Birefringent spectral demultiplexer for hyperspectral imaging
US11099401B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 17, 2019 |
| Grant date | Aug 24, 2021 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 8, 2039 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04N23/555
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A birefringent spectral demultiplexer for hyperspectral imaging includes N birefringent beamsplitting stages arranged along a light propagation path, to produce 2N mutually divergent output light beams. Each of the output light beams differs from every other one of the output light beams in polarization and/or spectral bandwidth. Each birefringent beamsplitting stage includes a retarder for modifying polarization of each light beam received by the birefringent beamsplitting stage, and a Wollaston prism for splitting each light beam into two orthogonally polarized and divergent light beams. The Wollaston prism has a beamsplitting interface arranged at an oblique angle to the light propagation path. The oblique angle of the beamsplitting interface of each Wollaston prism of the series, except for the first one, is smaller than the oblique angle of the beamsplitting interface of each preceding Wollaston prism. The demultiplexer may be configured to accept input light of any polarization.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.