# US 11,994,688 B2 · Depolarizing homogenizer > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,994,688 B2 - Document ID: US11994688B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/339,860 - Filed: 2023-06-22 - Published: 2023-11-02 - Granted: 2024-05-28 - Earliest claimed: 2017-08-25 - Assignees: Nkt Photonics A/S - Applicants: Nkt Photonics A/S - Inventors: Dmitri Oulianov; Frederik Nielsen; Irnis Kubat; Thomas Feuchter; Timur Iskhakov - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11994688B2 ## CPC - G02B 27/286: {for controlling or changing the state of polarisation, e.g. transforming one polarisation state into another (G02B5/3083 takes precedence; light guide coupling means utilising polarising elements G02B6/34)} - G02B 27/0961: {Lens arrays (lens arrays per se G02B3/0006)} - G02B 27/283: {used for beam splitting or combining} - G02F 1/133526: {Lenses, e.g. microlenses or Fresnel lenses} - G02F 1/13362: {providing polarized light, e.g. by converting a polarisation component into another one} - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS - G02F: OPTICAL DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONTROL OF LIGHT BY MODIFICATION OF THE OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF THE MEDIA OF THE ELEMENTS INVOLVED THEREIN; NON-LINEAR OPTICS; FREQUENCY-CHANGING OF LIGHT; OPTICAL LOGIC ELEMENTS; OPTICAL ANALOGUE/DIGITAL CONVERTERS ## Abstract A depolarizing homogenizer including one or more lenslet arrays, for providing a plurality of beamlets associated with different respective parts of a received beam. The depolarizing homogenizer includes a depolarizer comprising different areas which affect polarization differently, the depolarizer being positioned to cause alteration of the polarization characteristics of at least some of the plurality of beamlets. A lens is arranged to at least partially overlap the beamlets having the altered polarization characteristics. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A light source, comprising: a supercontinuum source for generating a supercontinuum; a fibre bundle, wherein the fibre bundle includes a plurality of optical fibres for guiding the light; and a depolarizing homogenizer, configured to receive light derived from the supercontinuum source, comprising: one or more lenslet arrays, adapted for providing a plurality of beamlets associated with different respective parts of a received beam, wherein the one or more lenslet arrays comprise a first lenslet array and a second lenslet array, wherein the first and second lenslet arrays are oriented with respect to one another such that the lenslets of the first and second lenslet arrays are perpendicular to one another, wherein the lenslets of the first and second lenslet arrays are non-symmetric lenslets; a depolarizer comprising different areas which affect polarization differently, wherein the depolarizer is positioned to cause alteration of the polarization characteristics of at least some of said plurality of beamlets; and a lens arranged to at least partially overlap the said beamlets having said altered polarization characteristics, to provide an output beam, wherein the one or more lenslet arrays comprise a plurality of lenslets shaped to cause the output beam to have a flat top beam profile in the image plane of the lens, wherein the depolarizer is located between an output of the fibre bundle and an image plane of the lens, wherein the fibre bundle is configured such that when light propagates through the fibre bundle, then the fibre bundle contributes to affecting the polarization. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The light source according to claim 1, wherein the depolarizer is positioned to receive said plurality of beamlets, wherein at least some of said beamlets pass through respective different areas of the depolarizer, thereby to alter the polarization characteristics of said at least some beamlets. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The light source according to claim 1, wherein the depolarizer is located between at least one of the one or more lenslet arrays and the lens. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The light source according to claim 1, wherein the lens is located between at least one of the one or more lenslet arrays and the depolarizer. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The light source according to claim 1, wherein the depolarizer is configured to depolarise light before the light passes through the one or more lenslet arrays to form said plurality of beamlets, thereby to cause alteration of the polarization characteristics of at least some of said plurality of beamlets. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The light source according to claim 1, wherein the depolarizer comprises a first depolarizing element having a first optic axis and a second depolarizing element have a second optic axis, wherein the first and second depolarizing elements are oriented such that the first and second optic axes are at an angle to one another, wherein optionally the first and second depolarizing elements are oriented such that the first and second optic axes are perpendicular to one another. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The light source as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a collimating lens to receive light from the fibre bundle and to collimate the received light, wherein the one or more lenslet arrays are arranged to receive light which has been collimated by the collimating lens. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The light source as claimed in claim 1, wherein the one or more lenslet arrays comprise a plurality of lenslets shaped to cause the output beam to have a square or rectangular beam profile. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The light source as claimed in claim 1, wherein the supercontinuum includes a wavelength range of 375 nm to 1200 nm. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The light source as claimed in claim 1, wherein the supercontinuum includes a wavelength range of 375 nm to 2400 nm. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The light source as claimed in claim 1, wherein the supercontinuum includes a wavelength range of 1100 nm to 4200 nm. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The light source according to claim 1, wherein the light source further comprises a wavelength selector to select one or more wavelengths from the supercontinuum. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The light source according to claim 1, wherein the lenslets of the first and second lenslet arrays are cylindrical microlenses.