Broadband optics for manipulating light beams and images

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10036886-B2
Application number	US-201715419558-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 30, 2017
Priority date	Jan 29, 2010
Publication date	Jul 31, 2018
Grant date	Jul 31, 2018

Abstract

Pointing and positioning system of light beams and images including a plurality of cycloidal diffractive waveplates, each waveplate capable of deviating a generally broadband light beam over a predetermined angle. The lateral translation and deviation angles of the light beams are controlled by controlling the relative distance, rotational position, and the diffraction efficiency of at least one in the plurality of waveplates.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for positioning light beams comprising:
(a) at least one light source, each light source for generating a light beam;
(b) a set of at least two cycloidal diffractive waveplates for deviating the light beam over a predetermined angle; and
(c) a device controlling a relative geometrical positioning of said cycloidal diffractive waveplates, for varying a deflection angle of the beam.

2. The system as in claim 1 wherein a diffraction spectrum of at least one in the set of cycloidal diffractive waveplates is variable at an influence of one or a combination of the following stimuli: electric field, optical radiation, temperature and mechanical stress.

3. The system as in claim 2 further comprising means for applying and controlling said stimuli.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the device for controlling the relative geometrical positioning of said cycloidal diffractive waveplates includes one or a combination of mechanical rotation assembly and a translation assembly.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said cycloidal diffractive waveplates diffract light with near 100% efficiency in at least 300 nm wide spectrum of wavelengths.

Assignees

• Us Army
• Beam Eng For Advanced Measurements Co

Inventors

• Tabirian Nelson V
• Nersisyan Sarik R
• Kimball Brian R
• Steeves Diane M

Classifications

• G02B5/1866

  Transmission gratings characterised by their structure, e.g. step profile, contours of substrate or grooves, pitch variations, materials (G02B5/1809, G02B5/1828, G02B5/1833, G02B5/1838 and G02B5/1847 take precedence) · CPC title

• G02B27/4272

  having plural diffractive elements positioned sequentially along the optical path · CPC title

• G02B27/4261

  having a diffractive element with major polarization dependent properties · CPC title

• G02B26/0808 Primary

  by means of one or more diffracting elements · CPC title

• G02B5/1828

  having means for producing variable diffraction (controlling the direction of light by means of one or more diffracting elements G02B26/0808; acousto-optical elements G02F1/11, G02F1/33; electro- or magneto-optical diffraction G02F1/292, G02F1/2955) · CPC title