Side illuminated multimode waveguide
First Claim
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1. A waveguide hologram for illumination with a light beam having at least one spectral component with a wavelength λ
- , said waveguide hologram comprising;
a waveguide for supporting multimode propagation of light, and having first and second main surfaces defining a thickness dimension disposed therebetween,a widthwise extent having opposing ends,a lengthwise extent having opposing ends, andfirst and second edge surfaces disposed at the opposing ends of said lengthwise extent;
input coupling means, disposed at one of said first and second main surfaces in the vicinity of said first edge surface, for coupling said light beam into said waveguide so that said coupled light beam provides a spatially continuous pattern of light within said waveguide and the rays of said spatially continuous pattern of light are totally internally reflected therewithin, and the thickness dimension of said waveguide being greater than the wavelength λ
of said at least one spectral component of said light beam coupled into said waveguide; and
a recording medium disposed on one of said first and second main surfaces and containing a recorded hologram consisting of an interference pattern.
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Abstract
A multimode waveguide having a small thickness has light coupled to the side of the waveguide in order to provide a multimode operation of the waveguide for providing a continuous pattern of totally internally reflected light which is utilized to reconstruct holographic images from a holographic emulsion placed on a surface of the waveguide. This waveguide structure for reconstructuring a hologram has the capability of providing highly efficient hologram reconstruction while using ordinary light sources and is able to use beam diameters greater than the thickness of the waveguide.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A waveguide hologram for illumination with a light beam having at least one spectral component with a wavelength λ
- , said waveguide hologram comprising;
a waveguide for supporting multimode propagation of light, and having first and second main surfaces defining a thickness dimension disposed therebetween, a widthwise extent having opposing ends, a lengthwise extent having opposing ends, and first and second edge surfaces disposed at the opposing ends of said lengthwise extent; input coupling means, disposed at one of said first and second main surfaces in the vicinity of said first edge surface, for coupling said light beam into said waveguide so that said coupled light beam provides a spatially continuous pattern of light within said waveguide and the rays of said spatially continuous pattern of light are totally internally reflected therewithin, and the thickness dimension of said waveguide being greater than the wavelength λ
of said at least one spectral component of said light beam coupled into said waveguide; anda recording medium disposed on one of said first and second main surfaces and containing a recorded hologram consisting of an interference pattern. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
- , said waveguide hologram comprising;
Specification