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US4973121A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 9, 1989 |
| Grant date | Nov 27, 1990 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 9, 2009 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04N1/12
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A scanner is disclosed which uses an electro-optic deflector to deflect a light beam onto a receiving medium. The deflector comprises a substrate formed of an optical material and a thin film optical waveguide fabricated on a top surface thereof. An array of parallel metallic electrodes are formed on the waveguide. Each of the electrodes is adapted to receive a voltage independently of the other electrodes. When a voltage is supplied to an electrode, a spatial variation in the index of refraction occurs across the thickness of the waveguide, and this spatial variation is used to deflect a light beam. In order to use the waveguide to scan a light beam across the receiving medium, the light beam is supplied to the waveguide in a direction transverse to the electrodes, and a voltage is sequentially supplied to the electrodes.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.