Diffractive optical modulator and method for producing the same, infrared sensor including such a diffractive optical modulator and method for producing the same, and display device including such a diffractive optical modulator
First Claim
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1. An infrared sensor comprising:
- a lens for converging infrared light and a pyroelectric element,wherein a diffractive optical modulator for receiving the infrared light converged by the lens and for outputting at least a part of the infrared light toward the pyroelectric element is further provided,the diffractive optical modulator comprising;
a plate having a portion functioning as a first electrode;
a spacer layer formed on the plate; and
a grating consisting of a plurality of beams having a portion functioning as a second electrode, both ends of the beams being supported on the spacer layer;
wherein, by adjusting a voltage applied between the first electrode and the second electrode, a distance between the beams and the plate is varied, thereby controlling the diffraction efficiency of the diffractive optical modulator,wherein an amount of zero-order diffracted light is varied in accordance with a variation of a distance between the beams and the plate of the diffractive optical modulator, andwherein the plate is disposed being inclined so that a normal with respect to a principal plane of the plate is not parallel to an optical axis of the lens.
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Abstract
The diffractive optical modulator of the invention includes: a plate having a portion functioning as a first electrode; a spacer layer formed on the plate; and a grating consisting of a plurality of beams having a portion functioning as a second electrode, both ends of the beams being supported on the spacer layer. In the diffractive optical modulator, by adjusting a voltage applied between the first electrode and the second electrode, a distance between the beams and the plate is varied, thereby controlling the diffraction efficiency. An insulating layer is further provided between the plate and the plurality of beams.
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44 Claims
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1. An infrared sensor comprising:
- a lens for converging infrared light and a pyroelectric element,
wherein a diffractive optical modulator for receiving the infrared light converged by the lens and for outputting at least a part of the infrared light toward the pyroelectric element is further provided, the diffractive optical modulator comprising; a plate having a portion functioning as a first electrode; a spacer layer formed on the plate; and a grating consisting of a plurality of beams having a portion functioning as a second electrode, both ends of the beams being supported on the spacer layer; wherein, by adjusting a voltage applied between the first electrode and the second electrode, a distance between the beams and the plate is varied, thereby controlling the diffraction efficiency of the diffractive optical modulator, wherein an amount of zero-order diffracted light is varied in accordance with a variation of a distance between the beams and the plate of the diffractive optical modulator, and wherein the plate is disposed being inclined so that a normal with respect to a principal plane of the plate is not parallel to an optical axis of the lens. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
- a lens for converging infrared light and a pyroelectric element,
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24. An infrared sensor comprising:
- a diffractive optical modulator for outputting at least a part of incoming infrared light;
a lens; and
a pyroelectric element,wherein the lens converges the infrared light output from the diffractive optical modulator on the pyroelectric element, the diffractive optical modulator comprising; a plate having a portion functioning as a first electrode; a spacer layer formed on the plate; and a grating consisting of a plurality of beams having a portion functioning as a second electrode, both ends of the beams being supported on the spacer layer; wherein, by adjusting a voltage applied between the first electrode and the second electrode, a distance between the beams and the plate is varied, thereby controlling the diffraction efficiency of the diffractive optical modulator, wherein an amount of zero-order diffracted light is varied in accordance with a variation of a distance between the beams and the plate of the diffractive optical modulator, and wherein the plate is disposed being inclined so that a normal with respect to a principal plane of the plate is not parallel to an optical axis of the lens. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
- a diffractive optical modulator for outputting at least a part of incoming infrared light;
Specification