Acousto-optical light tunnel apparatus and method
US6347176B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 15, 2000 |
| Grant date | Feb 12, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 4, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02B6/2808
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A light tunnel apparatus (200 or 300) having an output end (56 or 98), for uniformizing light (L) that travels through a light tunnel (30 or 80). The apparatus comprises a light tunnel having first and second sides (36, 40 or 86, 90), and one or more AO modulators (210 or 310) respectively arranged on at least one of the first and second sides. The AO modulators are arranged such that activating the one or more of them causes at least one of the first and second sides to be displaced. This displacement changes the path of light traveling through the light tunnel by an amount sufficient to reduce illumination non-uniformities at the output end. The light tunnel may be a hollow light tunnel (30) with reflective inner surfaces, or a solid light tunnel (80) with a refractive index. A method of uniformizing illumination using a light tunnel is also disclosed.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.