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Deflector for an optical beam including refractive means

  • US 5,018,835 A
  • Filed: 01/03/1989
  • Issued: 05/28/1991
  • Est. Priority Date: 01/03/1989
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. Apparatus for deflecting an incident optical beam, said apparatus comprising:

  • a liquid crystal cell element including a first window having a common electrode, a second window having a multiplicity of electrodes in the form of electrically-isolated parallel stripes, and a layer of liquid crystal molecules intermediate said first and second windows;

    means for coupling a multiplicity of control signals individually between said multiplicity of stripe electrodes and said common electrode, thereby creating local variations of refractive index in said liquid crystal layer; and

    means for increasing the distance traveled by said optical beam within said layer of liquid crystal molecules, comprising refractive means interposed between said incident optical beam and one of said first and second windows, said refractive means increasing the angle of incidence of said beam entering said liquid crystal cell.

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