Relay optics for a deflection system, and a deflection system

• US 6,366,383 B1
• Filed: 02/16/2000
• Issued: 04/02/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: CARL Zeiss JENA GmbH (Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung)
• Original Assignee: CARL Zeiss JENA GmbH (Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung)
• Inventors: Roeder, Rolf
• Primary Examiner(s): HENRY, JON W
• Application Number:
  US09/505,746
• Time in Patent Office: 776 Days
• Field of Search: 359/202, 359/208, 359/205, 359/216, 359/434
• US Class Current: 359/202.1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/0095 Relay lenses or rod lenses in instruments for viewing the inside of hollow bodies G02B23/2446
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/101 with both horizontal and vertical deflecting means, e.g. raster or XY scanners colour television using laser beams scanning a display screen H04N9/3129
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/12 using multifaceted mirrors

Abstract

In relay optics for a deflection system with two scanning devices, each of which changes the angle of a light bundle from a location predetermined separately for each scanning device in a predetermined deflection plane within a predetermined deflection area, an optical system and a mirror surface are provided, wherein the optical axis coincides with respect to position and direction with the central normal of the connecting straight line between the predetermined locations of the first scanning device and second scanning device and the shape and position of the mirror surface are realized in accordance with the conditions that the two vectors, the direction vector of the light bundle and the surface normal of the mirror surface, each projected in the deflection plane of the first scanning device, are identical with respect to direction for every point of incidence of the light bundle on the mirror surface given by the deflection of the first scanning device and that the path of the light bundle running toward the focal surface of the optical system, with the optical axis of the optical system as axis of symmetry, is mirror-symmetric to the path of the light bundle running back from the focal surface.

Claims

1. Relay optics for a deflection system in which two scanning devices are provided, each of which changes the angle of a light bundle from a location predetermined separately for each scanning device in a predetermined deflection plane within a predetermined deflection area, said relay optics comprising:

a first optical system which focuses a parallel light bundle proceeding from the predetermined location for the first scanning device onto a focal surface; and

a second optical system which parallelizes the light bundle coming from said focal surface and deflects it to the predetermined location of the second scanning device;

said first optical system as well as the second optical system being formed by one individual optical system;

a mirror surface being provided which directs at least once the light bundle traveling from the predetermined location of the first scanning device through said individual optical system which initially acts as a first optical system, said mirror surface then directing said light bundle back to said individual optical system which then acts as a second optical system;

said individual optical system having an optical axis which coincides with respect to position and direction with the central normal of a connecting straight line between the predetermined locations of the first scanning device and second scanning device;

the shape and position of the mirror surface being realized in accordance with conditions that two vectors, the direction vector of the light bundle and the surface normal of the mirror surface, each projected in the deflection plane of the first scanning device, are identical with respect to direction for every point of incidence of the light bundle on the mirror surface given by the deflection of the first scanning device;

the path of the light bundle running toward the focal surface, with the optical axis of the individual optical system as axis of symmetry, being mirror-symmetric to the path of the light bundle running back from said focal surface.

2. Relay optics according to claim 1, wherein, on its path from the individual optical system and back to the optical surface, the light bundle is reflected only once and the mirror surface is the same as the focal surface in position and shape.

3. Relay optics according to claim 2, wherein the focal surface is curved and the center of curvature is located on the same side of the mirror surface as the individual optical system.

4. Relay optics according to claim 1, wherein the individual optical system is a lens system.

5. Relay optics according to claim 4, wherein the quantity of lenses in the lens system is less than or equal to six.

6. Relay optics according to claim 4, wherein the quantity of lenses in the lens system is less than or equal to four.

7. Relay optics according to claim 1, wherein a lens is mirror-coated on one side and whose mirror coating is the mirror surface.

8. Relay optics according to claim 7, wherein the radii of curvature of the mirror-coated lens are different on both sides.

9. Relay optics according to claim 7, wherein the radius of curvature of the mirror-coated lens on the mirror-coated side is less than that on the opposite side.

10. A deflection system with relay optics according to claim 1, comprising a first and second scanning device whose deflection planes and arrangements with respect to the respective location are adapted to the construction of the relay optics.

11. A deflection system according to claim 10, wherein the two scanning devices are designed for different magnitudes of angular ranges of their respective deflection angles and in that the scanning device with the largest angular range is arranged, in the direction of light propagation, in front of the relay optics as first scanning device and the other scanning device is arranged following the relay optics as second scanning device.

12. The deflection system according to claim 10, wherein, in the direction of light propagation, transformation optics are arranged behind the two scanning devices and the relay optics located therebetween, in which transformation optics the quotient between the tangent of the exit angle and the tangent of the incident angle is a constant.