Beam Splitter Or Combiner Patents (Class 359/583)
  • Patent number: 7864325
    Abstract: An interferometer of the invention includes: a first splitting element which includes a first transparent medium and a first splitting film formed on the first transparent medium, and which splits incident light into a first split beam and a second split beam, the first split beam being the incident light reflected by the first splitting element and the second split beam being the incident light transmitted through the first splitting element; and a second splitting element which includes a second transparent medium and a second splitting film formed on the second transparent medium, and which causes interference between the first split beam and the second split beam passed through different optical paths, the second splitting element being positioned such that a positional relationship between the second transparent medium and the second splitting film with respect to a direction of incidence on the second splitting element of the first split beam is opposite to a positional relationship between the first tr
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Yokogawa Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuyuki Suzuki, Yoshihiro Sanpei, Shinji Iio, Morio Wada, Mamoru Hihara, Koki Iemura
  • Patent number: 7864433
    Abstract: An exemplary optical hybrid includes a 50/50 un-polarized beam splitter, a folding prism, a beam shifter, a spacer and a phase shifter such that from an input S-beam (signal) and an L-beam (reference), four outputs, S+L, S?L, S+jL and S?jL, are produced. The phase difference between the two components of each output beam produced by the S and L beams in the optical hybrid is ?+0, ?+90, ?+180, or ?+270 degrees, where ? is the phase difference of the signal beam with respect to the reference beam. In an alternative embodiment, the phase difference between the two components of each output beam produced by the S and L beams in the optical hybrid is ?+0, ?+X, ?+180, or ?+180+X degrees, where X is an arbitrary number of degrees greater than 0 and smaller than 180.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Optoplex Corporation
    Inventor: Yung-Chieh Hsieh
  • Publication number: 20100296165
    Abstract: A method of forming a non-polarizing pellicle beamsplitter having a desired power-tap ratio. The method includes the operation of forming a base layer having a base refractive index on a substrate and arranging a plurality of alternating layers having relatively high and low indexes of refraction respectively over the base layer. The thickness of each of the high index and low index layers is selected to substantially eliminate polarization of the optical beam. The method further includes the operation of removing a selected area of the substrate to create an optical pathway comprised of both the base layer and the plurality of alternating layers, and where the optical pathway is configured to transmit and reflect a selected amount of light in the optical beam.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2008
    Publication date: November 25, 2010
    Inventors: Michael Renne Ty Tan, Shih-Tuan (SY) Wang, Wei Wu
  • Publication number: 20100277804
    Abstract: A beam combining system suitable of pulsed fiber laser applications is able to produce non-spatial-dispersive beams using an highly efficient filter, such as a multilayer dielectric filter, in transmission and reflection configurations. The techniques therefore can overcome constraints on laser line-width and beam width and allow for more stable systems for high peak power pulsed laser energy, such as may be used in extreme ultraviolet lithography and other applications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2009
    Publication date: November 4, 2010
    Applicant: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
    Inventors: Almantas Galvanauskas, Kai-Chung Hou
  • Patent number: 7791053
    Abstract: Plasmon-enable devices such as ultra-small resonant devices produce electromagnetic radiation at frequencies in excess of microwave frequencies when induced to resonate by a passing electron beam. The resonant devices are surrounded by one or more depressed anodes to recover energy from the passing electron beam as/after the beam couples its energy into the ultra-small resonant devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: Virgin Islands Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventor: Sidney E. Buttrill
  • Patent number: 7768699
    Abstract: A phase difference detecting device includes a splitter for splitting laser beams into a first group which will travel along a first path and a second group which will travel along a second path, a beam selection/extraction unit for selecting, as reference light, one beam from the first group to allow it to pass therethrough, a path length changing unit for changing the length of the first path, a combining unit for combining the reference light and beams which construct the second group to produce interference light, and a detector for detecting the intensity of the interference light. The device changes the length of the first path using the path length changing unit to detect a path length which maximizes the intensity of the interference light for each of the beams which construct the second group, and determines a phase difference among the beams from the detected path length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Jiro Suzuki, Yoshihito Hirano, Yutaka Ezaki, Yasushi Horiuchi, Masaki Tabata, Kouji Namura, Izumi Mikami
  • Publication number: 20100110535
    Abstract: A laser amplifier includes a pump source and an optically active fiber having an input portion configured to receive a signal source and an output portion. The pump source is optically coupled to the optically active fiber. The laser amplifier also includes an output fiber optically coupled to the output portion of the optically active fiber. The output fiber includes a rare-earth element. The laser amplifier further includes a beam expansion section joined to the output fiber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2008
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Applicant: PyroPhotonics Lasers Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Murison, Tullio Panarello
  • Publication number: 20100091225
    Abstract: Example embodiments relate to a photonic crystal optical filter, a transmissive color filter, a transflective color filter, and a display apparatus using the photonic crystal optical filter. The transmissive color filter may include a transparent substrate; a barrier layer formed on the transparent substrate and having a plurality of pixel areas; and a plurality of photonic crystal units formed on the plurality of pixel areas. Each of the plurality of photonic crystal units may have a structure such that a first material having a relatively high refractive index and a second material having a relatively low refractive index are periodically arranged so as to transmit light having a wavelength band corresponding to a photonic band gap. An optical cut-off layer may be formed on the first material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2009
    Publication date: April 15, 2010
    Inventors: Eun-hyoung Cho, Jin-seung Sohn, Seock-hwan Kang, Hae-sung Kim
  • Patent number: 7673993
    Abstract: A projection system comprising a first imaging component, at least a second imaging component, and a color combiner. The first and second imaging components each comprise an imager and a reflective polarizer that is configured to at least partially separate a light beam from the imager into a first portion and second portion, where the first portion and the second portion have substantially orthogonal polarization states. The first portions of the light beams are directed in the same direction above or below a plane defined by the second portions of the light beams. The color combiner is configured to combine the second portions of the light beams, where the second portions of the light beams have substantially orthogonal polarization states prior to entering the color combiner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Jiaying Ma, Gregory E. Gilligan
  • Patent number: 7652823
    Abstract: A non-polarizing beam splitter has a first prism; one or more ground layer(s) made of a dielectric material which is (are) formed on a slant face of the first right angle prism; an Au layer having thickness of 13 to 35 nm which is formed on the ground layer; one or more protective layer(s) made of a dielectric material which is (are) formed on the Au layer; and a second prism which is jointed to an outermost layer of the protective layer via adhesive. The non-polarizing beam splitter divides light at wavelength of 640 nm to 820 nm into transmission light and reflection light by a predetermined ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2010
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Opto, Inc.
    Inventors: Hidetaka Jidai, Iwao Usui, Toshiya Kawanishi
  • Patent number: 7631972
    Abstract: A wavelength-selective polarization conversion element is disclosed which has a polarization conversion function that has been obtained by a polarization conversion element and a wavelength-selective phase plate in the past. The element includes a polarization beam splitting film and a phase plate. The film splits light and has a characteristic in which the transmittance for light with a first polarization direction and the transmittance for light with a second polarization direction are changed between a value higher than 50% and a value lower than 50% depending on wavelength region. The phase plate changes the polarization direction of light transmitted or reflected by the film between the first and second polarization directions. The element converts light in two of the first to third wavelength regions into polarized light with one polarization direction and converts light in the other wavelength region into polarized light with another polarization direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Reona Ushigome, Yu Yamauchi
  • Patent number: 7612939
    Abstract: A transmissive phase plate with a function of correcting direction of polarization of light rays in an incident divergent or convergent light flux in addition to functions as a wave plate. Conditions of polarization of incident light rays are corrected by a polarization-correcting optical multi-layer coating which is formed by alternately depositing a high refractivity layer and a low refractivity layer on curved substrative surface of a predetermined radius of curvature. The transmissive phase plate can be applied to correct conditions of polarization of incident light rays of a polarized beam splitter for the purpose of improving contrast ratio of a projection display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2009
    Assignee: Fujinon Corporation
    Inventors: Shigeru Kato, Takuya Komatsu, Yoshiji Kawamura
  • Patent number: 7606504
    Abstract: An optical receiver comprises branching units for branching and supplying the signal lights to be inputted to the first to fourth optical waveguides provided on a substrate, second to third optical waveguides for giving delay time differences corresponding to a symbol of the DMPSK modulated signal, a demodulating unit for demodulating two light signals through interference of signal lights between the first to second optical waveguides and between the third to fourth optical waveguides, two optical detectors for converting two light signals from the demodulating unit, and a light path length varying unit for identically varying each light path length of two optical waveguides being arranged through selection of combinations of the first and third optical waveguides, the first and fourth optical waveguides, and the second and third optical waveguides in one region when the wavelength of the signal light is varied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2009
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Hiroshi Onaka, Takeshi Hoshida
  • Publication number: 20090251783
    Abstract: For combining light from different light sources in a light source, dichroic filters are displaced individually according to the physical arrangement of the light sources such that the reflected light from the dichroic filters is coincident in angle and space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2008
    Publication date: October 8, 2009
    Applicant: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Andrew Gerritt Huibers, Regis Grasser
  • Patent number: 7583894
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are described for modulating an optical signal using electroabsorption in conjunction with an optical interferometer. Phase-shift keying modulation can be achieved with lower amplitude modulator drive signals than conventional methods by splitting the signal to be modulated into multiple optical modes and interferometrically combining the modes after modulating at least one of the modes with an EAM. Using the present invention, the extinction ratio performance of ASK can be significantly improved for a given drive voltage or a desired extinction ratio can be achieved with a substantially lower drive voltage. Hence, the elecro-optic bandwidth of EAMs can be enhanced by overcoming the trade-off relationship between extinction ratio and bandwidth. Furthermore, the present invention can be used to generate other modulation formats, such as QPSK or QAM, with much lower drive voltages, thereby reducing the cost and power consumption of the high-speed drive electronics for the modulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2009
    Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent USA Inc.
    Inventor: Inuk Kang
  • Patent number: 7573641
    Abstract: An exemplary optical hybrid includes a 50/50 un-polarized beam splitter, a folding prism, a beam shifter, a spacer and a phase shifter such that from an input S-beam (signal) and an L-beam (reference), four outputs, S+L, S?L, S+jL, S?jL, are produced. The phase difference of S and L at the four output ports is phi_0, phi_0+90-degrees, phi_0+180-degree, phi_0+270-degree, where the phase difference between S and L at the S+L port is an arbitrary number phi_0 and the phase difference between S and L at the other output ports, S?L, S+jL, S?jL, is 90, 180 and 270, respectively, shifted from phi_0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2009
    Assignee: Optoplex Corporation
    Inventor: Yung-Chieh Hsieh
  • Patent number: 7564036
    Abstract: A communication device for an image pickup apparatus having its imaging lens focussing light input from a field on an image sensor uses infrared rays. An infrared ray receiving member is positioned in front of the image sensor for receiving infrared rays contained in the light transmitted through the lens. A detecting circuit detects a signal exclusive for communication contained in the infrared rays received. The infrared rays receiving member transmits visible rays so that the visible rays are incident on the image sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2009
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshiaki Ishimaru
  • Patent number: 7540616
    Abstract: Light emitting diodes (LEDs) emit light at a first wavelength. A phosphor material close to LEDs converts at least some of the light to a second wavelength. The light at both wavelengths passes through a light collecting unit. A reflecting polarizer transmits both wavelengths in a first polarization state and reflects light at both wavelengths in a second, orthogonal, polarization state. Light reflected by the reflective polarizer is directed back towards the phosphor material without any substantial increase in angular range. The resulting output light beam contains polarized light at the first and second wavelengths. In some embodiments, an array of LEDs includes LEDs that emit light at a first wavelength and others that emit light at a second wavelength. The phosphor material is disposed on the LEDs emitting the light at the first wavelength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2009
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventor: Arlie R. Conner
  • Patent number: 7508567
    Abstract: A device includes a pair of two partially transmitting optical surfaces positioned approximately parallel to each other and spaced apart. A high reflectance metal etalon coating is formed on each of the optical surfaces. An enhancing stack is coupled to the metal etalon coating on each of the optical surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2009
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Stephan R. Clark
  • Patent number: 7508591
    Abstract: A projector incorporating a prism and a plurality of light valves for modulating light that passes though the prism, wherein the color splitting-converging prism includes a dichroic coating having multiple layers of high and low index of refraction and ¼ wavelength thickness at each desired angle of incidence for reducing dichroic shift and thereby minimizing light loss.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2009
    Assignee: Christie Digital Systems Canada, Inc,
    Inventor: George P. Pinho
  • Patent number: 7483213
    Abstract: An image combining viewer transmits a daylight image directly through the viewer, while reflecting at least one wavelength other than visible light towards a sensor. A display for displaying the image received by the sensor in a visible wavelength is reflected by the back surface of the mirror back along the optical path, combining the displayed image with the daylight image so that they appear to be a single image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2009
    Assignee: Omnitech Partners
    Inventor: Eugene Pochapsky
  • Patent number: 7472995
    Abstract: A wavelength-selective polarization conversion element is disclosed, which is capable of reducing the number of optical elements in an optical system and simplifying the configuration thereof. The polarization conversion element comprises a beam splitting film which splits light by transmission and reflection and has a characteristic in which at least its transmittance for light with a first polarization direction changes between a transmittance higher than 50% and a transmittance lower than 50% depending on wavelength regions, and a phase plate which converts the polarization direction of light from the beam splitting film between the first polarization direction and a second polarization direction. The polarization conversion element converts light of two of first, second and third wavelength regions into light with one of the first and second polarization directions and converts light of the remaining wavelength region into light with the other polarization direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yu Yamauchi, Atsushi Okuyama, Reona Ushigome
  • Patent number: 7466486
    Abstract: A polarization separating element which can be easily manufactured without increasing the cost and can separate light into plural directions by using one sheet. A polarization separating element includes a structural birefringence body having a base body made of a photosensitive material of which periodic refractive index distributions are formed in plural directions and at least a pair of surfaces is formed in the base body in which one surface is a light incident location and the other surface is a light emitting location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2008
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shinji Mitsuya
  • Publication number: 20080297904
    Abstract: A method for dividing substantially nonpolarized white light into three substantially nonpolarized fractions includes splitting the substantially nonpolarized white light into a first fraction and a second fraction, the first fraction being substantially nonpolarized light of a first wavelength interval and the second fraction of substantially nonpolarized light of a second and a third wavelength interval, the first wavelength interval being located between the second and the third wavelength interval and splitting the second fraction into a third fraction with substantially nonpolarized light of the second wavelength interval and into a fourth fraction with substantially nonpolarized light of the third wavelength interval.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2008
    Publication date: December 4, 2008
    Applicant: OC OERLIKON BALZERS AG
    Inventor: Othmar ZUEGER
  • Patent number: 7429111
    Abstract: The invention provides a two-panel color management system for projection display applications, wherein color sequencing is accomplished using achromatic beam switching and static color separation. In a preferred embodiment, a liquid-crystal polarization switch alternates a polarization of an input light beam between two orthogonal states. A polarization beam splitter directs the beam comprising three primary color components alternately along a first and second paths, wherein first and second different secondary color filters are disposed for forming first and second secondary colored beams, each having two different primary color components. A dichroic color separator alternately receives the first and second secondary colored beams, separates their primary color components and directs them to first and second imager panels. A beam combiner combines the first polarized primary color beam from the first imager and the second polarized primary color beam from the second imager to form a projection beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2008
    Assignee: JDS Uniphase Corporation
    Inventor: Georg J. Ockenfuss
  • Patent number: 7414785
    Abstract: A beamsplitter includes a first fluoride prism and a second fluoride prism. A coating interface is between the first and second fluoride prisms, wherein an overall R(s)*T(p) function of the beamsplitter varies no more than ±2.74% in the range of 40-50 degrees of incidence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2008
    Assignee: ASML Holding N.V.
    Inventor: Ronald A Wilklow
  • Patent number: 7414831
    Abstract: A convertible display system includes two displays, beam splitter, and mount, which are adjustable to convert the system for 3D image use and 2D image display use, respectively. In 3D orientation the displays are at an angle to each other and the tops (or bottoms) are proximate each other, the beam splitter is at the bisectrix of the angle for viewing of respective stereo image pairs along a substantially common light path, and the images are provided by reflection from and transmission through the beam splitter. The reflected display provides its image in mirror image orientation relative to the transmitted image. The images are discriminated by polarizers. For 2D use the beam splitter is rotated out of the viewing path and one display is repositioned on the mount generally in side by side relation with the tops of the displays at the top to allow substantially side by side viewing of images provided by the displays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2008
    Assignee: Fergason Patent Properties, LLC
    Inventors: Blake Brown, Jason Monteiro, James L. Fergason
  • Patent number: 7394986
    Abstract: The invention relates to wavelength-selective optical filters for allowing light of a narrow optical spectral band, centered around a wavelength (?c) to pass through them, while reflecting the wavelengths lying outside this band. According to the invention, the transfer function (T1,2(?)) of the component is defined by multiplying two transfer functions of spectrally offset Fabry-Perot filters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2008
    Assignee: Atmel Grenoble S. A.
    Inventors: Romain Ramel, Sylvie Jarjayes, Stéphane Gluck
  • Patent number: 7369312
    Abstract: A thin optic electro magnetic radiation polarization converter, available in various combinations, used to convert non-polarized radiation into a single polarization state, which may be utilized in many devices requiring polarized radiation. A unique geometric configuration and positioning of optic layers that cause polarization separation by radiation concentration, reflection and polarization conversion utilizing birefringent materials to convert incident radiation to a linear polarization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Inventor: Daniel Lee Stark
  • Patent number: 7362506
    Abstract: A projector incorporating a prism and a plurality of light valves for modulating light that passes though the prism, wherein the color splitting-converging prism includes a dichroic coating having multiple layers of high and low index of refraction and ¼ wavelength thickness at each desired angle of incidence for reducing dichroic shift and thereby minimizing light loss.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: Christie Digital Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: George P. Pinho
  • Publication number: 20080068715
    Abstract: A projection engine is disclosed, in which white light from a uniform telecentric source is collimated, polarized, and split into red and cyan beams. The collimated red light passes through a red focuser, which has an off-axis, front-surface mirror that has an aspheric and/or conic profile, and a spherical lens. The collimated cyan light passes through a similar cyan focuser, after which it is split into blue and green beams. The mirror reflective surface has an aspherical shape to minimize aberrations at the edge of the field of view in the illumination optical path. The collimator is at the front focal plane of each focuser, making the emergent converging beam telecentric, and a pixelated panel is at the rear focal plane of each focuser. The reflected light beams from the red, green and blue pixelated panels are superimposed on a pixel-by-pixel basis and are directed to a projection lens.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2007
    Publication date: March 20, 2008
    Inventor: Simon Magarill
  • Publication number: 20070279747
    Abstract: A beam mixer for increasing intensity symmetry along a selected axis of a beam (wherein the beam extends from a first edge to a second edge along the axis) is disclosed and may include a plurality of mirrors establishing a spatially inverting path. For the beam mixer, the inverting path may have a beginning and an end and may be characterized in that a part of the beam near the first beam edge at the beginning of the path translates to the second beam edge at the end of the path. For this aspect, the beam mixer may further include an optic dividing the beam into first and second beam portions, the optic placing the first portion onto the inverting path and recombining the first and second portions onto a common path after the first portion has traveled along the inverting path thereby mixing the beam.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2006
    Publication date: December 6, 2007
    Applicant: Cymer, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas Hofmann
  • Patent number: 7256940
    Abstract: A beam splitter includes a substrate. A thin film layer stack is formed on the substrate to achieve the same group delay dispersion (GDD) for both reflection and transmission from any input port and output port of said beam splitter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2007
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Franz X. Kaertner, Jung-Won Kim
  • Patent number: 7245432
    Abstract: A diffraction grating device (100) has both reflecting (108) and transmitting (106) gratings inter leaved to allow both transmission diffraction patterns and reflection diffraction patterns to be formed by means of the same device (102). This makes it possible, for example, to produce a diffraction pattern of one older with a beam (134) directed to be diffracted by the reflecting diffraction grating or with a beam (132) directed to be diffracted by the transmitting diffraction grating when either beam is incident alone. It also makes it possible to generate a diffraction pattern of a different order when both beams are incident simultaneously, which reduces effective order of the grating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2007
    Assignee: Main Street Ventures, LLC
    Inventor: Arie Shahar
  • Patent number: 7230768
    Abstract: A projector incorporating a prism and a plurality of light valves for modulating light that passes though the prism, wherein the color splitting-converging prism includes a dichroic coating having multiple layers of high and low index of refraction and ¼ wavelength thickness at each desired angle of incidence for reducing dichroic shift and thereby minimizing light loss.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2007
    Assignee: Christie Digital Systems Inc.
    Inventor: George P. Pinho
  • Patent number: 7209608
    Abstract: Provided is a Fabry-Perot type wavelength tunable optical filter, comprising a first mirror; a second mirror located over the first mirror; a driving body located over the first mirror, and having both ends fixed to the first mirror through a spacer; a plurality of electrodes, each formed on both ends of the driving body; a rod structure connecting a center of the driving body and the second mirror; a plurality of fixing means, each fixed to the first mirror at both sides of the rod structure through the spacer; and a plurality of elastic bodies connecting the rod structure with the plurality of fixing means and acting as a rotational axis. And the mirror is driven by the rod structure acting as a lever that has an elastic body as a rotational axis, when warping is generated by electro-thermal expansion, electromagnetic force or external force. Thereby the mirror can be driven in the larger wavelength tunable range and the low power consumption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
    Inventors: Chang Kyu Kim, Myung Lae Lee, Chi Hoon Jun, Chang Auck Choi, Yun Tae Kim
  • Patent number: 7164530
    Abstract: A polarizing filter has a laminate structure: wherein one to four layers of first dielectric thin films 1 and one to four layers of second dielectric thin films 2 are alternately laminated on a transparent flat substrate 10 to form the laminate structure, the layers of second dielectric thin films 2 having a refractive index lower than that of the first dielectric thin films 1 with respect to the wavelength of incident light; wherein one layer of the third dielectric thin film 3 having a refractive index intermediate between the refractive indices of the first and second dielectric thin films with respect to the wavelength of incident light is laminated on a surface of the laminate structure. In an optical device using the polarizing filter, the angle of incidence is set to be in a range of from 20 to 70 degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2007
    Assignee: Nippon Sheet Glass Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Isao Muraguchi, Terufusa Kunisada, Yukinari Sekiguchi
  • Patent number: 7156529
    Abstract: A contrast enhancement filter for a display device includes a plurality of connected sloping surfaces acting as a plurality of beam splitters, and a plurality of light absorbers, each arranged between adjacent beam splitters, so that light incident into an area on the side of the absorber is partly reflected by the beam splitters into adjacent absorbers. Light entering from the opposite side is partially reflected towards the absorbing walls located on either side of the pointed shape. The remaining light is transmitted through the filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2007
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventor: Ramon Pascal Van Gorkom
  • Patent number: 7149033
    Abstract: An improved light beam combiner is disclosed that creates a more uniform light source across the UV, Visual, and NIR range. It is an optical mechanical device made up of a standard high low dielectric thin film which, when placed at a 45 degree angle between a Deuterium lamp and a Halogen or Tungsten lamp, reflects the UV portion of a Deuterium lamp and passes the visual portion while also allowing the visual energy of a Halogen or Tungsten lamp to pass resulting in a more uniform light source for use in spectroscopy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Assignee: Ocean Optics, Inc.
    Inventor: Philip E. Buchsbaum
  • Patent number: 7138619
    Abstract: A plurality of imagers, each responsive to a different wavelength range of light radiation, share the same optical system of lenses. An optical film on a substrate is used to split the light beam emanating from the shared optical system. The first wavelength range is reflected by the film to a first imager. The second wavelength range is transmitted through the film and the substrate to a second imager.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2006
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald A. Ferrante, Timothy W. Rand, Mary B. Lapis
  • Patent number: 7092162
    Abstract: An optical cavity is combined with a MUX or a de-MUX device having substantially the same free-spectral range in order to enhance the bandwidth of the device. The optical cavity can be tuned to shift the frequencies of maximum insertion loss to match the center frequency of each channel. The reflectivities of the reflective surfaces of the cavity are judiciously selected to produce the insertion-loss spectrum needed to optimize the desired result. Multiple cavities can be used in series to refine the shape of the pass-band spectrum. A frequency window is used to fine tune the free-spectral range of the cavity and to shift the peaks of its insertion-loss spectrum to the desired frequencies. Inner and outer cavity surfaces are oriented to eliminate interference from secondary reflections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Inventors: Yung-Chieh Hsieh, Chiayu Ai
  • Patent number: 7086738
    Abstract: An optical projection system has a parallel light source for producing a parallel light beam. A first color splitter splits the parallel light beam into a first color beam and a color mixing beam. The color mixing beam includes a second color beam and a third color beam. A first both-side telecentric group is disposed on a first light path of the first color beam, so as to transform into a first light beam. A second both-side telecentric group is disposed on a second light path of the color mixing beam. A second color splitter is disposed on the second light path to split the color mixing beam into a second light beam and a third light beam. A light-combining unit receives the first, second, and third light beams and combines into a mixed beam. Then the mixed beam is projected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2006
    Assignee: United Microelectronics Corp.
    Inventors: Ho Lu, Chung-Jung Chen, Shih-Po Yeh
  • Patent number: 7088517
    Abstract: The subject matter of the invention is a beam splitter device having two spaced apart parallel highly reflecting mirrors, between which there is disposed a semireflecting mirror which is spaced a different distance from the at least one highly reflecting mirror, said semireflecting mirror having at least one portion configured to form a full reflector or an antireflector, the semireflecting mirror being slidably disposed between the highly reflecting mirrors and a laser-scanning microscope as well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2006
    Assignee: LaVision Biotec GmbH
    Inventor: Heinrich Spiecker
  • Patent number: 7057815
    Abstract: An optical glass for polarizing optical system having a photoelastic constant C in the range of ?0.2 to +0.5 [10?8 cm2/N] with respect to a wavelength of 633 nm, the optical glass having the following composition (1): composition (1): when represented in terms of wt. % of oxides: SiO2: 17.0–27.0% (35.5–57.0 mol %) Li2O+Na2O+K2O: 0.5–5.0% (0.7–20.0 mol %) PbO: 72.0–75.0% (39.1–45.0 mol %) As2O3+Sb2O3: 0.1–3.0% (0.1–2.0 mol %).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Mikio Okamoto
  • Patent number: 7055966
    Abstract: When a video signal is inputted to a projector (10) through a video input terminal, a luminance peak value of an image of the video signal is detected by an image-analyzing circuit (61) to be outputted to a CPU (71). A gain-adjusting circuit (63) adjusts a luminance signal in the video signal based on a command from the CPU (71). The CPU (71) determines a gain adjustment amount based on the luminance peak value of the image obtained by the image-analyzing circuit (61) and outputs the result to the gain-adjusting circuit (63). For instance, when the luminance peak value (Ip) of the image is 50% of the upper limit (Imax) thereof, a gain-adjusting amount AG is doubled. In this case, an illuminating light volume of a light valve (44a) has to be reduced to 50%, which is achieved by light-attenuation by a light-source lamp (21) and an open/close light shield (23).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Momose, Atsushi Miyazawa, Keijiro Naito
  • Patent number: 7048384
    Abstract: A projection system for presenting infrared scenes having biological and chemical agents, simulants and objects such as battlefield items. The generated scenes are primarily for the evaluation of infrared sensors, cameras and stand-off detectors. The system may have two or more projectors that combine various scenes into one scene having components with modified or imposed spectra signatures. Also, the system may generate a dynamic series of scenes that show synthetic scenarios of moving objects, agent clouds, non-toxic simulants and other items.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Barrett E. Cole, Robert E. Higashi
  • Patent number: 7012747
    Abstract: There are provided an inexpensive polarizing beam splitter having a polarized light beam separating function of a wide range with a simple film construction and a reduced number of laminated film layers, and a polarizer provided with the polarizing beam splitter to arrange natural light into a specific polarized state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2006
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Masaki Kagawa, Toshio Sasaki
  • Patent number: 6956551
    Abstract: Device comprising: matrices of reflecting elements which can be electrically driven, and means for deconstructing a beam of polychromatic light and means for reconstructing complementary reflected beams, comprising two dichroic filters with a gradient where, for at least one of these filters, the direction of the gradient HOG, H?OG? makes an angle of inclination of non-zero gradient ?, ?? with a plane (DOE, D?OE?) orthogonal to the reflecting surfaces of the matrices. By virtue of the inclination of the gradient, the chromatic performance of the device is substantially improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2005
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventors: Jean-Jacques Sacre, Nicolas Pitaval
  • Patent number: 6909549
    Abstract: A tunable filter includes a polarizing beam splitter and a half-wave plate that produce two equally polarized beams from an arbitrarily polarized input light. The polarized beams are directed toward a tunable component that consists of an optical substrate coated with a filter and a reflective element on its back and front surface, respectively. The pass and stop beams emerging from the tunable component are retro-reflected by roof structures and passed again through the filter. As a result of this combination of components, the filter's performance is not dependent on polarization and the filter's output channels are not shifted or deviated by tuning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2005
    Inventors: Yung-Chieh Hsieh, Chiayu Ai, Hong Li, Dar-Yuan Song
  • Patent number: 6900940
    Abstract: A VIPA plate having a configuration where a translucent reflection film and a total reflection film are respectively arranged on one side and the other side of a transparent parallel plate can be used as a wavelength dispersion compensator by using a special mirror and a lens. However, the transparency characteristic of the wavelength dispersion compensator using such a VIPA plate is a periodical characteristic which is asymmetric with a central wavelength in a wavelength regime. Accordingly, not parallel light but converged or diverged light having angular dispersion is input to an etalon plate, so that a filter whose transparency characteristic is an asymmetric periodical characteristic which is reverse to the VIPA plate is configured for the central wavelength in the wavelength regime. With this filter, the transparency characteristic of the wavelength dispersion compensator using the VIPA plate is optimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2005
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Nobuaki Mitamura, Hirotomo Izumi, Yuichi Kawahata