Beam Splitter Or Combiner Patents (Class 359/583)
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Patent number: 7864325Abstract: 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 trType: GrantFiled: March 25, 2008Date of Patent: January 4, 2011Assignee: Yokogawa Electric CorporationInventors: Yasuyuki Suzuki, Yoshihiro Sanpei, Shinji Iio, Morio Wada, Mamoru Hihara, Koki Iemura
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Patent number: 7864433Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: July 7, 2009Date of Patent: January 4, 2011Assignee: Optoplex CorporationInventor: Yung-Chieh Hsieh
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Publication number: 20100296165Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: January 31, 2008Publication date: November 25, 2010Inventors: Michael Renne Ty Tan, Shih-Tuan (SY) Wang, Wei Wu
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Publication number: 20100277804Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: May 4, 2009Publication date: November 4, 2010Applicant: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGANInventors: Almantas Galvanauskas, Kai-Chung Hou
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Patent number: 7791053Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: October 8, 2008Date of Patent: September 7, 2010Assignee: Virgin Islands Microsystems, Inc.Inventor: Sidney E. Buttrill
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Patent number: 7768699Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: August 20, 2004Date of Patent: August 3, 2010Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric CorporationInventors: Jiro Suzuki, Yoshihito Hirano, Yutaka Ezaki, Yasushi Horiuchi, Masaki Tabata, Kouji Namura, Izumi Mikami
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Publication number: 20100110535Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: October 31, 2008Publication date: May 6, 2010Applicant: PyroPhotonics Lasers Inc.Inventors: Richard Murison, Tullio Panarello
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Publication number: 20100091225Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: August 14, 2009Publication date: April 15, 2010Inventors: Eun-hyoung Cho, Jin-seung Sohn, Seock-hwan Kang, Hae-sung Kim
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Patent number: 7673993Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: December 22, 2005Date of Patent: March 9, 2010Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventors: Jiaying Ma, Gregory E. Gilligan
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Patent number: 7652823Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: October 10, 2006Date of Patent: January 26, 2010Assignee: Konica Minolta Opto, Inc.Inventors: Hidetaka Jidai, Iwao Usui, Toshiya Kawanishi
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Patent number: 7631972Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: December 7, 2006Date of Patent: December 15, 2009Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Reona Ushigome, Yu Yamauchi
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Patent number: 7612939Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: November 3, 2006Date of Patent: November 3, 2009Assignee: Fujinon CorporationInventors: Shigeru Kato, Takuya Komatsu, Yoshiji Kawamura
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Patent number: 7606504Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: April 5, 2006Date of Patent: October 20, 2009Assignee: Fujitsu LimitedInventors: Hiroshi Onaka, Takeshi Hoshida
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Publication number: 20090251783Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: April 4, 2008Publication date: October 8, 2009Applicant: Texas Instruments IncorporatedInventors: Andrew Gerritt Huibers, Regis Grasser
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Patent number: 7583894Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: September 21, 2006Date of Patent: September 1, 2009Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent USA Inc.Inventor: Inuk Kang
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Patent number: 7573641Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: March 27, 2007Date of Patent: August 11, 2009Assignee: Optoplex CorporationInventor: Yung-Chieh Hsieh
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Patent number: 7564036Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: March 30, 2006Date of Patent: July 21, 2009Assignee: FUJIFILM CorporationInventor: Yoshiaki Ishimaru
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Patent number: 7540616Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: December 23, 2005Date of Patent: June 2, 2009Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties CompanyInventor: Arlie R. Conner
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Patent number: 7508567Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: January 8, 2008Date of Patent: March 24, 2009Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.Inventor: Stephan R. Clark
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Patent number: 7508591Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: March 3, 2008Date of Patent: March 24, 2009Assignee: Christie Digital Systems Canada, Inc,Inventor: George P. Pinho
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Patent number: 7483213Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: March 24, 2006Date of Patent: January 27, 2009Assignee: Omnitech PartnersInventor: Eugene Pochapsky
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Patent number: 7472995Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: September 12, 2006Date of Patent: January 6, 2009Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yu Yamauchi, Atsushi Okuyama, Reona Ushigome
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Patent number: 7466486Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: February 23, 2005Date of Patent: December 16, 2008Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.Inventor: Shinji Mitsuya
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Publication number: 20080297904Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: July 24, 2008Publication date: December 4, 2008Applicant: OC OERLIKON BALZERS AGInventor: Othmar ZUEGER
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Patent number: 7429111Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: November 29, 2005Date of Patent: September 30, 2008Assignee: JDS Uniphase CorporationInventor: Georg J. Ockenfuss
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Patent number: 7414785Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: June 11, 2003Date of Patent: August 19, 2008Assignee: ASML Holding N.V.Inventor: Ronald A Wilklow
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Patent number: 7414831Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: March 30, 2005Date of Patent: August 19, 2008Assignee: Fergason Patent Properties, LLCInventors: Blake Brown, Jason Monteiro, James L. Fergason
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Patent number: 7394986Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: September 9, 2003Date of Patent: July 1, 2008Assignee: Atmel Grenoble S. A.Inventors: Romain Ramel, Sylvie Jarjayes, Stéphane Gluck
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Patent number: 7369312Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: April 5, 2006Date of Patent: May 6, 2008Inventor: Daniel Lee Stark
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Patent number: 7362506Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: April 27, 2007Date of Patent: April 22, 2008Assignee: Christie Digital Systems, Inc.Inventor: George P. Pinho
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Publication number: 20080068715Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: September 14, 2007Publication date: March 20, 2008Inventor: Simon Magarill
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Publication number: 20070279747Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: June 5, 2006Publication date: December 6, 2007Applicant: Cymer, Inc.Inventor: Thomas Hofmann
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Patent number: 7256940Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: May 10, 2005Date of Patent: August 14, 2007Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyInventors: Franz X. Kaertner, Jung-Won Kim
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Patent number: 7245432Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: March 28, 2002Date of Patent: July 17, 2007Assignee: Main Street Ventures, LLCInventor: Arie Shahar
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Patent number: 7230768Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: April 27, 2005Date of Patent: June 12, 2007Assignee: Christie Digital Systems Inc.Inventor: George P. Pinho
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Patent number: 7209608Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: August 24, 2004Date of Patent: April 24, 2007Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research InstituteInventors: Chang Kyu Kim, Myung Lae Lee, Chi Hoon Jun, Chang Auck Choi, Yun Tae Kim
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Patent number: 7164530Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: September 22, 2004Date of Patent: January 16, 2007Assignee: Nippon Sheet Glass Co., Ltd.Inventors: Isao Muraguchi, Terufusa Kunisada, Yukinari Sekiguchi
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Patent number: 7156529Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: October 22, 2002Date of Patent: January 2, 2007Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.Inventor: Ramon Pascal Van Gorkom
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Patent number: 7149033Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: October 28, 2004Date of Patent: December 12, 2006Assignee: Ocean Optics, Inc.Inventor: Philip E. Buchsbaum
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Patent number: 7138619Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: September 28, 2004Date of Patent: November 21, 2006Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.Inventors: Ronald A. Ferrante, Timothy W. Rand, Mary B. Lapis
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Patent number: 7092162Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: August 9, 2005Date of Patent: August 15, 2006Inventors: Yung-Chieh Hsieh, Chiayu Ai
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Patent number: 7086738Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: February 18, 2004Date of Patent: August 8, 2006Assignee: United Microelectronics Corp.Inventors: Ho Lu, Chung-Jung Chen, Shih-Po Yeh
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Patent number: 7088517Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: March 19, 2003Date of Patent: August 8, 2006Assignee: LaVision Biotec GmbHInventor: Heinrich Spiecker
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Patent number: 7057815Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: October 26, 2001Date of Patent: June 6, 2006Assignee: Nikon CorporationInventor: Mikio Okamoto
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Patent number: 7055966Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: October 10, 2003Date of Patent: June 6, 2006Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Akira Momose, Atsushi Miyazawa, Keijiro Naito
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Patent number: 7048384Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: January 24, 2003Date of Patent: May 23, 2006Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.Inventors: Barrett E. Cole, Robert E. Higashi
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Patent number: 7012747Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: September 20, 2002Date of Patent: March 14, 2006Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Masaki Kagawa, Toshio Sasaki
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Patent number: 6956551Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: July 25, 2002Date of Patent: October 18, 2005Assignee: Thomson LicensingInventors: Jean-Jacques Sacre, Nicolas Pitaval
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Patent number: 6909549Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: March 6, 2003Date of Patent: June 21, 2005Inventors: Yung-Chieh Hsieh, Chiayu Ai, Hong Li, Dar-Yuan Song
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Patent number: 6900940Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: June 10, 2002Date of Patent: May 31, 2005Assignee: Fujitsu LimitedInventors: Nobuaki Mitamura, Hirotomo Izumi, Yuichi Kawahata