Micro-electromechanical light modulator with anamorphic optics

• US 20060238851A1
• Filed: 06/21/2006
• Published: 10/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mantis Vision, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Alces Technology, Inc. (Mantis Vision, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Bloom, David M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,446,925 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/279
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/08 Anamorphotic objectives
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/06 for controlling the phase of light G02B26/08 takes precedence , measuring optical phase difference G01J9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0833 the reflecting element being a micromechanical device, e.g. a MEMS mirror, DMD G02B26/0825 takes precedence; micromechanical devices in general B81B

Abstract

Micro-electromechanical light modulators are combined with anamorphic and contrast enhancing optical elements to form optical display engines. Linear MEMS arrays are suitable for the étendue of low divergence light sources while handling high optical power for brightness. The output of an optical engine is a line image which may be scanned to form a two-dimensional image.

Claims

1. A light modulator comprising:

a micro-electromechanical optical phase shift device;

a polarization displacement device that combines phase shifted polarization components of light reflected by the micro-electromechanical optical phase shift device;

a polarizing beam splitter that analyzes the output of the polarization displacement device; and

,

a system of at least two lenses that focuses, by different amounts in perpendicular planes, analyzed light from the polarizing beam splitter.

2. A modulator as in claim 1 wherein the micro-electromechanical optical phase shift device comprises a linear array of micromechanical ribbons.

3. A modulator as in claim 1 wherein the polarization displacement device comprises a Savart plate.

4. A modulator as in claim 1 wherein the polarizing beam splitter comprises a wire grid polarizer.

5. A modulator as in claim 1 wherein at least one of the at least two lenses is a cylinder lens.

6. A modulator as in claim 1 further comprising a polarizer oriented to transmit the analyzed light.

7. A modulator as in claim 6 wherein the polarizer is a wire grid polarizer.

8. A modulator as in claim 1 further comprising a slit aperture placed at the focus of one of the at least two lenses to remove stray light.

9. An optical display engine comprising:

a polarization light modulator comprising a linear-array, micro-electromechanical optical phase shift device; and

,

an anamorphic optical imaging system that magnifies, by different amounts in perpendicular planes, light output from the modulator.

10. A display engine as in claim 9 wherein the linear-array, micro-electromechanical optical phase shift device comprises a linear array of micromechanical ribbons.

11. A display engine as in claim 9 further comprising a slit aperture to remove stray light.

12. A display engine as in claim 9 further comprising a polarizer oriented to transmit modulated light from the polarization light modulator.

13. An optical display engine comprising:

a linear-array, micro-electromechanical optical light modulator; and

,

an anamorphic optical imaging system that magnifies, by different amounts in perpendicular planes, light output from the modulator.

14. A display engine as in claim 13 wherein the linear-array, micro-electromechanical optical light modulator comprises a linear array of micromechanical ribbons.

15. A display engine as in claim 13 wherein the linear-array, micro-electromechanical optical light modulator comprises a grating light modulator.

16. A display engine as in claim 13 further comprising a slit aperture to remove stray light.