Optical element producing a modulated region of increased light intensity and optically enhanced photovoltaic cell and led lighting device including the same

As an article of manufacture, an optical element comprising:

• a body having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being formed from a first material having an index of refraction n1, the second portion being formed from a second material having an index of refraction of refraction n2,
• one index of refraction being greater than the other index of refraction, with both indices of refraction being greater than the index of refraction of air,
• each portion of the body having a substantially planar exterior surface formed thereon, each surface defining one of a pair of opposed major surfaces of the optical element,
• the first and second portions being arranged such that an interface with at least one cusp is defined within the optical element between the first and second materials,
• the cusp having an apex pointed toward the material having the lesser index of refraction,
• the cusp being operative to produce a region of modulated light on the surface of the optical element having the lesser index of refraction in response to light incident on the surface of the optical element having the greater index of refraction.

As an article of manufacture, an optical element comprising:

• a body having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being formed from a first material having an index of refraction n1, the second portion being formed from a second material having an index of refraction of refraction n2,
• one index of refraction being greater than the other index of refraction, with both indices of refraction being greater than the index of refraction of air,
• each portion of the body having a substantially planar exterior surface formed thereon, each surface defining one of a pair of opposed major surfaces of the optical element,
• the first and second portions being arranged such that an interface with at least one cusp is defined within the optical element between the first and second materials,
• the cusp having an apex pointed toward the material having the lesser index of refraction,
• the cusp being operative to produce a region of modulated light on the surface of the optical element having the greater index of refraction in response to light incident on the surface of the optical element having the lesser index of refraction.

A display device comprising:

• a display panel having at least one light transmissive pixel element surrounded on its periphery by a obscured region;
• and
• a plano-piano optical element mounted over the display panel, the optical element itself comprising:
• a body having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being formed from a first material having an index of refraction n1, the second portion being formed from a second material having an index of refraction of refraction n2,
• one index of refraction being greater than the other index of refraction, with both indices of refraction being greater than the index of refraction of air,
• each portion of the body having a substantially planar exterior surface formed thereon, each surface defining one of a pair of opposed major surfaces of the optical element,
• the first and second portions being arranged such that an interface with at least one cusp is defined within the optical element between the first and second materials,
• the cusp having an apex pointed toward the material having the lesser index of refraction,
• the cusp being operative to redirect and to produce a region of modulated light exiting one surface of the optical element in response to light incident on the other surface of the optical element,
• the region of modulated light being aligned with the obscured region bounding the periphery of the display.

An LED lighting device comprising:

• a light emitting diode operative to emit spatially modulated light;
• and
• a plano-piano optical element aligned in a light receptive relationship with the light emitting diode, the optical element itself comprising:
• a body having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being formed from a first material having an index of refraction n1, the second portion being formed from a second material having an index of refraction of refraction n2,
• one index of refraction being greater than the other index of refraction, with both indices of refraction being greater than the index of refraction of air,
• each portion of the body having a substantially planar exterior surface formed thereon, each surface defining one of a pair of opposed major surfaces of the optical element,
• the first and second portions being arranged such that an interface with at least one cusp is defined within the optical element between the first and second materials,
• the cusp having an apex pointed toward the material having the lesser index of refraction,
• the cusp being operative to redirect spatially modulated light emitted from the light emitting diode incident on one surface of the optical element, thereby to produce less spatially modulated light exiting the other surface of the optical element.