With Three Or More Successive Reflections Patents (Class 359/861)
  • Patent number: 8123371
    Abstract: An all-reflective optical system includes a primary mirror of ellipsoidal configuration, a secondary mirror of hyperboloidal configuration facing the primary mirror, and an eye-piece that includes: a positive-powered tertiary mirror having a majority of positive power that is expected in the eye-piece and configured to substantially collimate light rays incident thereon; and a negative-powered near-flat quaternary mirror having lesser power than the tertiary mirror and configured to receive the substantially collimated light rays from the tertiary mirror, further collimate the received light rays and reflect the further collimated light rays to an exit pupil. The primary mirror, the secondary mirror and the eye-piece thereby form an afocal optical system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventor: Lacy G. Cook
  • Patent number: 8107147
    Abstract: A scanning beam projection system includes a two-mirror scanning system. One mirror scans in one direction, and a second mirror scans in a second direction. A fast scan mirror receives a modulated light beam from a fold mirror and directs the modulated light beam to a slow can mirror. The fold mirror may be formed on an output optic or may be formed on a common substrate with the slow scan mirror.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Microvision, Inc.
    Inventors: Joshua M. Hudman, Wyatt O. Davis, Dean R. Brown
  • Publication number: 20120008124
    Abstract: An imaging optical system has a plurality of mirrors, which via a beam path for imaging light, image an object field in an object plane into an image field in an image plane. The imaging optical system has an exit pupil obscuration. At least one of the mirrors has no opening for passage of the imaging light. The fourth to last mirror in the beam path is concave, resulting in an imaging optical system having improved imaging properties without compromise in throughput.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2011
    Publication date: January 12, 2012
    Applicant: CARL ZEISS SMT GMBH
    Inventors: Hans-Juergen Mann, David Shafer
  • Patent number: 8087792
    Abstract: An optical beam homogenizer having an adjustable homogenizer chamber for selectively producing different sized homogenized output beams and related methods in accordance with one or more embodiments is described herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Lynne C. Eigler
  • Patent number: 8085466
    Abstract: Optical system for a telescope having independent optical arms adapted to collect light rays over a first cross sectional area and compress it into a second cross sectional area less than the first cross sectional area. Orthogonal mirror pairs of parabolic trough mirrors compress light in first one dimension and then the other dimension and feed the light into a focusing smaller telescope structure. The gathered light is kept parallel and its wavefront is kept in phase, allowing the telescope to have the diffraction limit of the collective aperture. The optical arms are independently adjustable to point the system toward different objects of interest and track them.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Curtlan C. Betchley
  • Publication number: 20110280271
    Abstract: The disclosure discloses a fabry-Perot (F-P) cavity, which is a folded confocal cavity integrally formed by a monolithic optical element, the folded confocal cavity having three reflection surfaces, wherein a first reflection surface is a plane and at the same time serves as an input/output coupling surface, a second reflection surface is a plane, and a third surface is a spherical surface, curvature radius of which is equal to half of a round trip geometric length of light in the folded confocal cavity. The invention further discloses a laser based on the F-P cavity. The solution of the disclosure solves the problems in existing folded F-P cavity, such as unsatisfactory stability, sensitive to outside inferences, bulky and complicated construction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2011
    Publication date: November 17, 2011
    Inventors: Erjun Zang, Yang Zhao, Jianping Cao, Ye Li, Zhanjun Fang
  • Publication number: 20110226955
    Abstract: Imaging systems in which an undedicated optical component—i.e., a component that would be present in the system even in the absence of image stabilization—is configured to undergo corrective motion and/or other correction of image data, and thus to function as a stabilization component. The stabilization component may be a mirror and/or a lens, and a positioner may be provided to tilt, rotate, and/or otherwise precisely adjust the position and orientation of the stabilization component to improve image resolution, compensate for platform motions such as platform vibration, and/or improve image tracking. Because an undedicated optical component functions as the stabilization component, the stabilization occurs upstream, rather than downstream, from separation (if any) of the incoming image data into two or more beams.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2011
    Publication date: September 22, 2011
    Applicant: FLIR SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Clifford J. Luty, Bruce A. Dickerson, Bruce Ellison, John L. Miller
  • Publication number: 20110176228
    Abstract: Reflectors having concave reflecting surfaces (e.g., parabolic reflectors) and electronically controlled beam steering elements are used for rapid, low-diversion, wide angle, and precision steering of optical beams, including laser beams.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2010
    Publication date: July 21, 2011
    Applicant: D & S CONSULTANTS, INC.
    Inventors: Yei Wo, Stephen DeChiaro
  • Publication number: 20110038068
    Abstract: A probe comprises an external casing, an optical illumination circuit, and an optical reception circuit, at least one of which has a first concave primary mirror, a first convex secondary mirror configured for receiving a spectrum from and sending the spectrum to said first concave primary mirror, and an active optical mirror element set in series with said first concave primary mirror and said first convex secondary mirror and having a curvature such as to differentiate the optical arms of the conjugate points, a first conjugate point being inside the external casing and a second conjugate point being outside the external casing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2010
    Publication date: February 17, 2011
    Inventors: Riccardo Paolinetti, Claudio Calcagni, Annalisa Capanni, Enrico Battistelli
  • Publication number: 20110038067
    Abstract: An optical transfer device comprises at least three mirrors, two of which co-operating with one another for modifying the wave front of an electromagnetic radiation, wherein at least two of said mirrors are made monolithically on a single support.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2010
    Publication date: February 17, 2011
    Inventors: Riccardo Paolinetti, Claudio Calcagni, Annalisa Capanni, Enrico Battistelli
  • Publication number: 20110019250
    Abstract: The image displaying apparatus includes an image production apparatus, a first light conduction section and a second light conduction section. The first light conduction section includes a first light conduction plate which propagates part of incident light thereto by total reflection in the inside thereof and emits the propagated light, and a reflection type volume hologram diffraction grating disposed on the first light conduction plate. The second light conduction section includes a second light conduction plate, a first deflection section and a second deflection section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2010
    Publication date: January 27, 2011
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuma Aiki, Katsuyuki Akutsu
  • Patent number: 7862188
    Abstract: Imaging systems in which an undedicated optical component—i.e., a component that would be present in the system even in the absence of image stabilization—is configured to undergo corrective motion and/or other correction of image data, and thus to function as a stabilization component. The stabilization component may be a mirror and/or a lens, and a positioner may be provided to tilt, rotate, and/or otherwise precisely adjust the position and orientation of the stabilization component to improve image resolution, compensate for platform motions, and/or improve image tracking. Because an undedicated optical component functions as the stabilization component, the stabilization occurs upstream, rather than downstream, from separation (if any) of the incoming image data into two or more beams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: FLIR Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Clifford J. Luty, Bruce A. Dickerson, Bruce Ellison, John L. Miller
  • Patent number: 7841728
    Abstract: An image display apparatus 100 that displays an image using a light modulated according to an image signal includes a projection optical system 90 that includes a projection lens 20, a first mirror 30 that reflects a light from the projection lens 20, and a second mirror 40 that widens an angle of a light from the first mirror 30 by reflecting the light, and projects the light modulated according to the image signal from an optical engine unit 10; a third mirror 50 that reflects a light from the projection optical system 90; and a screen 50 that transmits a light from the third mirror 50. The projection lens 20 and the second mirror 40 are arranged in such a manner that an optical axis of the projection lens 20 substantially matches an optical axis of the second mirror 40, and shift the light from the optical engine unit 10 to a specific side from the optical axis of the projection lens 20.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Eiji Morikuni, Masatoshi Yonekubo, Toshihiko Sakai, Shunji Kamijima
  • Publication number: 20100271691
    Abstract: An imaging optical system includes three reflecting mirrors having first to third reflection surfaces and is configured, such that in an XYZ orthogonal coordinate system using an optical axis at the center of the field of view as Z-axis, the optical axis at the center of the field of view and an optical axis of an image plane are in parallel to each other by changing orientation of the optical axis in a YZ section while maintaining the orientation of the optical axis in an XZ section. At least one of the three reflection surfaces is rotationally asymmetric. Assuming that along the path of the beam traveling along the optical axis at the center of the field of view a distance between the second reflection surface and the third reflection surface is L2, a distance between the third reflection surface and the image plane is L3 and fy1 and an equivalent F-number of the imaging optical system is represented as Fno, the relational expression 0.5<Fno(L2/L3)<1.3 is satisfied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2010
    Publication date: October 28, 2010
    Applicant: NALUX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Norihisa Sakagami, Takahiro Fujioka, Kouei Hatade
  • Publication number: 20100265481
    Abstract: An imaging optical system has a plurality of mirrors. These image an object field in an object plane into an image field in an image plane. In the imaging optical system, the ratio of a maximum angle of incidence of imaging light) on reflection surfaces of the mirrors and an image-side numerical aperture of the imaging optical system is less than 33.8°. This can result in an imaging optical system which offers good conditions for a reflective coating of the mirror, with which a low reflection loss can be achieved for imaging light when passing through the imaging optical system, in particular even at wavelengths in the EUV range of less than 10 nm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2010
    Publication date: October 21, 2010
    Applicant: CARL ZEISS SMT AG
    Inventors: Hans-Juergen Mann, Wilhelm Ulrich, Stephan Muellender, Hartmut Enkisch
  • Patent number: 7742203
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes an integral scanning optical unit in which a light source device for illuminating an original placed on an original table, a plurality of mirrors for reflecting a light beam from the original and an imaging optical system for imaging the light beam reflected by the mirrors, upon a reading device, are integrally accommodated, wherein at least one mirror is so configured that the light beam is incident thereon twice or more, wherein, in a sub-scan section, reflection surfaces of the mirrors are disposed in a space at an original-reading-position side of a light entrance surface of the imaging optical system, and wherein the reflection surface of a mirror disposed at a position optically closest to the light entrance surface of the imaging optical system is placed at a position furthermost from the original table with respect to a direction of a normal thereto, as compared with the reflection surfaces of the remaining mirrors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takayuki Sugiyama, Takeyoshi Saiga, Kazuyuki Kondo, Toshio Takahashi
  • Patent number: 7719759
    Abstract: Provided is a compact and bright imaging optical system having a high resolution. The imaging optical system includes three reflectors composed of a first reflector (1), a second reflector (2), and a third reflector (3) that are arranged in this order on an optical path of incident ray so as not to block the incident light. In the imaging optical system, in which light beams reflected by the three reflectors form an image plane (4), a convex mirror is used for any one of the first reflector (1) and the third reflector (3) and a concave mirror is used for the other thereof, and vertexes of a triangular dipyramid (6) are defined in terms of a central chief ray (5) by an appropriate point on the central chief ray (5) that is incident to the first reflection surface, a reflection point of each central chief ray on the first to third reflection surfaces, and an image forming point of the central chief ray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Takayuki Nakano, Yasuhisa Tamagawa
  • Publication number: 20100110539
    Abstract: An all-reflecting, non-relayed optical system having an aperture stop and an optical axis and configured to provide images of objects. The system includes a positive power primary mirror configured to receive radiation from the objects, a negative power secondary mirror configured to receive the radiation reflected from the primary mirror and a positive power tertiary mirror configured to receive the radiation reflected from the secondary mirror. The system further includes a focal plane configured to receive the radiation reflected from the tertiary mirror and to form an image of the objects. The aperture stop of the optical system is located between the tertiary mirror and the image plane. Accordingly, the image plane may be cold shielded to prevent or reduce radiation reflected from the optical elements that interferes with the desired image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2008
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Inventor: Lacy Cook
  • Patent number: 7684668
    Abstract: An exemplary directional light homogenizer includes a one-piece, hollow hexagonal cross-section tube. The tube has an internal highly light reflective surface. The tube defines a first end configured to receive a non-homogenous light from a light source and a second end configured to output homogenized light. At least one curved section is disposed between the first end and the second end, and the curved section has a curvature greater than zero degrees and less than one hundred eighty degrees. An output section of the tube is straight, has a finite length, and terminates at the second end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Frank T. P. Cianciotto, George H. Butler, III
  • Patent number: 7682031
    Abstract: In general, in one aspect, the invention features an objective arranged to image radiation from an object plane to an image plane, including a plurality of elements arranged to direct the radiation from the object plane to the image plane, wherein the objective has an image side numerical aperture of more than 0.55 and a maximum image side field dimension of more than 1 mm, and the objective is a catoptric objective.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT AG
    Inventors: Hans-Jurgen Mann, David Shafer, Wilhelm Ulrich
  • Publication number: 20100020307
    Abstract: A multiple field of view reflective telescope is described herein which has a laser and associated components inserted therein. In addition, a method is described herein for using the multiple field of view reflective telescope to range an object (e.g., target) or to designate-highlight an object (e.g., target).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2009
    Publication date: January 28, 2010
    Inventor: Joseph Marshall Kunick
  • Patent number: 7648249
    Abstract: A beam-steering apparatus comprises a set of planar tiltable mirrors positioned to define a light beam path therebetween. The set of planar tiltable mirrors comprises from three to five planar tiltable mirrors. Each of the planar tiltable mirrors has a center of rotation lying in a plane of the mirror and each of the planar tiltable mirrors is tiltable about one axis of rotation or two orthogonal axes of rotation that lie in the plane of the mirror. The total number of axes of rotation about which the planar tiltable mirrors of the set of planar tiltable mirrors can tilt is at least five. A mirror drive system tilts each respective planar mirror about its respective axis of rotation or axes of rotation. With this apparatus, an input or output light beam path is steerable over two angular, one rotational, and two lateral-position degrees of freedom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2010
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventor: Lacy G. Cook
  • Publication number: 20090296243
    Abstract: An optical beam homogenizer having an adjustable homogenizer chamber for selectively producing different sized homogenized output beams and related methods in accordance with one or more embodiments is described herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2008
    Publication date: December 3, 2009
    Inventor: Lynne C. Eigler
  • Patent number: 7583433
    Abstract: There is provided a multi-mirror-system for an illumination system, especially for lithography with wavelengths ?193 nm. The system includes light rays traveling along a light oath from an object plane to an image plane, and an arc-shaped field in the image plane, whereby a radial direction in the middle of the arc-shaped field defines a scanning direction. The first mirror and the second mirror are arranged in the light path in such a position and having such a shape, that the edge sharpness of the arc-shaped field in the image plane is smaller than 5 mm in the scanning direction. Furthermore, the light rays are impinging on the first mirror and the second mirror with incidence angles ?30° or ?60° relative to a surface normal of the first and second mirror.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2009
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT AG
    Inventors: Martin Antoni, Isabel Escudero-Sanz, Wolfgang Singer, Johannes Wangler, Jörg Schultz
  • Patent number: 7576933
    Abstract: This invention provides a system and a method of the optical delay line, wherein the system comprises a source and an array of mirrors, wherein the array of mirrors comprises a first reflective mirror, a second reflective mirror, a third reflective mirror, and a fourth reflective mirror. Beams from the source could be delayed because the beams are multi-reflected by the reflective mirrors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2009
    Assignee: Chung Yuan Christian University
    Inventors: I-Jen Hsu, Chia-Yun Kao, Cheng-Chung Lai, Chao-Ming Chang, Ti-Kuang Hou
  • Patent number: 7545446
    Abstract: A projection system includes a modulator and an Offner relay. The modulator is to modulate light in accordance with sub-frames of a frame of image data. The Offner relay is to differently aim, in accordance with each sub-frame, the light as modulated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2009
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Scott Lerner, Anurag Gupta, Wiatt E. Kettle
  • Publication number: 20090109561
    Abstract: A beam-steering apparatus comprises a set of planar tiltable mirrors positioned to define a light beam path therebetween. The set of planar tiltable mirrors comprises from three to five planar tiltable mirrors. Each of the planar tiltable mirrors has a center of rotation lying in a plane of the mirror and each of the planar tiltable mirrors is tiltable about one axis of rotation or two orthogonal axes of rotation that lie in the plane of the mirror. The total number of axes of rotation about which the planar tiltable mirrors of the set of planar tiltable mirrors can tilt is at least five. A mirror drive system tilts each respective planar mirror about its respective axis of rotation or axes of rotation. With this apparatus, an input or output light beam path is steerable over two angular, one rotational, and two lateral-position degrees of freedom.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2007
    Publication date: April 30, 2009
    Inventor: Lacy G. Cook
  • Patent number: 7515226
    Abstract: The present invention provides a reflector having a light-diffusing property which suppresses inter-object reflection over a wide angle, and giving particularly high reflectance in an intended range of viewing angle; and to provide a reflection type liquid crystal display device using the same. The reflector includes a plurality of light-reflective concave portions. Each of the concave portions is formed so that an inclination angle (an angle between a plane tangential to a point on a concave surface and the surface of the base material) is maximum on a side portion of the curved surface, and so that the direction of the side portion having the maximum inclination angle is on a far side from a view point of an observer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2009
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsumasa Yoshii, Tatsuya Moriike, Kenji Omote, Mitsuru Kano
  • Publication number: 20090067074
    Abstract: A non-contact connector (10), having a rotation-side light-emitting element (13) and a rotation-side light-receiving element (14), positioned on a rotating body (1) which rotates about a rotation axis (4), a fixed-side light-emitting element (23) and a fixed-side light-receiving element (24), positioned on a fixed body (2), and a first partial ellipsoidal reflecting mirror (8) installed on the fixed body (2) and a second partial ellipsoidal reflecting mirror (6) installed on rotating body (1), [each] with one focal point positioned on the rotation axis (4).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2008
    Publication date: March 12, 2009
    Applicant: CHUBU NIHON MARUKO CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Koitabashi
  • Publication number: 20090028205
    Abstract: A dispersion compensator which is compact, low loss, low cost, and highly stable, and yet capable of varying the dispersion compensation amount without changing the output position of an output beam. The dispersion compensator includes: a first and a second planar mirrors disposed parallel to each other, wherein at least either one of the mirrors has group velocity dispersion whose value varies according to the incident angle of light incident on the mirror; a mirror holding means rotatably holding the first and second mirrors in a direction in which the incident angle of light incident on the first mirror is changed while maintaining the parallel state of the mirrors; and a third mirror disposed so as not to be rotated with the first and second mirrors and reflects light reflected sequentially by the first mirror and the second mirror.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2008
    Publication date: January 29, 2009
    Applicant: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Tadashi KASAMATSU
  • Patent number: 7481544
    Abstract: Optical relays having three or more reflector portions to allow efficient grazing angle reflections with a relatively high acceptance of light are described. Light collected by the relay can be delivered to a selected location for various applications, including semiconductor lithography. In some embodiments, the grazing angles are selected to utilize the high reflectivity of extreme ultraviolet light at low grazing angles. The three or more reflectors can be arranged with respect to a light source to provide such grazing angle reflections and high acceptance. Some collectors can have more than one shell to increase the acceptance. In some embodiments, some of the reflectors can be configured to shape the delivered light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2009
    Assignee: Optical Research Associates
    Inventor: James P. McGuire, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20080304125
    Abstract: This invention provides a system and a method of the optical delay line, wherein the system comprises a source and an array of mirrors, wherein the array of mirrors comprises a first reflective mirror, a second reflective mirror, a third reflective mirror, and a fourth reflective mirror. Beams from the source could be delayed because the beams are multi-reflected by the reflective mirrors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2007
    Publication date: December 11, 2008
    Applicant: CHUNG YUAN CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: I-Jen Hsu, Chia-Yun Kao, Cheng-Chung Lai, Chao-Ming Chang, Ti-Kuang Hou
  • Patent number: 7429115
    Abstract: A mirror system for a vehicle having driver's side viewing device located in a mirror housing mounted on the vehicle wherein a first section of the mirror housing contains a viewing surface in the interior of the vehicle and a second portion of the mirror housing is optically open to the outside of the vehicle; said first section of the mirror housing adapted to contain one or more substantially right angle triangular prisms having two sides of substantially equal length and two vertices of substantially equal angles; said prism mounted in the first section of the mirror housing so that one of the two sides of equal length of said prism is positioned in an opening facing the interior of the vehicle to provide a viewing surface; the second one of the sides of equal length is facing to the exterior of the vehicle; said second section of the mirror housing sized and shaped to contain operative optical elements comprising one or more reflective means mounted in the second section of the mirror housing at an angle
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2008
    Inventor: Pano Yiotis Patrikakis
  • Publication number: 20080165415
    Abstract: An optical system has a plurality of elements arranged to image radiation at a wavelength ? from an object surface to an image surface, the elements include mirror elements having a reflective surface positioned at a path of radiation. At least one of the mirror elements is a pupil mirror having a pupil mirror surface arranged at or near to a pupil surface of the optical system. At least one of the remaining mirror elements is a highly loaded mirror having a mirror surface arranged at a position where at least one of a largest value of a range of angles of incidence and a largest value of an average angle incidence of all remaining mirrors occurs, where the remaining mirrors include all mirrors except for the pupil mirror.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2007
    Publication date: July 10, 2008
    Applicant: CARL ZEISS SMT AG
    Inventors: Danny Chan, Hans-Juergen Mann
  • Patent number: 7397585
    Abstract: Obtained are an imaging optical system having a simple structure in which imaging position deviation due to deformation caused by a weight of an off-axial optical element is reduced and an image reading apparatus using the same. According to an imaging optical system for image reading, image information on an original surface is imaged on a sensor, and is read by the sensor. The imaging optical system includes reflection-type off-axial optical elements, each of which has an outer shape whose lengths in directions orthogonal to each other are different from each other and whose thickness is smaller than a length of the outer shape in a short-direction thereof and is made of a resin material. The plurality of off-axial optical elements are disposed such that mirror surfaces thereof are opposed to each other and constructed to satisfy a conditional expression.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Tochigi, Takeyoshi Saiga, Tadao Hayashide, Kazuyuki Kondo
  • Publication number: 20080158665
    Abstract: In general, in one aspect, the invention features a catadioptric projection objective having a plurality of optical elements arranged along an optical axis to image a pattern arranged in an object surface of the projection objective onto an image surface of the projection objective. The optical elements include a concave mirror; a first deflecting mirror tilted relative to the optical axis by a first tilt angle t1 about a first tilt axis to deflect light from the object surface towards the concave mirror or to deflect light from the concave mirror towards the image surface; and a second deflecting mirror tilted relative to the optical axis by a second tilt angle t2 about a second tilt axis. The first deflecting mirror has a first reflective coating with reflectivity Rs1(?1) for s-polarized light and a reflectivity Rp1(?1) for p-polarized light incident on the first deflecting mirror at first angles of incidence ?1 from a first range of angles of incidence according to (t1???1)??1?(t1+??1).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2007
    Publication date: July 3, 2008
    Applicant: CARL ZEISS SMT AG
    Inventors: Ralf Mueller, Aksel Goehnermeier, Wolfgang Singer
  • Publication number: 20080088959
    Abstract: A device for reshaping a laser beam may include a first optical element to receive the laser beam. The device may also include a second optical element to invert and reshape the laser beam to substantially correspond to a aperture of a beam director.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2006
    Publication date: April 17, 2008
    Inventors: Alan Z. Ullman, Yan S. Tam
  • Publication number: 20080084625
    Abstract: A scanning module includes a body, a reflecting unit, and an image capture unit. The body includes a reflecting chamber disposed in a surrounding wall. The surrounding wall is formed with an incident hole allowing an incident light field to be transmitted into the reflecting chamber therethrough along an incident axis. The reflecting unit is disposed within the reflecting chamber, and includes a first reflector for reflecting the incident light field, as well as second and third reflectors for reflecting light transmitted from the first reflector to the image capture unit. An angle formed between the incident axis and a normal line of the first reflector is not smaller than 30 degrees. The image capture unit is disposed nearer to the incident hole than the first reflector along a direction of the incident axis, and includes a lens, and a sensing member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2007
    Publication date: April 10, 2008
    Applicant: Asia Optical Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Hsien-Chi Lin, Heng-Hsiang Chang
  • Patent number: 7341357
    Abstract: A projection display apparatus includes an image forming element, and an imaging optical system made up of a plurality of reflectors for projecting an image formed by the image forming element to provide an enlarged version of the image, wherein at least one of the reflectors which make up the imaging optical system is movable for adjusting the focus, and the movable reflector is movable along a straight line non-parallel with the normal line of the image forming element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Assignee: NEC Viewtechnology, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kunitaka Furuichi, Masateru Matsubara
  • Patent number: 7324269
    Abstract: A projection optical system is provided for projecting a pattern on an object plane onto an image plane in a reduced size. The projection optical system has six reflective surfaces that include, in order of reflecting light from the object plane, a first reflective surface, a second convex reflective surface, a third convex reflective surface, a fourth reflective surface, a fifth reflective surface and a sixth reflective surface. An aperture stop is provided along an optical path between the first and second reflective surfaces. The following condition is met by the system, where L1 is an interval between the object plane and the surface apex that is the closest to the object plane, and L2 is an interval between the surface apex of the first reflective surface and the surface apex that is the closest to the object plane: 0.75 < L ? ? 1 L ? ? 2 < 1.25 .
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takahiro Sasaki
  • Patent number: 7321468
    Abstract: A method for beam guiding of a light beam generated by a light source to a target location along a path distance LS, comprises splitting the light beam on the path distance LS at least once into a first partial beam and a second partial beam, guiding the first partial beam additionally at least once along a delay line, the first partial beam thereby covering an additional path distance LD, guiding the second partial beam only along the path distance LS, combining the first and second partial beams after the first partial beam having passed through the delay line and guiding the combined beam to the target location, wherein the light beam is guided along the path distance LS and LD in such a way that the light beam generated by the light source has a predetermined beam width B at the target location, expanding the light beam between the light source and the target location at least once to a beam width B?>B and comprising the light beam again at least once in such a way that the light beam has the predeterm
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2008
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss Laser Optics GmbH
    Inventors: Alois Herkommer, Holger Muenz, Wolfgang Seifert
  • Patent number: 7296904
    Abstract: A digital control for light beams. A position of an output light beam is changed based on a digital input control formed of a plurality of bits. The device may use movable mirrors to change the position of the output light beams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2007
    Assignee: University of Southern California
    Inventor: Peter Will
  • Patent number: 7253928
    Abstract: Obtained are an imaging optical system having a simple structure in which imaging position deviation due to deformation caused by a weight of an off-axial optical element is reduced and an image reading apparatus using the same. According to an imaging optical system for image reading, image information on an original surface is imaged on a sensor, and is read by the sensor. The imaging optical system includes reflection-type off-axial optical elements, each of which has an outer shape whose lengths in directions orthogonal to each other are different from each other and whose thickness is smaller than a length of the outer shape in a short-direction thereof and is made of a resin material. The plurality of off-axial optical elements are disposed such that mirror surfaces thereof are opposed to each other and constructed to satisfy a conditional expression.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2007
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Tochigi, Takeyoshi Saiga, Tadao Hayashide, Kazuyuki Kondo
  • Patent number: 7237915
    Abstract: A photolithographic reduction projection catadioptric objective includes a first optical group G1 including an even number of at least four mirrors M1–M6; and a second at least substantially dioptric optical group G2 imageward than the first optical group G1 including a number of lenses E4–E13. The first optical group G1 provides compensative axial aberrative correction for the second optical group G2 which forms an image with a numerical aperture of at least substantially 0.65, and preferably at least 0.70 or 0.75. Six mirror examples are shown.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2007
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT AG
    Inventor: Russell Hudyma
  • Patent number: 7232233
    Abstract: A catoptric reduction projection optical system that uses light of light with a wavelength of 200 nm or less includes six light-reflecting mirrors arranged from an object side to an image side such that said mirrors basically form a coaxial system, wherein a third mirror in said six mirrors is located at a pupil position of said optical system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2007
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masayuki Suzuki, Chiaki Terasawa
  • Patent number: 7215474
    Abstract: According to one aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for optically combining light beams is disclosed. The apparatus includes a set of prism shaped doorways configured to receive output beams from at least one optical device. Each of the plurality of doorways has a common refractive index. The apparatus also includes a set of spherical mirrors disposed substantially parallel to the plurality of doorways. Each mirror is associated with one of the plurality of doorways. The apparatus further includes a boundary layer disposed between the set of doorways and the set of mirrors. The boundary layer has a refractive index greater than the common refractive index of the plurality of doorways. The common refractive index of the set of doorways and the refractive index of the boundary layer are configured to change the angle of each of the received output beams to combine the set of received output beams into a single output beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Assignee: The Ohio State University
    Inventor: Victor Argueta-Diaz
  • Patent number: 7195375
    Abstract: A compact light-beam homogenizer is realized by multiple reflections within internally-reflecting optical channels which are arranged in a folded configuration. The optical channels may be hollow with mirrored walls, or made of a solid transparent optical material. Light enters through an apertured mirror whose internally reflective surface sends back-reflected rays forward for recycling. Multiple entry ports may be provided for combining several beams or for reducing the intensity in the channels. The homogenizer may be used in reverse as a beam divider. Different shapes of the optical channels are provided for obtaining an effective emission surface of different shapes. Due to reflections from surfaces that are parallel to the optical axis, the numerical aperture of the input beams is preserved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2007
    Assignee: Anvik Corporation
    Inventor: Kanti Jain
  • Patent number: RE41634
    Abstract: A concave mirror optical system for a scanner and a method for compensating image distortion. In this invention, the more expensive lens assembly in a conventional optical system is replaced by a concave mirror made from simple low-cost material so that production cost and chromatic dispersion are reduced. Moreover, different magnifications can be obtained due to a difference in focusing power of the concave mirror along XY axis direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Inventor: Shih-Zheng Kuo
  • Patent number: RE41635
    Abstract: A modularized light-guiding apparatus and manufacturing method, which may make the light of a light source proceed at least twice light reflections of predetermined directions. The light-guiding apparatus includes a plurality of modularized reflection elements, which may be differentiated to several different types of reflection element. Each type of each reflection element all has substantially same adjoining device and edge size for providing to be adjoined and piled-up with another reflection element. But, the reflection element of different type individually has different number of reflection plane for providing the light to proceed different times of light reflection. It may determined the light reflection times and light-path length for the light-guiding apparatus, by choosing several different types of reflection element among plural reflection elements to proceed the piling-up for the light-guiding apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Inventor: Po-Hua Fang
  • Patent number: RE41636
    Abstract: A modularized light-guiding apparatus and manufacturing method, which may make the light of a light source proceed at least twice light reflections of predetermined directions. The light-guiding apparatus includes a plurality of modularized reflection elements, which may be differentiated to several different types of reflection element. Each type of each reflection element all has substantially same adjoining device and edge size for providing to be adjoined and piled-up with another reflection element. But, the reflection element of different type individually has different number of reflection plane for providing the light to proceed different times of light reflection. It may determined the light reflection times and light-path length for the light-guiding apparatus, by choosing several different types of reflection element among plural reflection elements to proceed the piling-up for the light-guiding apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Inventor: Po-Hua Fang