Abstract: Apparatus and method for modulating quasi-monochromatic electromagnetic radiation utilizing a controllable diffraction grating. A reflection diffraction grating is comprised of a material deformable in the presence of an applied electric field. A first electrode, comprised of a flexible radiation-reflecting material, is applied to the first surface of the deformable material, forming a reflecting surface of the diffraction grating. A second electrode is applied to a second surface of the deformable material. The electrodes are arranged to provide a periodic surface distortion on the reflecting electrode upon application of a voltage between the first and the second electrodes, thereby resulting in a blazed diffraction grating. In addition, the blaze angle of the diffraction grating can be varied as a function of applied voltage, and consequently diffracted radiation pattern can be modulated as a function of the applied voltage.

Abstract: An optical arrangement for splitting an optical path into twin paths so that an image propagating along the path from an object plane is incident upon one or the other of two linear arrays of photosensor elements disposed at twin image planes. The arrangement provides a way to optically compact the photosensors in a continuous image line to improve the resolution of the image as detected by the photosensors.