Patent · US Expired

Optical device for super-resolution

US6721258B1 · kind B1 · utility

14Cited by
1References
15Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateDec 20, 2001
Grant dateApr 13, 2004
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 26, 2022

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG11B2007/13727
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

The present invention is directed to the provision of an optical device that can easily eliminate only side lobes or side lobe components from a super-resolution optical spot. The optical device comprises: blocking means for blocking a portion of first linearly polarized light; a polarizing beam splitter for transmitting the first linearly polarized light therethrough, and for reflecting second linearly polarized light whose plane is oriented at right angles relative to the first linearly polarized light; a quarter-wave plate for converting the first linearly polarized light into first circularly polarized light and the first circularly polarized light into the first linearly polarized light, while converting second circularly polarized light, whose plane is rotating in a direction opposite to the first circularly polarized light, into the second linearly polarized light; a first converging lens for forming an optical spot on the optical disk, and for allowing reflected light caused by the optical spot by reflection from the optical disk to pass therethrough in a backward direction; and a second converging lens for focusing a beam of light reflected by the polarizing beam splitter …

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