Form Birefringent Element Patents (Class 359/489.06)
  • Patent number: 11892765
    Abstract: A projection screen includes a substrate with a first substrate surface. The first substrate surface includes a first region and a second region adjacent to the first region. Multiple first wire grid bodies extending in a first direction are provided in the first region. Multiple second wire grid bodies extending in the first direction are provided in the second region. Each first wire grid body includes a first contact surface connected to the substrate and a first surface, and a first angle is formed therebetween. The first angles gradually decrease in a direction from the first region to the second region. Each second wire grid body includes a second contact surface connected to the substrate and a third surface, and a third angle is formed therebetween. The third angles gradually increase in a direction from the first region to the second region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: APPOTRONICS CORPORATION LIMITED
    Inventors: Shijie Li, Lin Wang, Fei Hu, Wei Sun, Yi Li
  • Patent number: 11686978
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a display device includes an illumination device, a display panel, a first polarizer attached to the display panel, a second polarizer attached to the display panel, and a transmissive diffraction grating provided in a location between the illumination device and the first polarizer or in a location facing the second polarizer. The diffraction grating includes a third substrate, a fourth substrate, and a second liquid crystal layer provided between the third substrate and the fourth substrate, containing a plurality of liquid crystal molecules, and cured in a state where alignment directions of the liquid crystal molecules are fixed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: JAPAN DISPLAY INC.
    Inventors: Shunichi Kimura, Toshiharu Matsushima
  • Patent number: 11686974
    Abstract: A display panel and a display apparatus are provided. The display panel includes a display substrate and a birefringence layer disposed on a display surface of the display substrate. The birefringence layer includes a first region; the first region is disposed at least in the display region; a plurality of repeating units are sequentially disposed in the first region along a first direction parallel to the display surface of the display substrate, and one repeating unit includes at least two refractive regions that are sequentially arranged along the first direction to form. Refractive indexes of the at least two refractive regions are different from each other. An interface between the at least two refractive regions forms an acute angle ? with the display surface of the display substrate. A width of the repeating unit is smaller than a wavelength of light emitted from the display panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: SHANGHAI TIANMA MICRO-ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Haijing Chen
  • Patent number: 11604136
    Abstract: Provided is a pupil ellipsometry measurement apparatus configured to measure an object, the pupil ellipsometry measurement apparatus including a stage configured to support the object to be measured, a light source unit configured to generate and output light, an irradiation optical system configured to focus the light from the light source unit on the object, a first detector configured to detect an image of reflected light from the object on an imaging plane, a self-interference generator (SIG) configured to generate self-interference with respect to the reflected light, a second detector configured to detect a hologram image of interference light of the SIG on a pupil plane, and a processor configured to reconstruct reflectance information based on the hologram image, and measure the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jaehwang Jung, Yasuhiro Hidaka, Mitsunori Numata, Wookrae Kim, Jinseob Kim, Myungjun Lee
  • Patent number: 11543584
    Abstract: The disclosure provides high refractive index ceramic material nanoimprint lithography (NIL) gratings having a relatively lower amount of carbon compared to traditional NIL gratings, and methods of making and using thereof, and devices including such gratings. The ceramic material includes one or more of titanium oxide, zirconium oxide, hafnium oxide, tungsten oxide, zinc tellurium, gallium phosphide, or any combination or derivative thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: META PLATFORMS TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Giuseppe Calafiore, Tingling Rao, Ankit Vora, Peter Topalian
  • Patent number: 11454590
    Abstract: A system and method for measuring refractive index inhomogeneity between plates of a Lightguide Optical Element (LOE) uses an innovative measuring technique based on a shearing interferometric technique conventionally used to observe interference and test the collimation of light beams. Another feature of the current implementation is an innovative method for analyzing the characteristics of the generated interferogram to characterize discrepancies between adjacent plates in an LOE.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: LUMUS LTD.
    Inventors: Jonathan Gelberg, Yuval Rubin, Michael Adel
  • Patent number: 11194168
    Abstract: An optical apparatus includes a substrate that is configured to redirect a predetermined percentage of an input light beam at a plurality of angles to form a set of output beams at each of the angles such that light beams redirected at each of the angles cooperate to form bands of light at a range of predetermined distances from the optical apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH START-UP PLATFORM NORTH AMERICA, LLC SERIES 1
    Inventors: Audrey Steever, Will Weber, Nick C. Leindecker
  • Patent number: 11169311
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an optical component, which may be a metasurface grating, including (a) a substrate; and (b) an array of subwavelength-spaced phase-shifting elements, which are tessellated on the substrate to produce, when illuminated with a polarized incident light, a diffracted light beam with a distinct polarization state for each of a finite number of diffraction orders, wherein the finite number is 2 or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: PRESIDENT AND FELLOWS OF HARVARD COLLEGE
    Inventors: Noah A. Rubin, Federico Capasso
  • Patent number: 11088348
    Abstract: An organic EL display device (100) includes a plurality of pixels, and also includes an element substrate including organic EL elements (3) respectively located in the plurality of pixels and a bank layer (48) defining each of the pixels; and a thin film encapsulation structure (10) covering the plurality of pixels. The thin film encapsulation structure includes a first inorganic barrier layer (12) and an organic barrier layer (14) in contact with a top surface or a bottom surface of the first inorganic barrier layer. The plurality of pixels include a red pixel, a green pixel and a blue pixel. The organic EL display device further includes a polydiacetylene layer (52) selectively provided on a second inorganic barrier layer (16) of the thin film encapsulation structure on the blue pixel and exhibiting a blue color. The polydiacetylene layer is a polymer of 10,12-pentacosadiynoic acid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: SAKAI DISPLAY PRODUCTS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Katsuhiko Kishimoto, Takuji Kato
  • Patent number: 11075249
    Abstract: This organic EL display device (100) is provided with an element substrate which comprises multiple pixels and which comprises organic EL elements (3) arranged in each pixel and bank layers (48) defining the pixels, and a thin-film sealing structure (10) which covers the pixels. The thin-film sealing structure includes a first inorganic barrier layer (12), and an organic barrier layer (14) in contact with the upper surface or lower surface of the first inorganic barrier layer. The multiple pixels include red pixels, green pixels and blue pixels, and further have a first polydiacetylene layer (52a) which exhibits a blue color and which is provided selectively on a second inorganic barrier layer (16) of the thin-film sealing structure on blue pixels, and a second polydiacetylene layer (52b) which exhibits a red color and which is provided selectively on the thin-film sealing structure on red pixels. The first and second polydiacetylene layers are a polymer of 10,12-pentacosadiynoic acid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: SAKAI DISPLAY PRODUCTS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Katsuhiko Kishimoto, Takuji Kato
  • Patent number: 10732524
    Abstract: An optical system for improving alignment measurement accuracy is discussed. The optical system includes first and second optical elements. The first optical element may be configured to change a first beam having a first polarization state into a second beam having a second polarization state. The second optical element may be configured to provide total internal reflection of the second beam and to change the second beam into a third beam having a third polarization state. The first, second, and third polarization states may be different from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: ASML Holding N.V.
    Inventors: Krishanu Shome, Justin Lloyd Kreuzer
  • Patent number: 10436947
    Abstract: A zoned waveplate has a series of transversely stacked birefringent zones alternating with non-birefringent zones. The birefringent and non-birefringent zones are integrally formed upon an AR-coated face of a single substrate by patterning the AR coated face of the substrate with zero-order sub-wavelength form-birefringent gratings configured to have a target retardance. The layer structure of the AR coating is designed to provide the target birefringence in the patterned zones and the reflection suppression.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: Lumentum Operations LLC
    Inventors: John Michael Miller, Joel Milgram, Karen Denise Hendrix, Michael O'Leary, Hery Djie, Lu Tian, Paul Colbourne
  • Patent number: 9964668
    Abstract: A zoned waveplate has a series of transversely stacked birefringent zones alternating with non-birefringent zones. The birefringent and non-birefringent zones are integrally formed upon an AR-coated face of a single substrate by patterning the AR coated face of the substrate with zero-order sub-wavelength form-birefringent gratings configured to have a target retardance. The layer structure of the AR coating is designed to provide the target birefringence in the patterned zones and the reflection suppression.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: Lumentum Operations LLC
    Inventors: John Michael Miller, Joel Milgram, Karen Denise Hendrix, Michael O'Leary, Hery Djie, Lu Tian, Paul Colbourne
  • Patent number: 9739918
    Abstract: Methods and device for controlling optical scattering are disclosed. An array of 4-fold asymmetric cylinders can act as optical elements scattering electromagnetic waves, where the orientation and dimension of each optical element is determined according to the desired polarization and phase shift response of the device. A Jones matrix can be calculated to determine the fabrication parameters of the optical elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Amir Arbabi, Andrei Faraon
  • Patent number: 9557462
    Abstract: A technology that allows improvement in the performance of an optical element a representative example of which is a polarizing element is provided. In a split wire element according to an embodiment of the invention, each of a plurality of split wires (SPW) has gaps formed in a y direction at a period ?, and the period ? is greater than or equal to a Rayleigh wavelength (?/n). According to the thus configured split wire element of the embodiment of the invention, optical performance can be improved as compared with a wire-grid element formed of straight wires having no periodic structure in the y direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: HITACHI MAXELL, LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Minemura, Yumiko Anzai
  • Patent number: 9019450
    Abstract: An optical compensation film for a liquid crystal display is provided and comprises a liquid crystal layer which is disposed on a substrate and has a plurality of first stripe-structure regions with a first thickness and a plurality of second stripe-structure regions with a second thickness, wherein each of the second stripe-structure regions is contiguous to at least one of the first stripe-structure region and the second thickness is greater than the first thickness. The method for manufacturing the optical compensation film is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Benq Materials Corporation
    Inventors: Meng-Chia Cheng, Lung-Hai Wu, Chen-Kuan Kuo
  • Patent number: 9019612
    Abstract: A wavelength selective switch for selectively switching optical wavelength components of an optical signal uses both LCoS and MEMs switching technologies to improve device performance. Specific performance improvements may include more ports, better spectral performance and isolation, improved dynamic crosstalk, more flexible attenuation options, integrated channel monitoring and compressed switch heights.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Nistica, Inc.
    Inventor: Jefferson Wagener
  • Patent number: 8947772
    Abstract: An inorganic, dielectric grid polarizer device includes a stack of film layers disposed over a substrate. Each film layer is formed of a material that is both inorganic and dielectric. Adjacent film layers each have different refractive indices. At least one of the film layers is discontinuous to form a form-birefringent layer with an array of parallel ribs having a period less than 400 nm. Another layer, different than the form-birefringent layer, is formed of an optically absorptive material for the ultra-violet spectrum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Moxtek, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Gardner, Bin Wang, Mark Davis, John D. Dredge, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8941920
    Abstract: Provided are an optical element and a method of producing an optical element in which sufficient adhesion with an upper layer can be secured without damaging spectral characteristics. The production method includes the step of forming a first structural body in which a space part and a structural part are alternately and repeatedly arranged, the step of forming an etching stopper layer on an upper part of the structural part, and the step of forming a second structural body on the etching stopper layer by etching.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Arai, Jun-ichi Sakamoto, Junji Terada, Noriyuki Nakai
  • Patent number: 8896920
    Abstract: A reflective polarizer, a method of manufacturing a reflective polarizer, an optical element, and a display device are provided. The reflective polarizer may have excellent thermal and physical durability even when exposed to a light source and external friction. In addition, the method for manufacturing a reflective polarizer may provide a large-sized reflective polarizer without using expensive equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: LG Chem, Ltd.
    Inventors: Jin Mi Jung, Jae Jin Kim, Jong Byung Lee, Bu Gon Shin
  • Patent number: 8854731
    Abstract: At least one surface of a plate member made of ZnSe has a concave-and-convex structure in which a projecting section and a groove section are formed at a spatial cycle equal to or lower than the wavelength of carbon dioxide laser light to thereby provide a substrate body. On a surface of the concave-and-convex structure, an antireflection film is layered that has a lower refractive index than that of ZnSe to carbon dioxide laser light. By this configuration, the polarization state of transmitted carbon dioxide laser light is converted from a linear polarization to a circular polarization or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignees: Osaka Prefecture University Public Corporation, Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd., Sumitomo Electric Hardmetal Corp.
    Inventors: Hisao Kikuta, Kenichi Kurisu, Keiji Ebata
  • Patent number: 8837870
    Abstract: A fiber laser device includes a laser source that can emit a source laser beam, a birefringent beam separator configured to receive the source laser beam and to split the source laser beam into an o ray and an e ray which have mutually orthogonal polarizations, and a polarization maintaining fiber comprising a fiber core characterized by a core diameter, wherein after the o ray and the e ray exit birefringent beam separator, the o ray and the e ray are separated by a distance that is larger than the fiber core of the polarization maintaining fiber. The polarization maintaining fiber is positioned to couple one of the o ray and the e ray into the fiber core. The one of the o ray and the e ray transmits through the polarization maintaining fiber to form an output laser beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Photop Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Zhenyu Wang, Shaofeng Zhang, Dashan Li
  • Patent number: 8817374
    Abstract: A birefringent diffuser includes a first optical material and a first birefringent material. The first optical material and the first birefringent material are combined to form a planar layer. The planar layer has an internal pattern of the materials presenting a substantially uniform index of refraction for incident light which is substantially normal to the planar layer and exhibiting a varying index of refraction for at least a portion of light which is trapped in guided modes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Stephen Kitson, Adrian Geisow, Christopher Newton
  • Patent number: 8804241
    Abstract: A method includes providing a layer having a plurality of spaced-apart lines of a first material extending along a first direction and forming a line of a second material on opposing surfaces of each line of the first material, the first and second materials being different and adjacent lines of the second material being discontinuous. After forming the lines of the second material, forming pairs of spaced-apart lines of a third material between adjacent pairs of the lines of the second material, wherein each line of the third material is spaced apart from the closest line of the second material and the first and third materials are different.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Polarization Solutions, LLC
    Inventors: Qihong Wu, Kelvin Xu Zhang, Shiaw-Wen Tai
  • Patent number: 8784675
    Abstract: The ferroelectric substrate 11 of ferroelectric crystals, while being supported by the support plate 14 which is thicker than the ferroelectric substrate 11, is integrated with the support plate 14 by letting the junction 13 mediate between one major surface S1A of the ferroelectric substrate 11 and one major surface S1B of the support plate 14, and therefore, it is possible through the flat surface polishing to perform thinning of the ferroelectric substrate 11, namely, the ferroelectric crystals, and as a result, it is possible to obtain the thin periodically poled structure. By the voltage application method, the domain inverted region is formed in the ferroelectric substrate 11 which is made thin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahide Okazaki, Toshiaki Suhara
  • Patent number: 8748805
    Abstract: A polarization diversity detector includes at least one optical fiber having a first end for receiving a beam of light and a second end for transmitting the beam of light. A collimator receives the beam of the light from the optical fiber and outputs a collimated beam. A polarization diversity element includes a birefringent material which is positioned for receiving the collimated beam and resolving the collimated beam into a first beam having a first polarization and a second beam having a second polarization different from the first polarization. The first beam and second beam are angled relative to one another. At least one photodetector array pair includes a first photodetector array positioned to receive the first beam and a second photodetector array positioned to receive the second beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Gooch and Housego PLC
    Inventor: Alexander Rosiewicz
  • Patent number: 8711480
    Abstract: Provided is a film of which the slow axis in plane does not comply with TD direction nor MD direction of the film and which is excellent in adequacy of pasting with other components. The film is a film comprising at least a first molecule expressing positive intrinsic birefringence and a second molecule expressing negative intrinsic birefringence, having a slow axis in plane in a direction which is neither parallel nor orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the film, and the direction of the slow axis in plane being neither parallel nor orthogonal to the individual directions of alignment of the first and second molecules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Shigeaki Nimura
  • Publication number: 20130329145
    Abstract: An optical wavelength selective device includes a waveguide grating unit to separate input beam signals with different wavelengths into a plurality of output beam signals, each of which has a different wavelength span and is output from a different channel region of the waveguide grating unit; a polarization splitting unit to split each of the output beam signals into a first polarized beam with a first polarization and a second polarized beam with a second polarization different from the first polarization; a birefringence control member to control the first polarized beam to undergo a different refractive effect than the second polarized beam when the first and second polarized beams pass through the birefringence control member under a first voltage applied thereto; and a reflection member configured to reflect the first and second polarized beams output from the birefringence control member back to the birefringence control member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2012
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Applicant: InLC Technology Ltd.
    Inventor: Seong Woo SUH
  • Patent number: 8592010
    Abstract: The invention relates to compensation films for liquid-crystal displays with additions of rod-shaped liquid crystals mentioned below, to polarizer plates which have at least one compensation film of this type, to liquid-crystal displays which have compensation films of the said type, and to processes for the production of the said compensation films, polarizer plates and liquid-crystal displays, to the use of the compounds described in greater detail below as additions to compensation films for liquid-crystal displays, and to further subject-matters of the invention which can be seen below.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignees: MERCK PATENT GmbH, LOFO HIGH TECH FILM GmbH
    Inventors: Bernd Fiebranz, Bernhard Rieger, Detlef Pauluth, Axel Jansen, Ulrich Siemann, Ilona Herm
  • Patent number: 8565561
    Abstract: Provided is a polarization independent optical isolator including: wedge-shaped birefringent crystal plates each being made of a YVO4 single crystal; a Faraday rotator 3 made of a magnetic garnet single crystal; and sapphire single crystal plates 2 and 4 bonded to light transmitting surfaces of the Faraday rotator, respectively. A light transmitting surface of each of the sapphire single crystal plates is formed in such a manner as to be offset from the c-plane of the sapphire single crystal plate. An incident angle ?a of imaginary light on each of the sapphire single crystal plates, and an offset angles ?off of the light transmitting surface from the c-plane of each sapphire single crystal plates are set within predetermined ranges, the imaginary light being represented by a bisector of an angle formed by optical axes of the ordinary ray and the extraordinary ray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: SMM Precision Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Junji Iida
  • Publication number: 20130234966
    Abstract: According to an embodiment of the invention, an optical element is provided. The optical element includes: a substrate having a birefringence characteristic and having a first surface and a second surface; a first transflective optical film disposed on the first surface of the substrate; and a second transflective optical film disposed on the second surface of the substrate. According to an embodiment of the invention, a display system including the optical element is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2013
    Publication date: September 12, 2013
    Applicant: INNOLUX CORPORATION
    Inventor: Min-Chao JHUANG
  • Patent number: 8477423
    Abstract: A method of producing a patterned birefringent product, containing at least steps (I) to (III) in this order: (I) providing a birefringent pattern builder having an optically anisotropic layer containing a polymer; (II) subjecting two or more regions of the birefringent pattern builder to exposure to light under exposure conditions different from each other; and (III) heating a laminated structure obtained after the step (II) at 50° C. or higher and 400° C. or lower.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Hideki Kaneiwa, Ichiro Amimori
  • Patent number: 8373914
    Abstract: A computer generated hologram which forms a light intensity distribution on a predetermined plane by giving a phase distribution to a wavefront of incident light, the hologram comprising a plurality of anisotropic cells each including an anisotropic medium configured to change a polarization state of the incident light, and a plurality of isotropic cells each including an isotropic medium configured not to change a polarization state of the incident light, wherein a linearly polarized light component, in a first direction, of the incident light forms a first light intensity distribution on the predetermined plane, and a linearly polarized light component, in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, of the incident light forms a second light intensity distribution different from the first light intensity distribution on the predetermined plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Isao Matsubara
  • Patent number: 8369014
    Abstract: Novel, polarization-insensitive, birefringent, broadband tunable filter arrangements that allow high throughput, based on a combination of tunable birefringent layers or polarization dependent filters, in combination with one or more of the following components (i) thin film achromatic quarter waveplates based on the form birefringence of dielectric subwavelength grating structures, (ii) nano wire-grid polarizers made of metallic wire grids; (iii) omnidirectional dielectric mirrors, (iv) polarization conversion mirrors, (v) reflective polarized beam splitters for circularly polarized light, (vi) metallic subwavelength gratings with lines having Gaussian profile, and (vii) Faraday mirror. All of these components may be implemented in thin film form on one or more substrates, such that a compact and cost effective filter can be produced. The birefringent layers can be any birefringent or magneto-optic layer but especially liquid crystals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Ben-Gurion University of the Negev—Research and Development Authority
    Inventor: Ibrahim Abdulhalim
  • Patent number: 8328362
    Abstract: Three dimensional projection systems may be single projector or multiple projector systems. These 3D projection systems may include a polarization conversion system (PCS). The PCS may be designed for relatively small throw ratios and thus, may be designed to accommodate the small throw ratios. The PCS may include a polarizing beam splitter, a first optical stack, a reflector and a second quarter wave retarder. The first optical stack may include a rotator, a polarizer, a polarization switch and a first quarter wave retarder. The PCS may receive light from a projector and the PBS may direct the light toward the first optical stack. The light may be converted to a different polarization state as it passes through the first optical stack. The converted light may then be re-directed by a reflecting element to the second quarter wave retarder. The second quarter wave retarder may convert linearly polarized light to circularly polarized light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: RealD Inc.
    Inventors: David A. Coleman, Miller H. Schuck, Gary D. Sharp, Scott E. Gilman
  • Publication number: 20120262786
    Abstract: Provided is a film of which the slow axis in plane does not comply with TD direction nor MD direction of the film and which is excellent in adequacy of pasting with other components. The film is a long film comprising at least a first molecule expressing positive intrinsic birefringence and a second molecule expressing negative intrinsic birefringence, having a slow axis in plane in a direction which is neither parallel nor orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the long film, and the direction of the slow axis in plane being neither parallel nor orthogonal to the individual directions of alignment of the first and second molecules.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2012
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Applicant: FUJIFILM CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shigeaki NIMURA
  • Patent number: 8287129
    Abstract: An imaging system having reduced susceptibility to thermally induced stress birefringence, comprising; a relay lens, which images the object plane onto an intermediate image plane; a projection lens, which images the intermediate image plane onto the display surface. The lens elements that are immediately adjacent to a relay lens aperture stop and a projection lens aperture stop are fabricated using glasses having a negligible susceptibility to thermal stress birefringence, and the other lens elements are fabricated using glasses having at most a moderate susceptibility to thermal stress birefringence as characterized by the thermal stress birefringence metric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Andrew F. Kurtz, Joseph R. Bietry, Barry D. Silverstein
  • Patent number: 8264773
    Abstract: A grating structure for splitting light. The grating structure including alternating ridges and grooves. The ridges and grooves are configured such that the grating directs p-polarization components of incident light to the ?1st order diffraction mode and s-polarization components of incident light to the 0th order diffraction mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignees: Toyota Motor Engineering and Manufacturing North America, Inc., The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania
    Inventors: Hideo Iizuka, Nader Engheta
  • Patent number: 8228604
    Abstract: The EM polarizing structure contains a two dimensional planar variation structure, having medium nodes regularly distributed as a two dimensional planar photonic unit lattice cell array on a plane. Each of the photonic unit lattice cells has an operation axis and is identical at each lattice point, which passes a diagonal of photonic unit lattice cell. The medium nodes within each planar photonic unit lattice cell are distributed asymmetrical with respect to the operation axis direction and identical at each lattice point. The EM polarizing structure is used to modulate an input EM wave around an operation frequency of the photonic band associated with the EM wave polarizing structure. Thus a corresponding output EM wave becomes polarized. Moreover, the EM wave polarizing structure can be integrated with an EM wave emitting source. Thus an output EM wave from the device is polarized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Jih-Fu Trevor Wang, Jim-Yong Chi
  • Patent number: 8179595
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a glass composition and articles made from the composition that are both polarizing and photorefractive. The glass has, for example, a composition consisting essentially of, in weight percent (“wt. %”) of 70-73 SiO2, 13-17% B2O3, 8-10% Na2O, 2-4% Al2O3, 0.005-0.1% CuO, <0.4% Cl, 0.1-0.5% Ag, 0.1-0.3% Br. In another embodiment the composition consists essentially of 70-77% SiO2, 13-18% B2O3, 8-10% Na2O, 2-4% Al2O3, 0.005-0.1% CuO, <0.4% Cl, 0.1-0.5% Ag, 0.1-0.3% Br. The glass can be used make articles or elements that can exhibits both the photorefractive effect and the polarizing effect within a single element or article, and can be used to make a variety of optical elements including Bragg gratings, filtering elements, and beam shaping elements and light collection elements for use in display, security, defense, metrology, imaging and communications applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Nicholas Francis Borrelli, Joseph Francis Schroeder, III, Thomas P. Seward, III
  • Patent number: 8098430
    Abstract: A grating structure having a fused silica base includes alternating ridges and grooves. The ridges and grooves form a fused silica to air interface. The ridges and grooves are configured such that the grating has a ratio between the effective refractive index difference between s-polarization and p-polarization of about 1/3. As such, for non-polarized light with an incident angle ?in of between 40° and 90° and a wavelength ?=350-1600 nm, the grating directs both s-polarization and p-polarization components of the incident light to the ?1st order diffraction mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignees: Toyota Motor Engineering and Manufacturing North America, Inc., The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania
    Inventors: Hideo Iizuka, Nader Engheta
  • Publication number: 20120002280
    Abstract: An optical element transmits incident light having a particular polarization direction mainly by 0-order transmission and diffracts incident light having a perpendicular polarization direction. The optical element includes a periodic structure having a period equal to or greater than the wavelength of the incident light. The periodic structure includes first and second subwavelength concave-convex structures formed perpendicularly adjacent to each other in each period of the periodic structure. The first and the second subwavelength concave-convex structures have a period less than the wavelength of the incident light. A filling factor and a groove depth of the first and the second subwavelength concave-convex structures are determined such that they have the same effective refraction index with respect to the incident light having the particular polarization direction and a phase difference ? with respect to the incident light having the particular polarization direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2010
    Publication date: January 5, 2012
    Inventors: Hideaki Hirai, Toshimichi Nasukawa, Kazuhiro Umeki
  • Patent number: 8059337
    Abstract: A wave plate is disclosed which includes a glass plate having a thickness of at least 0.1 mm and at most 5 mm. The glass plate has a plurality of strip-shaped birefringent regions substantially in parallel with a surface of the glass plate. The axial directions of the strip-shaped birefringent regions are the same with one another, and substantially in parallel with the surface of the glass plate. The wave plate has a retardation value of from 80 to 450 nm as measured with incident light having a wavelength of 540 nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Asahi Glass Company, Limited
    Inventor: Motoshi Ono
  • Patent number: 8029141
    Abstract: The image display apparatus includes a two-dimensional light modulation device for modulating light emitted from a laser light source, a display surface for displaying the modulated light, an optical pixel aperture enlarging member for distributing the luminance of the laser light while introducing the laser light to apertures of pixels of the modulation device; and a display pixel aperture enlarging portion for optically enlarging the modulated light by the apertures of the pixels of the modulation device corresponding to pixels of an image to be displayed. The luminance of a partial area of each pixel of the image displayed on the display surface is controlled to be below the threefold of an average value of the luminance in the area of the entire pixel by the optical pixel aperture enlarging member and the display pixel aperture enlarging portion, accomplishing speckle noise reduction and improved light utilization efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsuro Mizushima, Tatsuo Itoh, Kenichi Kasazumi, Kazuhisa Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 8007118
    Abstract: A direct-lit backlight includes a diffuse reflector disposed in front of a light source. The diffuse reflector has a continuous phase material and a disperse phase material, at least one of which is birefringent, and the disperse phase material is formed into particles having a transverse dimension less than 1 micrometer for efficient visible light scattering. The continuous and disperse phases have refractive indices tailored so the diffuse reflector transmits light from the light source substantially more strongly for obliquely incident light than for normally incident light to provide bulb-hiding characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Mark B. O'Neill, Carl A. Stover, Michael F. Weber
  • Patent number: 8009355
    Abstract: An optical element includes a first periodic structure portion being formed on a base portion and having a one-dimensional periodic structure in which a first medium and a second medium with a smaller refractive index than that of the first medium are alternately disposed in a first direction, and a second periodic structure portion being formed on the first periodic structure portion and having a periodic structure in which a third medium and a fourth medium with a smaller refractive index than that of the third medium are alternately disposed in the first direction. At an interface between the first and second periodic structure portions, a ratio of the first medium in the first periodic structure portion and a ratio of the third medium in the second periodic structure portion are different from each other. The element has a good form birefringence effect and a high reflection-suppressing effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takehiko Nakai
  • Patent number: 7995275
    Abstract: A polarization conversion element having plural polarization separation sections and plural phase modulation sections is disclosed. A light flux is separated into transmission light (P polarization) and reflection light (S polarization) by being input to a polarization separation section. The reflection light reflected at the polarization separation section is output in the same direction as that of the transmission light by being reflected again at an adjacent polarization separation section at a different position from a position where a light flux is input to the adjacent polarization separation section. The phase modulation section is disposed on an optical path of the transmission light or the reflection light and output light becomes the same polarization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ikuo Maeda, Kazuhiro Fujita
  • Patent number: 7978151
    Abstract: A three-dimensional image display apparatus includes an image display configured to output image light which arrays a plurality of pixels and has polarization, a lens array arranged in front of the image display, configured to function as lens at light which has a 1st polarization direction, and not to function as lens at light which has a 2nd polarization direction differed from the 1st polarization direction, and a birefringent phase modulator placed between the image display and the lens array and configured to rotate a polarization plane of the image light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Kazuki Taira, Yuzo Hirayama, Tatsuo Saishu, Rieko Fukushima, Ayako Takagi