Patent · US Expired

Optical elements having regions of different indices of refraction and method of fabricating the same

US5585968A · kind A · utility

63Cited by
16References
23Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 1, 1993
Grant dateDec 17, 1996
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 1, 2013

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10T428/249978
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An optical device having a variable index of refraction across its surface includes a light transmissive material with a plurality of regions in the light transmissive material. Each region has an index of refraction which is different from the remainder of the material. The regions may be arranged in the surface of the material such that the density of the regions on the surface varies across the surface. Each region may be a bore, including a hole that extends through the light transmissive material. Variations in the density of the regions or bores as well as the depth and shape of the bores may be utilized to create variations of the refractive index within the light transmissive material.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.