Electro-optical diffractive waveplate beam shaping system
First Claim
1. An optical beam shaping system comprising:
- (a) at least one illumination source; and
(b) at least one diffractive waveplate diffuser, each diffuser comprising a layer of optically anisotropic material wherein the orientation of anisotropy axis is spatially patterned in a predetermined manner; and
wherein optical retardance introduced by said layer of optically anisotropic material is one-half wave at an operating wavelength; and
wherein the phase of said illumination source propagated through the film is shaped to produce a selected diffraction pattern in a target plane when illuminated with said illumination source; and
wherein shaping of an optical phase is obtained by a local angle of anisotropy axis in a predetermined orientation pattern of the layer of said optically anisotropic material with respect to a reference direction.
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Abstract
Optical beam shaping systems and methods can include an illumination source and a diffractive waveplate diffuser. The diffractive waveplate diffuser includes a layer of patterned optically anisotropic material. In one embodiment, the layer of patterned optically anisotropic material is fabricated in the form of patterned, optically anisotropic liquid crystal polymer. In another embodiment, the layer of patterned optically anisotropic material is a layer of liquid crystal, the diffractive waveplate diffuser also includes two alignment layers and two transparent conductive coatings, and the properties of the liquid crystal layer are controlled by the application of an electric potential between the two transparent conductive coatings. A method is provided for designing the alignment pattern of the layer of optically anisotropic material.
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Citations
7 Claims
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1. An optical beam shaping system comprising:
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(a) at least one illumination source; and (b) at least one diffractive waveplate diffuser, each diffuser comprising a layer of optically anisotropic material wherein the orientation of anisotropy axis is spatially patterned in a predetermined manner; and
wherein optical retardance introduced by said layer of optically anisotropic material is one-half wave at an operating wavelength; and
wherein the phase of said illumination source propagated through the film is shaped to produce a selected diffraction pattern in a target plane when illuminated with said illumination source; and
wherein shaping of an optical phase is obtained by a local angle of anisotropy axis in a predetermined orientation pattern of the layer of said optically anisotropic material with respect to a reference direction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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Specification