System and method for producing a light beam with spatially varying polarization
AssigneeTechnion Research & Development Foundation Limited
InventorsStephen Lipson, Amir Shoham
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus for providing a light beam with spatially varying polarization. The apparatus comprises: two circumferentially curved reflectors positioned substantially opposite each other, a polarizer positioned in an optical path between the two reflectors, for polarizing light reflected from one reflector before it reaches the other. A non-polarized light beam incident along a given axis on one of the reflectors is radially reflected off that reflector, acquires predetermined polarization from the polarizer and is then reflected off the second reflector to a light beam of spatially varying polarization.
Claims29
An apparatus for providing a light beam with spatially varying polarization, the apparatus comprising:
- two circumferentially curved reflectors positioned substantially opposite each other,
- a polarizer positioned in an optical path between the two reflectors, for polarizing light reflected from one reflector before it reaches the other;
- whereby a non-polarized light beam incident along a given axis on one of the reflectors is radially reflected off that reflector, acquires predetermined polarization from the polarizer and is then reflected off the second reflector to a light beam of spatially varying polarization.
A method for providing a light beam with spatially varying polarization, the method comprising:
- providing two circumferentially curved reflectors positioned substantially opposite each other,
- providing a polarizer positioned in an optical path between the two reflectors, for polarizing light reflected from one reflector before it reaches the other;
- directing a non-polarized light beam along a given axis onto one of the two reflectors, so that it is reflected off that reflector to the other reflector, acquiring predetermined polarization as it passes through the polarizer, and reflected off the other reflector as an outgoing light beam,
- whereby the outgoing beam acquires varying spatial polarization.
29-30. (canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.