Optical waveguide for guiding illumination light

US9671548B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Christian Wald · Munich, DE
• Stefan Schaff · Ellwangen, DE
• Markus Deguenther · Aalen, DE
• Daniel Runde · Satteldorf, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Aug 24, 2015
• Grant date: Jun 6, 2017
• Expiry date: Aug 24, 2035

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G02B6/262
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

An optical waveguide serves for guiding illumination light. The waveguide has a waveguide main body for guiding the illumination light between a main body entrance region and a main body exit region. At least one coupling-out device is provided in the main body exit region. Via the coupling-out device, at least one coupling-out illumination light partial beam is coupled out from the illumination light emerging from the waveguide main body. This is done such that the coupling-out illumination light partial beam can be separated from the rest of the illumination light beam emerging from the waveguide main body. This results in a waveguide having improved possibilities for use when guiding illumination light.