Optical fiber faceplates including convergent constituent imaging conduits and tiled imaging arrays incorporating the same
US7856161B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 6, 2008 |
| Grant date | Dec 21, 2010 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 8, 2029 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02B6/08
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An imaging module includes an optical fiber faceplate with an image-input face, a planar image-output face, and a plurality of adjacently fused, internally reflecting imaging conduits extending between the image-input and image-output faces. The constituent imaging conduits extend along conduit axes that mutually converge in a direction that such that an image inputted through the image-input face is reduced in size along at least one dimension for outputting through the image-output face. The imaging module further includes an imaging detector array including a plurality of photosensitive detector elements arranged in accordance with a predetermined array format. The faceplate is situated in front of the detector array such that light incident upon the image-input face is transmitted through the faceplate and optically communicated to the detector elements through the image-output face. Multiple imaging modules can be tiled in tight formations in order to form a larger format imaging array.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.