Patent · US Expired

Multilevel mechanical grating device

US6335831B2 · kind B2 · utility

101Cited by
13References
21Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 18, 1998
Grant dateJan 1, 2002
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 18, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG02B26/0808
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A mechanical grating device for improving the diffraction efficiency. The mechanical grating device is built on a base having a surface. Above the base a spacer layer, having an upper surface, is provided, and a longitudinal channel is formed in said spacer layer, said channel having a first and second opposing side wall and a bottom. A plurality of spaced apart deformable ribbon elements are disposed parallel to each other. The deformable elements are organized in groups of N elements wherein N is greater than 2. When the device is actuated each of said groups forms a pattern of discrete levels wherein the pattern has n levels wherein n is greater than 2.

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