Abstract: Optical elements in an optical device simulate the optical perspective of animals, reptiles, fish, insects, birds and other creatures for a human viewer. The optical elements are one or more lenses, filters, diffraction gratings, mirrors, prisms, polarizers or apertures or combinations thereof. The optical device can be a monocle, a monocular, a telescope, binoculars, goggles, a mask, a visor or a helmet. The optical element can be permanently mounted in the optical device. The optical element can be removeably mounted in the optical device. The optical element can be sequentially moved through the optical device.

Abstract: The invention is an illumination system that incorporates a light emitting diode and a side-emitting light-recycling lens. The side-emitting light-recycling lens recycles part of the light internally generated by a light emitting diode back to the light emitting diode as externally incident light. The light emitting diode reflects a portion of the recycled light, thereby increasing the effective brightness of the light emitting diode. The light reflected by the light emitting diode is directed though the side-emitting light-recycling lens and exits the illumination system, thereby increasing the output brightness and efficiency of the illumination system. The light emitting diode reflects externally incident light with a reflectivity greater than 40 percent.

Abstract: This invention is an illumination system that incorporates a light emitting diode and a partially reflecting optical element. The light emitting diode emits internally generated light having a first angular range and reflects incident light with high reflectivity. The partially reflecting optical element transmits a first portion of the internally generated light with a second angular range, smaller than the first angular range, and reflects a second portion of the internally generated light back to the light emitting diode, where the second portion is reflected by the light emitting diode. The partially reflecting optical element can be a pyramid, an array of pyramids, a first and second orthogonal arrays of prisms or a bandpass filter. Utilizing a partially reflecting optical element and light recycling can increase the effective brightness and the output efficiency of the illumination system.

Abstract: A controlled electron beam and heat will decrease the birefringence of a halogenated optical material under tensile stress. The electron beam and heat irradiation will occur in a chamber under near vacuum conditions. After electron beam irradiation and heating, the crystalline structure of the halogenated optical material layer has been randomized and made amorphous. The electron beam irradiation and heating will lower the high index of refraction of the halogenated optical material under stress and raise the low index of refraction of the halogenated optical material under stress. The differences in index of refraction between the high index of refraction area of and the low index of refraction area decrease which decreases the birefringence of the halogenated optical material under stress.

Abstract: This invention is an illumination system that incorporates a light emitting diode and a partially reflecting optical element. The light emitting diode emits internally generated light and reflects incident light with high reflectivity. The partially reflecting optical element transmits a first portion of the internally generated light and reflects a second portion of the internally generated light back to the light emitting diode, where the second portion is reflected by the light emitting diode. The partially reflecting optical element can be a non-absorbing reflecting polarizer or a wavelength conversion layer. Utilizing a partially reflecting optical element and light recycling can increase the effective brightness and the output efficiency of the illumination system.

Abstract: The invention is a light emitting diode that exhibits high reflectivity to incident light and high extraction efficiency for internally generated light. The light emitting diode includes a reflecting layer that reflects both the incident light and the internally generated light. A multi-layer semiconductor structure is deposited on the reflecting layer. The multi-layer semiconductor structure has an active layer that emits the internally generated light. An array of light extracting elements extends at least part way through the multi-layer semiconductor structure and improves the extraction efficiency for internally generated light. The light extracting elements can be an array of trenches, an array of holes, an array of ridges or an array of etched strips. The light emitting diode improves the efficiency of light recycling illumination systems.

Abstract: High brightness LEDs are mounted directly on a heat pipe or are mounted on a substrate, which is mounted on the heat pipe. The heat pipe can be a common electrode for the LEDs mounted on the heat pipe. Multiple heat pipes can be arranged so that the LED arrays form a light recycling cavity to emit and reflect light.

Abstract: The invention is a side-emitting illumination system that incorporates a light emitting diode. The side-emitting illumination system recycles a portion of the light internally generated by a light emitting diode back to the light emitting diode as externally incident light. The light emitting diode reflects the recycled light, thereby increasing the effective brightness of the light emitting diode. The light reflected by the light emitting diode is directed though the output aperture of the side-emitting illumination system, thereby increasing the output brightness and efficiency of the side-emitting illumination system. The light emitting diode reflects externally incident light with a reflectivity greater than 40 percent.

Abstract: A wavelength conversion chip is formed by depositing a wavelength conversion material layer on a substrate, segmenting the wavelength conversion layer into a plurality of wavelength conversion chips, and then removing the wavelength conversion chips from the substrate. The wavelength conversion of the chips can be increased by thermal annealing or radiation annealing of the wavelength conversion material. Optical coatings or light extraction elements can be fabricated on the wavelength conversion layer.

Abstract: The exposure of selected optical materials to large area electron beam irradiation can raise the refractive index of the optical material to allow the fabrication of waveguides, optical fibers, gradient index lenses, interference filters, antireflection coatings, heat reflective thermal control coatings and other optical elements.

Abstract: A projection display system has at least one light-recycling illumination system, a color scroller and an imaging light modulator. The light-recycling illumination system includes a light source that is enclosed within a light-recycling envelope. The light source is a light-emitting diode that emits light, and a fraction of that light will exit the light-recycling envelope through an aperture. The light-recycling envelope recycles a portion of the light emitted by the light source back to the light source in order to enhance the luminance of the light exiting the aperture. The fraction of the light that exits the aperture is partially collimated and is directed to a color scrolling means. The color scroller scans the partially collimated light across the face of the imaging light modulator. The imaging light modulator spatially modulates the scrolled beam of light to form an image.

Abstract: An illumination system has a light source and a wavelength conversion layer within a light-recycling envelope. The light source is a light-emitting diode or a semiconductor laser. The light source will emit light of a first wavelength range that is transmitted through the wavelength conversion layer in order to convert a portion of the light of a first wavelength range into light of a second wavelength range. Light of both the first and second wavelength ranges will exit the light-recycling envelope through an aperture. The recycling of the light by the light-recycling envelope will enhance the output radiance and luminance of the light exiting the illumination system.

Abstract: A projection display system has at least one light-recycling illumination system and at least one imaging light modulator. The light-recycling illumination system includes a light source that is enclosed within a light-recycling envelope. The light source is a light-emitting diode that emits light, an a fraction of that light will exit the light-recycling envelope through an aperture. The light-recycling envelope recycles a portion of the light emitted by the light source back to the light source in order to enhance the luminance of the light exiting the aperture. The fraction of the light that exits the aperture is partially collimated and is directed to the imaging light modulator. The imaging light modulator spatially modulates the partially collimated light to form an image.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for forming optical components and new optical materials utilizing electron beam irradiation. The process comprises selectively irradiating optical materials to alter their index of refraction gradient three dimensionally. With the inventive process, new optical materials can be created that have enhanced optical properties over the un-irradiated material. The invention also provides a process in which optical components can be fabricated without requiring a planar/multiple layer process, thereby simplifying the fabrication of these optical components. The inventive process uses a controlled electron beam to alter the properties of optical materials. By using the radiation of a controlled electron beam, controlled changes in the index of refraction gradient of optical materials can be obtained. Further, radiation of the electron beam can be used to create new optical materials from materials not previously believed to be suitable for optical applications.

Abstract: An illumination system has a light source that is at least partially enclosed within a light-recycling envelope. The light source is a light-emitting diode that emits light, and a fraction of that light will exit the light-recycling envelope through an aperture. The light-recycling envelope recycles part of the light emitted by the light source back to the light source in order to enhance the output radiance of the light exiting the illumination system.

Abstract: An illumination system that has an output luminance (brightness) LO that is greater than the intrinsic output luminance (brightness) LI of the light emitting diodes used within the system. The system utilizes one or more light emitting diodes having highly reflective surfaces and recycles a portion of the light generated by the light emitting diodes back to the light emitting diodes in order to enhance the effective luminance. The illumination system includes a light-reflecting cavity and one or more highly reflective light emitting diodes having total surface area AS mounted inside the cavity, either on the interior surfaces of the cavity or within the cavity volume. The cavity has a light output aperture of area AO. The light emitting diodes have reflectivity RS. The exposed inside surfaces of the light-reflecting cavity have reflectivity RC. In order to achieve enhanced brightness, it is required that the area of the light output aperture AO be less than the total area AS of the light emitting diodes.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for depositing solder paste on a printed wiring board has a stencil with a pattern of multiple apertures. The pattern aligns with a through-hole in the printed wiring board when the stencil is in physical contact with the printed wiring board. A squeegee arrangement applies solder paste through the multiple apertures in the stencil through the through-hole of the printed wiring board to the upper surface of the printed wiring board for securely mounting electronic components to the upper surface of the printed wiring board, for providing a thermal path for the heat sinks of the electronic components and for providing a low inductance electrical path to ground for the electrical components.

Abstract: An aspheric optical element corrects the non-linearity of the scan line in a ROS. The optical element can be either the wobble correction mirror, the last optical element in the ROS, or the output window, subsequent to the ROS. The optical element deflects the scan beam to cancel the non-linearity of the scan line caused by the residual errors in the ROS lens design. The aspheric optical element can also correct scan line bow.

Abstract: Gallium nitride substrates are formed by etching a gallium nitride layer on a sapphire substrate or by selective area regrowth of a gallium nitride layer first deposited onto a sapphire substrate. The gallium nitride layers are bonded to a support substrate and a laser pulse directed through the transparent sapphire detaches the gallium nitride layers from the sapphire substrate. The gallium nitride layers are then detached from the support substrate forming freestanding gallium nitride substrates.

Abstract: A dual III-V nitride laser structure has a thick current spreading layer on a sapphire substrate and a trench extending into the current spreading layer to reduce thermal cross-talk between the dual lasers.