Patents by Inventor Steven Serati

Steven Serati has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Beam steering devices including stacked liquid crystal polarization gratings and related methods of operation
    Patent number: 8982313
    Abstract: A beam steering apparatus includes a first beam steering stage and at least a second beam steering stage arranged in-line with the first beam steering stage. The first beam steering stage includes a first polarization grating comprising a uniaxial birefringent material having a first periodic director pattern, and the second beam steering stage includes a second polarization grating comprising a uniaxial birefringent material having a second periodic director pattern. In nonmechanical embodiments, a polarization selector may be arranged to provide a circularly polarized input beam incident on the first polarization grating. In mechanical embodiments, at least one of the first polarization grating and the second polarization grating may be operable to be independently rotated about an azimuth thereof. Related methods of operation are also discussed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignees: North Carolina State University, Boulder Nonlinear Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael J. Escuti, Jihwan Kim, Chulwoo Oh, Steven Serati
  • BEAM STEERING DEVICES INCLUDING STACKED LIQUID CRYSTAL POLARIZATION GRATINGS AND RELATED METHODS OF OPERATION
    Publication number: 20120188467
    Abstract: A beam steering apparatus includes a first beam steering stage and at least a second beam steering stage arranged in-line with the first beam steering stage. The first beam steering stage includes a first polarization grating comprising a uniaxial birefringent material having a first periodic director pattern, and the second beam steering stage includes a second polarization grating comprising a uniaxial birefringent material having a second periodic director pattern. In nonmechanical embodiments, a polarization selector may be arranged to provide a circularly polarized input beam incident on the first polarization grating. In mechanical embodiments, at least one of the first polarization grating and the second polarization grating may be operable to be independently rotated about an azimuth thereof. Related methods of operation are also discussed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2010
    Publication date: July 26, 2012
    Applicants: Boulder Nonlinear Systems, INc., NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY, a constituent in
    Inventors: Michael J. Escuti, Jihwan Kim, Chulwoo Oh, Steven Serati