Inorganic, Dielectric, Grid Polarizer and Non-Zero Order Diffraction Grating
AssigneeMoxtek, Inc.
InventorRaymond Perkins
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Abstract
An inorganic, dielectric grid polarizer includes an optical stack with a diffraction grating and an inorganic, dielectric grid polarizer. The inorganic, dielectric grid polarizer includes a stack of film layers with an array of parallel ribs in accordance with PGP<λ/2 where PGP is the period of the ribs and λ is the wavelength of the light. The diffraction grating includes an array of elongated parallel dielectric ribs in accordance with PDG>λ/2 where PDG is the period of the ribs.
Claims20
An inorganic, dielectric grid polarizer device configured to polarize and further control light incident on the device, comprising:
- an optical stack with a diffraction grating and an inorganic, dielectric grid polarizer with one disposed over the other and configured to be disposed in the light;
- the inorganic, dielectric grid polarizer including:
- a stack of film layers,
- each film layer being formed of a material that is both inorganic and dielectric;
- adjacent film layers having different refractive indices;
- at least one of the film layers being discontinuous to form a form birefringent layer with an array of parallel ribs in accordance with PGP<λ/2 where PGP is the period of the ribs of the grid polarizer and λ is the wavelength of the light, to polarize the light by substantially reflecting the light with s-polarization orientation and substantially transmitting the incident light with p-polarization orientation;
- the diffraction grating including an array of elongated parallel dielectric ribs in accordance with PGD>λ/2 where PGD is the period of the ribs of the diffraction grating, to substantially diffract light with the s-polarization orientation of non-zero order at a non-orthogonal angle, so that the diffraction grating and the grid polarizer together pass light having p-polarization orientation while diffracting light having s-polarization orientation.
An inorganic, dielectric grid polarizer and non-zero order diffraction grid device configured to polarize and further control light incident on the device, comprising:
- a) a substrate;
- b) a stack of film layers disposed over the substrate;
- c) each film layer being formed of a material that is both inorganic and dielectric;
- d) adjacent film layers having different refractive indices;
- e) at least one of the film layers being discontinuous to form a form birefringent layer with an array of parallel ribs with a period less than about 210 nm;
- and
- f) a diffraction grating disposed over the stack of film layers and including an array of elongated parallel dielectric ribs with a period greater than 210 nm and less than 700 nm.
An inorganic, dielectric grid polarizer and non-zero order diffraction grid device configured to polarize and further control light incident on the device, comprising:
- a) a substrate;
- b) a stack of film layers disposed over the substrate;
- c) each film layer being formed of a material that is both inorganic and dielectric;
- d) adjacent film layers having different refractive indices;
- e) at least one of the film layers being discontinuous to form a form birefringent layer with an array of parallel ribs with a period less than about 210 nm;
- f) a diffraction grating disposed over the stack of film layers and including an array of elongated parallel dielectric ribs with a period greater than 210 nm and less than 700 nm;
- and
- g) the ribs of the diffraction grating being split into two ribs.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.