Diffractive light modulator
US5182665A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 7, 1990 |
| Grant date | Jan 26, 1993 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 7, 2010 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02F2203/24
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An arrangement (apparatus and method) for selectively modulating incident unpolarized light passing through a birefringent material, such as ferroelectric crystal. The apparatus includes a plate having one or more birefringent layers. The birefringent layer has an optic axis selectably set in a first orientation and a second orientation. A switching means controls the optical axis state of voltages to the areas of the birefringent layer. Light having passed through the birefringent layer at locations having the first orientation have a different phase from, and same polarization as, light having passed through locations with the second orientation, independent of a polarization state of the incident light. As a result, the birefringent material has a uniform state at locations where the correspon PAC BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Government Contract Clause This invention was made with Government support un contract F29601-89-C-0075 awarded by the Department of the Air Force. The Government may have certain rights in this invention.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.