Optical light diffusing system
AssigneeNederlandse Organisatie voor toegepast-natuurwetenschappelijk onderzoek TNO
InventorGerard Christiaan Jurjen Otter
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An optical light diffusing system is provided that includes an optical diffuser that coverts incoming light into diffused light. To prevents mixing light from undesired directions in the diffuser, light form undesired direction is baffled before it reaches the diffuser. Baffling is performed with an array of micro lenses located in the optical path to the diffuser. An array of apertures is located between the array of micro lenses and the optical diffuser. Each micro lens is aligned with a corresponding aperture. The apertures are located substantially in a focal surface of the array of micro lenses. Optical baffles located between the array of micro lenses and the array of apertures, separates optically transparent volumes between different ones of the micro lenses and their corresponding apertures.
Claims18
An optical light diffusing system for a light detection system, comprising
- an optical diffuser located in an optical path for transmitting received light to a light detector;
- an array of micro lenses located in said optical path located to transmit the received light towards the optical diffuser;
- an array of apertures located between the array of micro lenses and the optical diffuser, each micro lens being aligned with a corresponding one of the apertures, with an optically transparent volume between the micro lens and its corresponding one of the apertures, the apertures being located substantially in a focal surface of the array of micro lenses;
- optical baffles located between the array of micro lenses and the array of apertures, the optical baffles separating the optically transparent volumes between different ones of different ones of the micro lenses and their corresponding ones of the apertures
- wherein at least part of the apertures have rectangular shapes, with unequal width and height, and
- wherein the optically transparent volumes are conical volumes with diameters that decrease step-wise from the array of micro lenses to the array of apertures in a plurality of steps.
An optical light diffusing system for a light detection system, comprising
- an optical diffuser located in an optical path for transmitting received light to a light detector;
- an array of micro lenses located in said optical path located to transmit the received light towards the optical diffuser;
- an array of apertures located between the array of micro lenses and the optical diffuser, each micro lens being aligned with a corresponding one of the apertures, with an optically transparent volume between the micro lens and its corresponding one of the apertures, the apertures being located substantially in a focal surface of the array of micro lenses;
- optical baffles located between the array of micro lenses and the array of apertures, the optical baffles separating the optically transparent volumes between different ones of different ones of the micro lenses and their corresponding ones of the apertures,
- wherein there is a gap between the array of apertures and the diffuser, the gap allowing for propagation of light from the apertures before reaching the diffuser, and
- wherein a distance between the array of apertures and the diffuser through the gap is larger than a focal distance of the micro-lenses.
An optical diffusing light detection system comprising an optical light diffusing system, said light diffusing system comprising
- an optical diffuser located in an optical path for transmitting received light to a light detector;
- an array of micro lenses located in said optical path located to transmit the received light towards the optical diffuser;
- an array of apertures located between the array of micro lenses and the optical diffuser, each micro lens being aligned with a corresponding one of the apertures, with an optically transparent volume between the micro lens and its corresponding one of the apertures, the apertures being located substantially in a focal surface of the array of micro lenses;
- optical baffles located between the array of micro lenses and the array of apertures, the optical baffles separating the optically transparent volumes between different ones of different ones of the micro lenses and their corresponding ones of the apertures,
- wherein the optical diffusing light detection system comprises a light detector facing the output area, and
- wherein the detector is a camera or part of a camera comprising pixels.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.