Patent · US Expired

Diffuser master and method of manufacture

US6241903A · kind A · utility

6Cited by
16References
12Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 20, 1998
Grant dateJun 5, 2001
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 20, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG02B5/0268
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A diffuser master is provided which is manufactured mechanically instead of holographically. The master can be made from a suitable substrate including relatively hard materials such as plastic, glass or metal. A substrate having a first side is worked to form a diffuser surface relief structure thereon. The substrate can be buffed using a buffing agent of a selected grit in order to form surface scratches in the first side of the substrate. The substrate can also be blasted with shot particles in order to form indentations and depressions in the first side. The substrate can alternatively be acid or alkali etched in order to form surface irregularities in the first side. The scratches, depressions or irregularities can be formed in order to create a desired surface relief and hence desired diffuser output characteristics.

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