Abstract: A projection apparatus has an illumination section that provides first, second, and third light sources for providing first, second, and third illumination beams. First, second, and third component wavelength modulating sections modulate the corresponding illumination to provide first, second, or third modulated component wavelength beams respectively. Each component wavelength modulating section uses a portion of a monochrome transmissive liquid crystal modulator panel that has been segmented into at least a first, second, and third portion. A component wavelength polarizer in the path of the component wavelength illumination directs substantially polarized light to the corresponding portion of the monochrome transmissive liquid crystal modulator panel. An illumination path Fresnel lens focuses incident illumination from the component wavelength polarizer through the corresponding portion of the monochrome transmissive liquid crystal modulator panel.

Abstract: A housing (500) for a wire grid polarizing beamsplitter (240) and a spatial light modulator (210) in alignment with an output optical path has a front plate having an opening (502) for admitting incident illumination and a modulator mounting plate (506) for mounting the spatial light modulator (210) in the optical output path. First and second polarizer support plates (512, 520) extend between the front plate and the modulator mounting plate (506), with their respective facing inner surfaces providing coplanar support features for supporting the wire grid polarizing beamsplitter (240) within a fixed plane. The coplanar support features allow rotation of the wire grid polarizing beamsplitter (240) with respect to the output axis. The wire grid polarizing beamsplitter (240) has its surface at a fixed angle with respect to the surface of the spatial light modulator (210), the angle defining an output optical axis along the output optical path.

Abstract: A system for creating a patterned polarization compensator (550) has a retardance characterization system (560) for optically scanning the spatially variant retardance of a spatial light modulator (210). A compensator patterning system (565) writes a spatially variant photo-alignment pattern on a substrate (555) of a polarization compensator. The patterned polarization compensator is completed by a process that includes providing a photo-alignment layer onto which spatially variant photo-alignment layer is formed, providing a liquid crystal polymer layer onto the photo-alignment layer, and then fixing the liquid crystal polymer layer to form a spatially variant retardance pattern into the structure of the patterned polarization compensator.

Abstract: A modulation optical system (40) provides modulation of an incident light beam. A wire grid polarization beamsplitter (240) receives the beam of light (130) and transmits a beam of light having a first polarization, and reflects a beam of light having a second polarization orthogonal to the first polarization. Sub-wavelength wires (250) on the wire grid polarization beamsplitter face a reflective spatial light modulator. The reflective spatial light modulator receives the polarized beam of light and selectively modulates the polarized beam of light to encode data thereon. The reflective spatial light modulator reflects back both the modulated light and the unmodulated light to the wire grid polarization beamsplitter. The wire grid polarization beamsplitter separates the modulated light from the unmodulated light. A compensator (260) is located between the wire grid polarization beamsplitter and the reflective spatial light modulator (210).

Abstract: A modulation optical system (40) provides modulation of an incident light beam. A wire grid polarization beamsplitter (240) receives the beam of light (130) and transmits a beam of light having a first polarization, and reflects a beam of light having a second polarization orthogonal to the first polarization. Sub-wavelength wires (250) on the wire grid polarization beamsplitter face a reflective spatial light modulator. The reflective spatial light modulator receives the polarized beam of light and selectively modulates the polarized beam of light to encode data thereon. The reflective spatial light modulator reflects back both the modulated light and the unmodulated light to the wire grid polarization beamsplitter. The wire grid polarization beamsplitter separates the modulated light from the unmodulated light. A compensator (260) is located between the wire grid polarization beamsplitter and the reflective spatial light modulator (210).

Abstract: A modulation optical system (40) provides modulation of an incident light beam. A wire grid polarization beamsplitter (240) receives the beam of light (130) and transmits a beam of light having a first polarization, and reflects a beam of light having a second polarization orthogonal to the first polarization. Sub-wavelength wires (250) on the wire grid polarization beamsplitter face a reflective spatial light modulator. The reflective spatial light modulator receives the polarized beam of light and selectively modulates the polarized beam of light to encode data thereon. The reflective spatial light modulator reflects back both the modulated light and the unmodulated light to the wire grid polarization beamsplitter. The wire grid polarization beamsplitter separates the modulated light from the unmodulated light. A compensator (260) is located between the wire grid polarization beamsplitter and the reflective spatial light modulator (210).

Abstract: A digital projection apparatus (10) for projection of a multicolor image. A light source (20) provides visible light and a dichroic separator (27) splits the visible light into color light beams. Illumination optics directs each of the color light beams into a corresponding light modulation assembly (38). A magnifying relay lens (28) for each color light beam focuses and relays the modulated light to form a magnified real image of the reflective spatial light modulator (30). A dichroic combiner (26) forms a multicolor image by overlapping the magnified real images corresponding to each of the color light beams on a common optical axis. A projection lens projects the multicolor image toward a display surface. The polarization analyzers (72) are tilted relative to a local optical axis and are located in proximity to at least one of the magnified real images of the color light beams.

Abstract: A wire grid polarizer (100) for polarizing an incident light beam (130), comprising a substrate (505) having a first surface (410) and a second surface (510); and a first array of parallel, elongated wires disposed on the first surface (410). Each of the wires are spaced apart at a grid period less than a wavelength of the incident light; and a second array of parallel, elongated wires disposed on said second surface (420) where the second array of wires are oriented parallel to the first array of wires.

Abstract: A housing (500) for a wire grid polarizing beamsplitter (240) and a spatial light modulator (210) in alignment with an output optical path has a front plate having an opening (502) for admitting incident illumination and a modulator mounting plate (506) for mounting the spatial light modulator (210) in the optical output path. First and second polarizer support plates (512, 520) extend between the front plate and the modulator mounting plate (506), with their respective facing inner surfaces providing coplanar support features for supporting the wire grid polarizing beamsplitter (240) within a fixed plane. The coplanar support features allow rotation of the wire grid polarizing beamsplitter (240) with respect to the output axis. The wire grid polarizing beamsplitter (240) has its surface at a fixed angle with respect to the surface of the spatial light modulator (210), the angle defining an output optical axis along the output optical path.

Abstract: A digital projector that has closed loop three color alignment comprising a light source where an optical engine (50) splits a beam of light from the light source into first, second, and third wavelength bands. A first, second, and third spatial light modulator (11, 12, 16) imparts image data and first, second, and third fiducial data respectively to the first, second, and third wavelength bands. The first, second, and third wavelength bands are directed to the first, second, and third spatial light modulator (11, 12, 16), respectively. A combiner combines the modulated first, second, and third wavelength bands. A diverter (19) diverts a portion of the combined modulated wavelength bands to at least one sensor. The sensor (21) then senses a relative position of the fiducials and sends the position information to a microprocessor. The microprocessor then determines an error based on the relative position of the fiducials.

Abstract: A display apparatus (10) including a light source (15) for forming a beam of light (130). A pre-polarizer (45) polarizes the beam of light (130) to provide a polarized beam of light. A wire grid polarization beamsplitter (50) receives the polarized beam of light and transmits the polarized beam of light which has a first polarization, and reflects the polarized beam of light which has a second polarization. A reflective spatial light modulator (55) selectively modulates the polarized beam of light that has a first polarization to encode image data thereon in order to form a modulated beam (360) and reflects the modulated beam back to the wire grid polarization beamsplitter (50). A compensator (260) is located between the wire grid polarization beamsplitter (50) and the reflective spatial light modulator (55) for conditioning oblique and skew rays of the modulated beam (360).

Abstract: A digital projection apparatus (10) for projection of a multicolor image. A light source (20) provides visible light and a dichroic separator (27) splits the visible light into color light beams. Illumination optics directs each of the color light beams into a corresponding light modulation assembly (38). A magnifying relay lens (28) for each color light beam focuses and relays the modulated light to form a magnified real image of the reflective spatial light modulator (30). A dichroic combiner (26) forms a multicolor image by overlapping the magnified real images corresponding to each of the color light beams on a common optical axis. A projection lens projects the multicolor image toward a display surface. The polarization analyzers (72) are tilted relative to a local optical axis and are located in proximity to at least one of the magnified real images of the color light beams.

Abstract: A closed loop three color alignment system for a digital projector comprises a light source and an optical engine (50) which splits a beam of light from the light source into first, second, and third wavelength bands. A first, second, and third spatial light modulator (11, 12, 16) imparts image data and a first, second, and third fiducial data to the first, second, and third wavelength bands. A combiner combines the modulated first, second, and third wavelength bands. A diverter diverts a portion of the combined modulated wavelength bands to a sensor. The sensor (21) senses a relative position of each of the fiducials and sends the position information to a microprocessor. The microprocessor then determines an error based on the relative position of the fiducials. The microprocessor then sends a signal to at least one component of the system to resolve the error.

Abstract: A system for creating a patterned polarization compensator (550) has a retardance characterization system (560) for optically scanning the spatially variant retardance of a spatial light modulator (210). A compensator patterning system (565) writes a spatially variant photo-alignment pattern on a substrate (555) of a polarization compensator. The patterned polarization compensator is completed by a process that includes providing a photo-alignment layer onto which spatially variant photo-alignment layer is formed, providing a liquid crystal polymer layer onto the photo-alignment layer, and then fixing the liquid crystal polymer layer to form a spatially variant retardance pattern into the structure of the patterned polarization compensator.

Abstract: A copy protection illumination system (1) comprises a polychromatic light source (20); uniformizing optics (22) for homogenizing light from the polychromatic light source to provide a uniform illumination field; condenser relay optics; dichroic optics; illumination relay optics (82); a spatial light modulator (30); and a modulation element located at a plane in an optical path located between the polychromatic light source and the spatial light modulator.

Abstract: A housing (100) for mounting a wire grid polarizing beamsplitter (122) and a spatial light modulator (30) in alignment with an output optical path comprises a front plate having an opening for admitting incident illumination provided along an illumination axis. A modulator mounting plate (110) is spaced apart from and parallel to the front plate, for mounting the spatial light modulator in the optical output path of the illumination axis. First and second polarizer support plates are spaced apart from each other and extend between the front plate and the modulator mounting plate. The respective facing inner surfaces of the first and second support plates provide coplanar support features for supporting the wire grid polarizing beamsplitter between the inner surfaces. The wire grid polarizing beamsplitter extends between the facing inner surfaces. The surface of the wire grid polarizing beamsplitter is a fixed angle with respect to the surface of the spatial light modulator on the modulator mounting plate.

Abstract: A digital projection apparatus (10) for projection of a multicolor image uniformizes polychromatic light from a light source (20) and provides magnification to the uniformized illumination beam using a base condenser relay (80), providing a reduced numerical aperture for conditioning at a dichroic separator (27). For each monochromatic component color provided from the dichroic separator (27), a reducing relay (82) then demagnifies the illumination beam to provide source illumination to a spatial light modulator (30) at an increased numerical aperture. The modulated beam from the spatial light modulator (30) is then magnified by a magnifying relay lens assembly (28) and directed, at a lower numerical aperture, to a dichroic combiner (26) and to a projection lens (32). As a result, the projection lens (32) has reduced working distance, color shading across the field is minimized, and brightness is optimized.

Abstract: A wire grid polarizer (100) for polarizing an incident light beam (130), comprising a substrate (505) having a first surface (410) and a second surface (510); and a first array of parallel, elongated wires disposed on the first surface (410). Each of the wires are spaced apart at a grid period less than a wavelength of the incident light; and a second array of parallel, elongated wires disposed on said second surface (420) where the second array of wires are oriented parallel to the first array of wires.

Abstract: A modulation optical system (40) provides modulation of an incident light beam. A wire grid polarization beamsplitter (240) receives the beam of light (130) and transmits a beam of light having a first polarization, and reflects a beam of light having a second polarization orthogonal to the first polarization. Sub-wavelength wires (250) on the wire grid polarization beamsplitter face a reflective spatial light modulator. The reflective spatial light modulator receives the polarized beam of light and selectively modulates the polarized beam of light to encode data thereon. The reflective spatial light modulator reflects back both the modulated light and the unmodulated light to the wire grid polarization beamsplitter. The wire grid polarization beamsplitter separates the modulated light from the unmodulated light. A compensator (260) is located between the wire grid polarization beamsplitter and the reflective spatial light modulator (210).

Abstract: A wire grid polarizer (100) for polarizing an incident light beam (130), comprising a substrate (505) having a first surface (410) and a second surface (510); and a first array of parallel, elongated wires disposed on the first surface (410). Each of the wires are spaced apart at a grid period less than a wavelength of the incident light; and a second array of parallel, elongated wires disposed on said second surface (420) where the second array of wires are oriented parallel to the first array of wires.