Deflector for an optical beam
US4964701A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 4, 1988 |
| Grant date | Oct 23, 1990 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 4, 2008 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02F2201/42
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An optical beam phase shifter includes a liquid crystal cell having an optically-transparent common electrode on a first window and a multiplicity of parallel stripe electrodes on the second window. A multiplicity of control signals are applied between the individual stripe electrodes and the common electrode, thereby creating local variations of the refractive index of the liquid crystal molecules, which variations cause differential phase shifts across the cross section of a light beam incident thereon. The control signals are applied to contact pads affixed to an external surface of the liquid crystal cell, which contact pads underlie a plurality of the stripe electrodes. A multiplicity of conductors extend through the second window to couple the control signals to the stripe electrodes. In the first embodiment, the stripe electrodes are optically-transparent, and the incident beam is reflected from the contact pads. In a second embodiment, the stripe electrodes are reflective, and the incident beam is reflected therefrom.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.