Optical device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10162170-B2
Application number	US-201715659766-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 26, 2017
Priority date	Aug 3, 2016
Publication date	Dec 25, 2018
Grant date	Dec 25, 2018

Abstract

An optical device includes: an excitation light source; a first light transmitter that transmits excitation light emitted from the excitation light source; a fluorescent light part that is disposed on a surface of the first light transmitter opposite a surface through which the excitation light enters, and emits fluorescent light from the excitation light; a second light transmitter that interposes the fluorescent light part with the first light transmitter, and transmits light emitted from the fluorescent light part; a light transmission fiber that guides the light exiting from the second light transmitter; and a microfabricated film that is disposed on a side of the second light transmitter closer to the light transmission fiber, and collects, toward the light transmission fiber, the light emitted from the fluorescent light part.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An optical device, comprising:
an excitation light source;
a first light transmitter that transmits excitation light emitted from the excitation light source;
a fluorescent light part that is disposed on a surface of the first light transmitter opposite a surface through which the excitation light enters, and emits fluorescent light from the excitation light;
a second light transmitter that interposes the fluorescent light part with the first light transmitter, and transmits light emitted from the fluorescent light part;
a light guide that guides the light exiting from the second light transmitter, and
a light collecting structure including a plurality of protrusions and that is disposed on a side of the second light transmitter closer to the light guide, and collects, toward the light guide, the light emitted from the fluorescent light part, wherein:
the plurality of protrusions each form a portion of an approximate spherical body and are arranged in a matrix on a surface of the second light transmitter closer to the light guide,
each of the plurality of protrusions has a virtual undersurface on a side closer to the second light transmitter, and
when k represents a half width that is half a width of the virtual undersurface, and h represents a height of each of the plurality of protrusions in a direction of an optical axis of the excitation light source, the light collecting structure satisfies a condition of:

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2. The optical device according to claim 1 , wherein
the height h of each of the plurality of protrusions in the direction of the optical axis of the excitation light source is at least 0.01 mm and at most 3 mm.

3. The optical device according to claim 1 , wherein
an anti-reflective (AR) coat is applied to a first entrance surface of the first light transmitter closer to the excitation light source.

4. The optical device according to claim 1 , wherein
a dichroic mirror is disposed on the surface of the first light transmitter closer to the fluorescent light part.

5. The optical device according to claim 1 , wherein
the light emitted from the fluorescent light part is white.

Assignees

• Panasonic Ip Man Co Ltd

Inventors

• Yamae Kazuyuki
• Hayashi Shintaro

Classifications

• G02B19/0009

  having refractive surfaces only · CPC title

• G02B23/2469 Primary

  using optical fibres · CPC title

• G02B19/0052

  the light source comprising a laser diode (coupling into light guides using intermediate optical elements G02B6/4204; semiconductor lasers having optical devices external to the laser cavity H01S5/005) · CPC title

• F21V9/30

  Elements containing photoluminescent material distinct from or spaced from the light source (shades F21V1/17; globes, bowls or cover glasses F21V3/08, F21V3/12; refractors F21V5/10; reflectors F21V7/26, F21V7/30; elements with provision for controlling the spectral properties or intensity F21V9/40) · CPC title

• G02B23/2476

  Non-optical details, e.g. housings, mountings, supports · CPC title