Optical device with conical input and output prism faces

• US 4,255,021 A
• Filed: 04/20/1979
• Issued: 03/10/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: United States Department of Energy (Government of the United States of America)
• Original Assignee: United States Department of Energy (Government of the United States of America)
• Inventors: Brunsden, Barry S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Henry, Jon W.
• Application Number:
  US06/031,809
• Time in Patent Office: 690 Days
• Field of Search: 350/89, 350/87, 350/17, 350/286, 350/287, 350/189, 350/96.1, 350/96.15, 350/96.19, 350/169, 350/170, 350/172, 350/162 SF
• US Class Current: 359/615
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 17/02 Catoptric systems, e.g. image erecting and reversing system
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 17/04 using prisms only
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 21/10 affording dark-field illumination G02B21/14 and G02B21/125 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0972 Prisms prisms per se G02B5/04
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0977 Reflective elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/00 Optical elements other than lenses light guides G02B6/00; optical logic elements G02F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/001 Axicons, waxicons, reflaxicons
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/10 of the optical waveguide type G02B6/02, G02B6/24 take precedence; devices or arrangements for the control of light by electric, magnetic, electro-magnetic or acoustic means G02F1/00; transferring the modulation of modulated light G02F2/00; optical logic elements G02F3/00; optical analogue/digital converters G02F7/00

Abstract

A device for radially translating radiation in which a right circular cylinder is provided at each end thereof with conical prism faces. The faces are oppositely extending and the device may be severed in the middle and separated to allow access to the central part of the beam. Radiation entering the input end of the device is radially translated such that radiation entering the input end at the perimeter is concentrated toward the output central axis and radiation at the input central axis is dispersed toward the output perimeter. Devices are disclosed for compressing beam energy to enhance drilling techniques, for beam manipulation of optical spatial frequencies in the Fourier plane and for simplification of dark field and color contrast microscopy. Both refracting and reflecting devices are disclosed.

Claims

1. A system for selectively separating portions of radiation from a beam of substantially parallel radiation having a beam central axis and perimeter comprising a conical input prism face transparent to the radiation, a conical output prism face transparent to the radiation and longitudinally spaced apart from said input prism face and extending oppositely thereto, each of said input and output prism faces being discrete entities facing outwardly and having a perimeter circular in transverse cross section, and means associated with said prism faces for selectively separating portions of the radiation beam at the perimeter and adjacent thereto having at least a part thereof opaque to the radiation and positioned intermediate said input and output faces, said prism faces being longitudinally spaced apart a predetermined distance such that radiation entering said input prism at the perimeter thereof is concentrated toward the output prism face central axis and radiation entering said input prism face at the central axis is dispersed toward the output prism face perimeter thereby radially translating the beam to permit access to the central portion of the original beam at the perimeter of the translated beam and adjacent thereto.

2. The system set forth in claim 1, wherein said means has portions thereof opaque to the radiation and located exteriorly of said prism faces.

3. The system set forth in claim 1, and further comprising a device axially aligned with said output prism face for radially translating radiation emitted from said conical output prism face, thereby to reconstruct the original radiation beam with selected portions thereof separated.

4. The system set forth in claim 1, wherein said means is located intermediate the radiation source and said input prism face such that the diameter of the radiation beam entering said input prism face is less than the diameter of said prism face and the beam and said prism face are axially aligned, thereby to produce an annular beam from said output prism face.

10. The system set forth in claim 1, wherein said input and output prism faces are axially aligned.

5. A method of selectively manipulating portions of radiation from a beam of substantially parallel radiation comprising providing outwardly and oppositely extending discrete conical prisms having circular transverse cross sections positioned a predetermined distance apart and transparent to the radiation, directing the beam of radiation towards one of the prisms, and selectively manipulating only the outermost portions of the beam at predetermined positions intermediate the prisms and axially spaced therefrom by passing the portions of the beam through material opaque to the radiation, whereby radiation at the one prism perimeter is concentrated toward the other prism central axis and radiation at the one prism central axis is dispersed toward the other prism perimeter and selected portions of the beam are manipulated.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein manipulation is by passing the beam through an apertured shield opaque to the radiation.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein an apertured shield is intermediate the beam source and the one prism to produce a hollow annulus of radiation at the other prism.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the beam is also passed through a color filter.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the radiation is optically visible light and the manipulation occurs at a Fourier plane.

11. A system for selectively separating portions of radiation from a beam of substantially parallel radiation having a beam central axis and perimeter comprising a conical input prism face transparent to the radiation, a conical output prism face transparent to the radiation and longitudinally spaced apart from said input prism face and extending oppositely thereto, each of said input and output prism faces being symmetrically positioned about the beam central axis inwardly facing on a unitary cylindrical body and outer surface thereof reflecting inwardly radiation refracted from said input prism face, and means associated with said prism faces for selectively separating portions of the radiation beam at the beam perimeter and adjacent thereto by cooperating with said outer surface to render a preselected portion thereof transparent to the radiation to permit a preselected band of radiation to pass through said transparent portion to eliminate the preselected band from the radiation refracted by said output prism face, said prism faces being longitudinally spaced apart a predetermined distance such that radiation entering said input prism at the perimeter thereof is concentrated toward the output prism face central axis and radiation entering said input prism face at the central axis is dispersed toward the output prism face perimeter thereby radially translating the beam to permit access to the central portion of the original beam at the perimeter of the translated beam and adjacent thereto.