Light source module

• US 20070183473A1
• Filed: 02/03/2006
• Published: 08/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Govyadinov, Alexander, Bicknell, Robert, Benning, Pul
• Granted Patent: US 7,627,013 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 372/50.121
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/4062 with an external cavity or using internal filters, e.g. Talbot filters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3129 scanning a light beam on the display screen scanning a light beam on a screen in displays other than projection devices G09G3/02; scanning systems in general G02B26/10; projectors using laser light sources in general H04N9/3161

Abstract

A light source module for use in display systems is provided herein. According to one exemplary embodiment, the light source module includes a plurality of coherent light sources, and a diffraction grating in optical communication with the coherent light source, the diffraction grating being configured to provide feedback to the coherent light source to produce a plurality of spectra over a broad spectrum.

Claims

1. A light source module for use in display systems, comprising:

a plurality of coherent light sources; and

a diffraction grating in optical communication with said coherent light source, said diffraction grating being configured to provide feedback to said coherent light source to produce a plurality of spectra over a broad spectrum.

2. The light source module of claim 1, wherein said coherent light sources are semiconductor lasers.

3. The light source module of claim 2, wherein at least one of said semiconductor lasers is an edge emitting laser.

4. The light source module of claim 2, wherein at least one of said semiconductor lasers is a VCSEL laser.

5. The light source module of claim 1, wherein said diffraction grating comprises a surface relief diffraction grating.

6. The light source module of claim 1, wherein said surface relief diffraction grating has indices from between about 100 to about 10,000 nm.

7. The light source module of claim 1, wherein said diffraction grating comprises a Bragg volume diffraction grating.

8. The light source module of claim 1, and further comprising an integrating device in optical communication with said diffraction grating.

9. The light source module of claim 1, wherein said diffraction grating is a monolithic diffraction grating.

10. A display system, comprising:

a light source module including a plurality of lasers and a chirped diffraction grating in optical communication with said plurality of lasers; and

a light modulator assembly in optical communication with said light source.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said lasers are formed on a single chip.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein at least one of said lasers is a semiconductor laser.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said semiconductor laser is an edge emitting laser.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein said semiconductor laser is a VCSEL laser.

15. A method of generating light, comprising:

producing a plurality of coherent light beams; and

tuning said plurality of coherent beams to simultaneously produce individual spectra covering a broad spectrum.

16. The method of claim 15, and further comprising combining said spectrum to form a beam of broad spectrum light.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein tuning said plurality of coherent beams includes directing said light to a chirped diffraction grating.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein producing said plurality of coherent beams includes producing a plurality of laser beams.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein each of said coherent beams has a spectrum of less than about 1 nm.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said broad spectrum has a width of greater than about 30 nm.