Polarizer apparatus for producing a generally polarized beam of light
First Claim
1. A polarizer apparatus for efficiently physically decoupling two orthogonal polarizations of a source light beam within a visible spectrum or near visible spectrum into two generally polarized beams and recapturing at least one of the two beams, the apparatus comprising:
- a light source for emitting a source light beam within the visible spectrum or near visible spectrum;
a generally parallel arrangement of thin, elongated elements disposed in the source light beam, the elements having a pitch of less than approximately 0.4 micrometers and providing means for interacting with electromagnetic waves of the source light beam to generally (i) transmit light having a polarization oriented perpendicular to the elements and defining a transmitted beam of a first polarization, and (ii) specularly reflect light having a polarization oriented parallel with the elements and defining a reflected beam of a second polarization; and
a light recapture means separate from the light source and disposed at an orientation in the transmitted beam for intercepting and redirecting substantially all of the transmitted beam so that the transmitted beam is not directed back into the light source;
a polarization reorientation means disposed in at least one of the reflected or transmitted beams for changing the polarization orientation of substantially all of the reflected or transmitted beam so that both the reflected and the transmitted beams have generally the same polarization, thereby substantially converting all the source light beam. to a single polarization.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A polarizing device has an arrangement of generally parallel elements disposed in an unpolarized source light beam for transmitting polarizations perpendicular to the elements and reflecting polarizations parallel to the elements. The elements may be disposed at substantially any incidence angle and may reflect the reflected beam at substantially any angle. The elements may be disposed on a substrate or embedded in a substrate. The elements may be disposed in a curved layer. The substrate may also have a curved surface. A polarizer apparatus may also have a mirror or the like for redirecting or recapturing the transmitted or reflected beam so they have similar directions or are directed to a common area. The device may also have a wave plate or the like for changing the polarization of the transmitted or reflected beams so they have the same polarization.
174 Citations
56 Claims
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1. A polarizer apparatus for efficiently physically decoupling two orthogonal polarizations of a source light beam within a visible spectrum or near visible spectrum into two generally polarized beams and recapturing at least one of the two beams, the apparatus comprising:
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a light source for emitting a source light beam within the visible spectrum or near visible spectrum;
a generally parallel arrangement of thin, elongated elements disposed in the source light beam, the elements having a pitch of less than approximately 0.4 micrometers and providing means for interacting with electromagnetic waves of the source light beam to generally (i) transmit light having a polarization oriented perpendicular to the elements and defining a transmitted beam of a first polarization, and (ii) specularly reflect light having a polarization oriented parallel with the elements and defining a reflected beam of a second polarization; and
a light recapture means separate from the light source and disposed at an orientation in the transmitted beam for intercepting and redirecting substantially all of the transmitted beam so that the transmitted beam is not directed back into the light source;
a polarization reorientation means disposed in at least one of the reflected or transmitted beams for changing the polarization orientation of substantially all of the reflected or transmitted beam so that both the reflected and the transmitted beams have generally the same polarization, thereby substantially converting all the source light beam. to a single polarization. - 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, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A polarizer apparatus for efficiently physically decoupling two orthogonal polarizations of a source light beam within a visible spectrum or near visible spectrum into two generally polarized beams and recapturing at least one of the two beams, the apparatus comprising:
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a light source for emitting a source light beam within the visible spectrum or near visible spectrum;
a generally parallel arrangement of thin, elongated elements disposed in the source light beam, the elements having a pitch, and a width generally between 90% to 10% of the pitch, and providing means for interacting with electromagnetic waves of the source light beam to generally (i) transmit light having a polarization oriented perpendicular to the elements and defining a transmitted beam of a first polarization, and (ii) specularly reflect light having a polarization oriented parallel with the elements and defining a reflected beam of a second polarization; and
a light recapture means separate from the light source and disposed at an orientation in the transmitted beam for intercepting and redirecting substantially all of the transmitted beam so that the transmitted beam is not directed back into the light source;
a polarization reorientation means disposed in at least one of the reflected or transmitted beams for changing the polarization orientation of substantially all of the reflected or transmitted beam so that both the reflected and the transmitted beams have generally the same polarization, thereby substantially converting all the source light beam to a single polarization. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56)
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Specification