Abstract: The invention relates to a light guiding device for guiding light. The light guiding device comprises at least one light guide, at least one beam splitter element, and at least one light decoupling device. The at least one light guide comprises at least two layers. The at least one beam splitter element is provided between the at least two layers of the at least one light guide, where the at least one beam splitter element is designed for partially transmitting and reflecting incident light propagating in the at least one light guide. The at least one light decoupling device is provided for coupling incident light out of the at least one light guide. Furthermore, the invention also relates to an illumination device and a display device for displaying two-dimensional and/or three-dimensional information comprising such a light guiding device.

Abstract: The invention relates to a light guiding device for guiding light. The light guiding device comprises at least one light guide, at least one beam splitter element, and at least one light decoupling device. The at least one light guide comprises at least two layers. The at least one beam splitter element is provided between the at least two layers of the at least one light guide, where the at least one beam splitter element is designed for partially transmitting and reflecting incident light propagating in the at least one light guide. The at least one light decoupling device is provided for coupling incident light out of the at least one light guide. Furthermore, the invention also relates to an illumination device and a display device for displaying two-dimensional and/or three-dimensional information comprising such a light guiding device.

Abstract: A method of computing a hologram by determining the wavefronts at the approximate observer eye position that would be generated by a real version of an object to be reconstructed. In normal computer generated holograms, one determines the wavefronts needed to reconstruct an object; this is not done directly in the present invention. Instead, one determines the wavefronts at an observer window that would be generated by a real object located at the same position of the reconstructed object. One can then back-transforms these wavefronts to the hologram to determine how the hologram needs to be encoded to generate these wavefronts. A suitably encoded hologram can then generate a reconstruction of the three-dimensional scene that can be observed by placing one's eyes at the plane of the observer window and looking through the observer window.

Abstract: A wavelength tunable laser unit has a laser mode selection, and is adapted to provide a laser signal in accordance with one or more laser control parameters. For operating the laser unit, the laser signal is swept in a wavelength range, a laser operation signal indicative of the laser unit's operation during the sweep is received, and the laser operation signal is analyzed for detecting an indication of a mode hop occurred in the generated laser signals during the sweep. At least one correction value is determined based on the detected mode hop indication, and at least one of the one or more laser control parameters, applicable for a next wavelength sweep, is modified based on the determined at least one correction value.

Abstract: A method of manipulating a laser source, includes analyzing an optical signal generated by the laser source, evaluating on the basis of the analysis an actual indicator corresponding with an actual value of a tuning velocity of the laser source, comparing the actual indicator with a desired indicator corresponding with a desired value of the tuning velocity to detect a deviation of the actual value of the tuning velocity from the desired value of the tuning velocity, and compensating the deviation if any by manipulating at least one parameter influencing the signal of the laser source.

Abstract: An apparatus and to a method of monitoring an interferometer, comprising the steps of: coupling a first optical signal into the interferometer and into a wavelength reference element, detecting a first resulting interference signal being a result of interference of parts of the first optical signal in the interferometer, detecting a resulting reference signal of the wavelength reference element, the resulting reference signal being a result of interaction of the first optical signal with the wavelength reference element, and comparing the first resulting interference signal with the resulting reference signal to detect a drift of the interferometer, if any.

Abstract: An apparatus and to a method of monitoring an interferometer, comprising the steps of: coupling a first optical signal into the interferometer and into a wavelength reference element, detecting a first resulting interference signal being a result of interference of parts of the first optical signal in the interferometer, detecting a resulting reference signal of the wavelength reference element, the resulting reference signal being a result of interaction of the first optical signal with the wavelength reference element, and comparing the first resulting interference signal with the resulting reference signal to detect a drift of the interferometer, if any.

Abstract: A wavelength tunable laser unit has a laser mode selection, and is adapted to provide a laser signal in accordance with one or more laser control parameters. For operating the laser unit, the laser signal is swept in a wavelength range, a laser operation signal indicative of the laser unit's operation during the sweep is received, and the laser operation signal is analyzed for detecting an indication of a mode hop occurred in the generated laser signals during the sweep. At least one correction value is determined based on the detected mode hop indication, and at least one of the one or more laser control parameters, applicable for a next wavelength sweep, is modified based on the determined at least one correction value.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of tuning a laser, comprising the steps of: providing a laser beam to an external cavity, the laser beam traveling through material along a path between a cavity end element and a tuning element, the path having an optical path length, selecting at least one mode of the laser by introducing a dispersion element in the path of the laser, rotating the tuning element about a pivot axis theoretically defined by the intersection of the surface planes of the cavity end element, the dispersion element and the tuning element to tune the laser, changing the optical path length of the path in order to at least partly compensate a shift between the real position of the pivot axis and the theoretically defined position.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of tuning a laser, comprising the steps of: providing a laser beam to an external cavity, the laser beam traveling through material along a path between a cavity end element and a tuning element, the path having an optical path length, selecting at least one mode of the laser by introducing a dispersion element in the path of the laser, rotating the tuning element about a pivot axis theoretically defined by the intersection of the surface planes of the cavity end element, the dispersion element and the tuning element to tune the laser, changing the optical path length of the path in order to at least partly compensate a shift between the real position of the pivot axis and the theoretically defined position.