Thin film optics

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12560751-B2
Application number	US-202318197007-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 12, 2023
Priority date	Jun 11, 2018
Publication date	Feb 24, 2026
Grant date	Feb 24, 2026

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a thin film optical apparatus includes providing a substrate and applying an alignment layer over the substrate. The alignment layer ranges from about 50 to 100 nm in thickness. The method includes imprinting a hologram with a desired optic pattern onto the alignment layer and applying at least one layer of mesogen material over the alignment layer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An optical apparatus, comprising:
a substrate comprising a first thickness; a first alignment layer positioned over the substrate, the first alignment layer comprising a second thickness less than the first thickness; a hologram integrated into the first alignment layer, the hologram comprising an optical pattern; at least one layer of mesogen material applied over the first alignment layer; a layer of reflective material positioned between the first alignment layer and the substrate; a first birefringent layer positioned over the first alignment layer, the first birefringent layer comprising a third thickness less than the first thickness and greater than the second thickness; a second alignment layer positioned over the first birefringent layer; and a second birefringent layer positioned over the second alignment layer.

2 . The optical apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the layer of reflective material comprises a dielectric material.

3 . The optical apparatus of claim 2 , further comprising a retarder between the first alignment layer and the reflective material.

4 . The optical apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a buffer layer between the first birefringent layer and the second alignment layer.

5 . The optical apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the optical pattern comprises a polarization interference pattern.

6 . The optical apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one layer of mesogen is configured to provide a retardance.

7 . An optical apparatus, comprising:
a substrate; a first alignment layer positioned over the substrate; a quarter wave retarder positioned between the substrate and the first alignment layer, wherein in response to a light beam passing through the quarter wave retarder in a first direction, the quarter wave retarder is configured to alter a polarization state of the light beam passing through the quarter wave retarder in a second direction different from the first direction; a reflective layer positioned between and in contact with the quarter wave retarder and the substrate; a second alignment layer; and a first buffer layer positioned between and in contact with the first alignment layer and the second alignment layer, wherein in response to a light beam passing through the quarter wave retarder, the first alignment layer, the second alignment layer, and the first buffer layer:
the first alignment layer, the first buffer layer, and the second alignment layer combine to form an achromatic lens for a first polarization state, and
the quarter wave retarder is configured to change the first polarization state to a second polarization state.

8 . The optical apparatus of claim 7 , further comprising a first birefringent layer positioned between the first alignment layer and the second alignment layer.

9 . The optical apparatus of claim 8 , further comprising a second birefringent layer positioned over the second alignment layer.

10 . The optical apparatus of claim 8 ,
wherein: the substrate comprises a first thickness, the first alignment layer comprising a second thickness less than the first thickness, and the first birefringent layer comprising a third thickness less than the first thickness and greater than the second thickness.

11 . The optical apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a quarter wave retarder, wherein the layer of reflective material is in contact with the substrate and the quarter wave retarder.

Assignees

• Lockheed Corp

Inventors

• Buck Joseph Robert

Classifications

• G03H2240/11

  Phase only modulation (G03H1/0244 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G03H2222/36

  Scanning light beam · CPC title

• G03H2222/31

  Polarised light · CPC title

• G03H2001/0439

  for recording Holographic Optical Element [HOE] · CPC title

• G03H1/0402

  Recording geometries or arrangements (G03H1/0443, G03H1/0476, G03H1/16 take precedence) · CPC title