Apparatus for selectively shaping phase fronts of a light beam, and use thereof

US11460618B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• ABBERIOR INSTRUMENTS GMBH · DE

Inventors

• Matthias Reuss · Sundbyberg, SE
• Joachim Fischer · Rodgau, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jan 27, 2020
• Grant date: Oct 4, 2022
• Expiry date: May 12, 2040

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G02B5/3083
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

An apparatus for selectively shaping phase fronts of a first light beam that is incident along an optical axis and that has a first linear input polarization direction running orthogonal to the optical axis comprises birefringent optical material arranged in all or all bar one of at least three different partial areas that follow to one another in a direction around the optical axis. The optical material is arranged such that a phase of the first light beam is delayed differently in the different partial areas to an extent that increases from partial area to partial area over a round around the optical axis, whereas a phase of a second light beam that is incident along the optical axis and that has a second linear input polarization direction orthogonal to the first linear input polarization direction and to the optical axis is not delayed differently in the different partial areas.