High pass optical filter
First Claim
1. An optical filter for altering incident radiation ranging from sub-micron to multi-millimeter wavelengths, comprising:
- a base member having a radiation transmission aperture formed therethrough;
an array of deep lamellar structures coupled to the base member and disposed across at least a portion of the radiation transmission aperturewherein the array of deep lamellar structures further comprise a plurality of substantially identical parallel plate members coupled so that each successive parallel plate member is equidistant from the next successive parallel plate member.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A microstructure device having a array of deep lamellar structures resembling parallel plates has sharp high pass cut-off behavior associated with incident TE polarized radiation. When two such microstructures are disposed in an orthogonal orientation, they act like a 2-D array of rectangular waveguides with the cut-off behavior determined by the separation of the respective parallel plates. Another embodiment of the present invention employs a linear drive to articulate the array of coupled parallel plates to tune the filter to the operative incident radiation relatively independent of the angle of incidence. The microstructure finds application placed proximate the focal plane of an array of radiation sensitive material so that very high resolution multispectral images may be generated. When the array is articulated by a linear actuator, a preselected cut-off frequency may be tuned so that multispectral imaging occurs independent of the imaging technology employed, with applications for remote sensing of chemical agents, satellite surveys of agricultural resources, meteorological conditions, or environmental quality. When disposed in a gas absorption cell, opposing an IR source and proximate an IR detector the tunable filter can be used for gas analysis.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
1. An optical filter for altering incident radiation ranging from sub-micron to multi-millimeter wavelengths, comprising:
-
a base member having a radiation transmission aperture formed therethrough; an array of deep lamellar structures coupled to the base member and disposed across at least a portion of the radiation transmission aperture wherein the array of deep lamellar structures further comprise a plurality of substantially identical parallel plate members coupled so that each successive parallel plate member is equidistant from the next successive parallel plate member. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. A tunable optical filter for altering incident radiation ranging from sub-micron to multi-millimeter wavelengths, comprising:
-
a substrate having an aperture for admitting radiation therethrough; a stationary structure connected to the substrate proximate the aperture; a filter endpiece member flexibly coupled to at least one portion of the filter array and disposed proximate the aperture and opposing the stationary structure across from the aperture; a filter array subassembly flexibly coupled between the filter endpiece member and a closure member, wherein the array subassembly further comprises; a plurality of parallel plate members having a first plate member coupled to the closure member and a last plate coupled to the filter endpiece member; a plurality of flexures mechanically coupling successive parallel plate members one to the other; and drive means coupled to the endpiece for controllably driving the filter array subassembly with respect to the stationary structure.
-
-
11. An optical filter for altering incident radiation ranging from sub-micron to multi-millimeter wavelengths, comprising:
-
a base member having a radiation transmission aperture formed therethrough; an array of deep lameliar structures coupled to the base member and disposed across at least a portion of the radiation transmission aperture, wherein the array of deep lameliar structures further comprises an array of substantially identical parallel plate members coupled together along at least two opposing lateral edges so that each parallel plate member is equidistant from the next successive parallel plate member; and linear actuator means for controllably articulating the array of deep lameliar structures. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification