Birefringent lens interferometer for use in microscopy and other applications
AssigneeCelloptic, Inc.
InventorsGary Brooker, Nisan Siegel
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Techniques to improve image quality in holography utilizing lenses made from materials with non-quantized anisotropic electromagnetic properties, such as birefringent materials, to advantageously split an incoming beam of light into two coincident beams with different focal lengths that interfere with one another and thus create holograms free of electro-optical or pixelated devices are disclosed for microscopy and other applications. The use of thin birefringent lenses and single crystal alpha-BBO lenses are introduced. Corresponding systems, methods and apparatuses are described.
Claims25
An optical apparatus, comprising:
- a plurality of lenses including at least one thin birefringent lens, wherein the plurality of lenses are configured to:
- receive electromagnetic radiation from an object, wherein the electromagnetic radiation is incoherent light;
- transform, by transmission using the at least one thin birefringent lens in an electrically independent manner, the received electromagnetic radiation to generate two or more differentially modulated electromagnetic waves propagating in a common path, wherein the transformation does not include an overall phase delay between the differentially modulated waves beyond that necessary to generate discrete modulated waves;
- and
- provide for the differentially modulated electromagnetic waves to create electromagnetic interference, without the use of phase compensating optics to correct for an undesired phase delay.
A method, comprising:
- receiving, in a plurality of lenses including at least one thin birefringent lens, electromagnetic radiation from an object, wherein the received electromagnetic radiation is incoherent light;
- transforming, by transmission using the at least one thin birefringent lens in an electrically independent manner, the received electromagnetic radiation to generate two or more differentially modulated electromagnetic waves propagating in a common path, wherein the transforming does not include an overall phase delay between the differentially modulated waves beyond that necessary to generate discrete modulated waves;
- and
- providing for the differentially modulated electromagnetic waves to create electromagnetic interference, without the use of phase compensating optics to correct for an undesired phase delay.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.