Reconfigurable optical beam splitter and method
US5650835A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 3, 1993 |
| Grant date | Jul 22, 1997 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 3, 2013 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S359/90
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A reconfigurable optical beam splitter and method establishes replicated periods of optical phase shift regions across a liquid crystal cell to form an optical grating in the liquid crystal. A non-linear pattern of phase shift regions is established within each period of the grating to split an input beam into a multi-beam output, or to combine multiple input beams into a single output beam. The desired pattern of phase shift regions is established by applying corresponding voltage differentials across the cell, between an electrode array on one side of the cell and a common counter electrode on the other side. The voltage differential pattern can be dynamically changed to impart a corresponding dynamic reconfiguration of the output beam pattern. The most efficient voltage differential pattern for any particular output is established by initially selecting a tentative voltage differential pattern, determining the optical efficiency of the processing method with the tentative pattern, and then applying a non-linear optimization algorithm to derive a voltage differential pattern that corresponds to a maximum optical efficiency.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.