System and method for contrast enhancement in projection imaging system

• US 6,557,999 B1
• Filed: 11/16/2000
• Issued: 05/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Shimizu, Jeffrey A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Perkey, W. B.
• Application Number:
  US09/713,854
• Time in Patent Office: 901 Days
• Field of Search: 353/20, 353/122, 348/767, 348/834, 348/835, 349/8, 349/9
• US Class Current: 353/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3141 Constructional details thereof details not peculiar to the presence of an electronic spatial light modulator G03B21/14

Abstract

An image projection system having a reflective imaging device and a projection device, characterized in that a quarter wave plate is provided between the reflective imaging device and projection lens in such manner as to suppress reflections from the projection lens from reaching the reflective imaging device while minimizing reflections from its own surface reaching the reflective imaging device. Preferably, the quarter wave plate is laminated to a polarizing beamsplitter exit face or to an optional linear polarizer sheet, to eliminate an air interface.

Claims

1. An image projection system, comprising:

(a) a reflective spatial image modulator;

(b) an image projection lens, having a reflective interface producing ghost images on said reflective spatial image modulator; and

(c) an optical isolator, for restricting reflections from said image projection lens from reaching said reflective spatial image modulator, wherein said optical isolator is capable of restricting reflections from said optical isolator from reaching said reflective spatial image modulator.

2. The image projection system according to claim 1, wherein said optical isolator comprises a quarter wave foil cooperating with a linear polarizer, disposed between said reflective image modulator and said image projection lens, wherein said quarter wave foil and said linear polarizer are capable of restricting reflections from said quarter wave foil and said linear polarizer from reaching said reflective spatial image modulator.

3. The image projection system according to claim 1, further comprising a polarizing beamsplitter, disposed to receive illumination, direct a portion of the received light toward tile reflective spatial image modulator, receive a reflected image from the reflective spatial image modulator, and direct the reflected image toward the image projection lens.

4. The image projection system according to claim 3, wherein said optical isolator comprises a quarter wave foil laminated to a face of said polarizing beamsplitter.

5. The image projection system according to claim 3, wherein said optical isolator comprises a quarter wave foil disposed between said polarizing beamsplitter and said image projection lens and a linear polarizer disposed between said polarizing beamsplitter and said quarter wave foil, wherein said quarter wave foil and said linear polarizer are capable of restricting reflections from said quarter wave foil and said linear polarizer from reaching said reflective spatial image modulator.

6. The image projection system according to claim 3, wherein said optical isolator comprises a quarter wave foil disposed between said polarizing beamsplitter and said image projection lens and a linear polarizer disposed between said polarizing beamsplitter and said quarter wave foil, wherein said quarter wave foil and linear polarizer are laminated together, and wherein a combination of said laminated quarter wave foil and said laminated linear polarizer is laminated to said polarizing beamsplitter.

7. The image projection system according to claim 1, wherein said image projection lens has a surface which is confocal to said reflective spatial image modulator.

8. A method of reducing ghost reflections in an image projection system, comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving projection illumination;

(b) providing a linearly polarized portion of the projection illumination on a reflective spatial image modulator;

(c) modulating an image comprising the linearly polarized portion of the projection illumination;

(d) directing the modulated image through a circular polarizer oriented at 45°

to the linear polarization axis, toward a projection lens having a reflective surface;

(e) passing a reflected portion of the modulated image from the projection lens through the circular polarizer, resulting in a net rotation of 90°

;

(f) restricting transmission of light presented from the projection lens toward the spatial image modulator having a relative 90°

rotation with respect to the linearly polarized portion of the projection illumination; and

(g) restricting reflections from a surface of said circular polarizer from reaching said reflective spatial image modulator.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the image projection system comprises:

(a) a reflective spatial image modulator;

(b) an image projection lens, having a reflective interface producing ghost images on said reflective spatial image modulator;

(c) a polarizing beamsplitter, disposed to receive illumination, direct a portion of the received light toward the reflective spatial image modulator, receive a reflected image from the reflective spatial image modulator, and direct the reflected image toward the image projection lens; and

(d) an optical isolator, for restricting reflections from said image projection lens from reaching said reflective spatial image modulator, wherein said optical isolator is capable of restricting reflections frown said optical isolator from reaching said reflective spatial image modulator.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein said optical isolator comprises a quarter wave foil disposed between said polarizing beamsplitter and said image projection lens, wherein said quarter wave foil is capable of restncting reflections from said quarter wave foil from reaching said reflective spatial image modulator.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein said optical isolator comprises a quarter wave foil laminated to a face of said polarizing beamsplitter.

12. The method according to claim 9, wherein said optical isolator comprises a quarter wave foil disposed between said polarizing beamsplitter and said image projection lens and a linear polarizer disposed between said polarizing beamsplitter and said quarter wave foil, wherein said quarter wave foil and said linear polarizer are capable of restricting reflections from said quarter wave foil and said linear polarizer from reaching said reflective spatial image modulator.

13. The method according to claim 9, wherein said optical isolator comprises a quarter wave foil disposed between said polarizing beamsplitter and said image projection lens and a linear polarizer disposed between said polarizing beamsplitter and said quarter wave foil, wherein said quarter wave foil and linear polarizer are laminated together, and wherein a combination of said laminated quarter wave foil and said laminated linear polarizer is laminated to said polarizing beamsplitter.

14. The method according to claim 9, wherein said image projection lens is confocal to said reflective spatial image modulator.

15. A method for projecting a ghost-suppressed image from a reflective image modulator, comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving a linearly polarized reflected modulated image from the reflective image modulator;

(b) directing the linearly polarized reflected modulated image through a circular polarizer toward a projection lens having a reflective surface to produce a circularly polarized beam;

(c) reflecting a portion of the circularly polarized beam from the projection lens back through the circular polarizer to produce a ghost image;

(d) restricting transmission of light passing twice through the circular polarizer, including the ghost image, from reaching the reflective image modulator; and

(e) restricting reflections from a surface of said circular polarizer from reaching said reflective spatial image modulator.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the linearly polarized reflected modulated image passes through a beamsplitter prior to reaching the circular polarizer.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein said step of restricting transmission of light passing twice through the circular polarizer, including the ghost image, from reaching the reflective image modulator comprises analyzing a linear polarization state of the light passing twice through the circular polarize with one or more of the group consisting of a polarizing beamsplitter and a linear polarizing film.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein a beam path between the circular polarizer and beamsplitter is substantially without a refractive air interface.

19. The method according to claim 16, wherein a beam path between the circular polarizer and beamsplitter includes a linear polarizer, substantially without an intervening refractive air interface, further comprising an antireflective coating at a refractive air interface of the bean path exiting the circular polarizer.