Optical beam reconfiguring device and optical handling system for device utilization
US6028722A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 8, 1996 |
| Grant date | Feb 22, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 8, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01S5/4012
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A beam reconfiguring device comprises a single prism element that reconfigures a beam input, such as from a semiconductor laser or bar array, having aperture images with major axis aligned abreast along a single axis, into an output comprising multiple segments of the input image with a major axis of each segment aligned perpendicular along the same single axis. The etendue, the aperture-times-divergence product of a beam, in orthogonal directions of the output beam will be more nearly equal than the etendue in orthogonal directions of the input beam. The input beams and reconfigured beams are provided as adjacent inputs to a hypotenuse front edge surface of the prism element. The reconfigured beams are more conducive for converging into a single substantially symmetrical spot for input to an optical handling device or medium such as an optical fiber. An optical handling system is disclosed for achieving straight in-line, beam input/output that is more adaptable for optically aligned delivery applications. While a single prism element is readily conducive to the practice of the invention, the reflecting surfaces for reconfiguring the beam may also be a plurality of reflecting surfa…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.