. The parameter p and the width of the zones are selected so that the spectral components are directed, and if desired directed so as to be brought to the common focus with high diffraction efficiency in distinct diffractive orders, the lens thereby being a multi-order diffractive (MOD) lens.Type: GrantFiled: June 3, 1994Date of Patent: December 31, 1996Assignee: Rochester Photonics CorporationInventors: Dean Faklis, G. Michael Morris
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Patent number: 5581405Abstract: A hybrid refractive and diffractive achromatic lens suited for single-use or inexpensive single-lens cameras operating in visible spectral range. The lens comprises a body of optically transmissive material having an index of refraction at a wavelength approximately at the center of said range of at least 1.45. The lens body having a first and second surface on opposite sides thereof, at least one of said surfaces being curved to provide a refractive portion having power and introduces chromatic aberration, the lens having a diffractive portion having power which substantially achromatizes the lens for the chromatic aberration of the refraction portion over about 440 nm to about 650 nm range.Type: GrantFiled: August 17, 1994Date of Patent: December 3, 1996Assignee: Eastman Kodak CompanyInventors: Mark M. Meyers, Joseph R. Bietry
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Patent number: 5566024Abstract: Two sets of two single blazed binary diffractive optical elements form a beam separation control apparatus for expanding two closely spaced parallel beams into two wider spaced parallel beams or for contracting two wider spaced parallel beams into two closely spaced parallel beams. Four sets of two single blazed binary diffractive optical elements form a beam separation control apparatus for separating two closely spaced parallel beams into two wider spaced parallel beams for possible modulation or other optical effect, then returning the two beams to be closely spaced and parallel. A set of two adjacent and opposite single blazed binary diffractive optical elements can form a beam splitting apparatus or a beam combining apparatus.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 1993Date of Patent: October 15, 1996Assignee: Xerox CorporationInventor: Russell B. Rauch
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Patent number: 5546235Abstract: A cylindrical astigmatic lens is used conventionally in detecting focussing errors in an optical pickup system. The inventive astigmatic lens is comprised of an orthorhombic base, made of a refractive material, provided with two parallel surfaces and a centerplane perpendicular thereto, and two sets of M pentahedrons, made of the same refractive material, placed on one of the two parallel surfaces thereof in such a way that each set of M pentahedrons is symmetric with respect to the centerplane. Each of the pentahedrons consists of three rectangular surfaces and two right angled triangular side surfaces, each of the triangular side surfaces being defined by a height H.sub.m, a base R.sub.m and an inclination. Since the height is the same in all of the triangular side surfaces in the M pentahedrons, the dimension of each pentahedron in the inventive astigmatic lens is defined by R.sub.m, R.sub.m being expressed as ##EQU1## wherein f represents the focus length and .lambda.Type: GrantFiled: November 4, 1994Date of Patent: August 13, 1996Assignee: Daewoo Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventor: Chan-Kyu Park
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Patent number: 5546201Abstract: A double bounce facet tracking polygon in which a reflective mode replicated diffraction grating element on a flat facet on the double bounce facet tracking polygon is used to provide a small angle deflection which is used in a passive facet tracking system.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 1994Date of Patent: August 13, 1996Assignee: Xerox CorporationInventor: Jean-Michel Guerin