# US 2014/0192418 A1 · Optical Element and Optical Mechanism > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0192418 A1 - Document ID: US20140192418A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/208,409 - Filed: 2014-03-13 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2011-09-13 - Assignees: Olympus Corporation - Applicants: Olympus Corporation - Inventors: Toshiaki Suzuki - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140192418A1 ## CPC - G02B 27/142: {Coating structures, e.g. thin films multilayers} - G02B 6/0056: {for producing polarisation effects, e.g. by a surface with polarizing properties or by an additional polarizing elements} - G02B 27/283: {used for beam splitting or combining} - G02B 6/0038: {Linear indentations or grooves, e.g. arc-shaped grooves or meandering grooves, extending over the full length or width of the light guide} - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS ## Abstract An optical element includes a waveguide, a polarizing beam splitter film, and a deflector. The waveguide propagates light incident at a predetermined angle while reflecting the light between first and second planes. The polarizing beam splitter film is adhered to the first plane of the waveguide. The polarizing beam splitter film separates light incident from the waveguide into transmitted light and reflected light. The deflector is joined to the waveguide with the polarizing beam splitter film therebetween. The deflector has a plurality of first reflecting surfaces. The first reflecting surfaces reflect, in a direction substantially perpendicular to a surface of the polarizing beam splitter film, light transmitted by the polarizing beam splitter film. The polarizing beam splitter film reflects the majority of light incident at a predetermined angle from the waveguide and transmits a majority or all of the light incident in a substantially perpendicular direction from the deflector. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An optical element comprising: a first waveguide, formed as a plate having a first plane and a second plane opposing each other, that propagates light incident at a predetermined angle while reflecting the light between the first plane and the second plane; a first beam splitter film, adhered to the first plane of the first waveguide, that separates light incident from the first waveguide into transmitted light and reflected light; a first deflector, joined to the first waveguide with the first beam splitter film therebetween, having a plurality of first reflecting surfaces provided along a first direction, the first reflecting surfaces reflecting, in a direction substantially perpendicular to a surface of the first beam splitter film, light that is incident on the first plane at the predetermined angle and transmitted by the first beam splitter film; and a plurality of second reflecting surfaces reflecting light incident on the optical element towards the first waveguide so that light is incident on the second plane at an angle of at least a critical angle in the first waveguide, the first beam splitter film reflecting a majority of light incident at the predetermined angle from the first waveguide and transmitting a majority or all of light incident in a substantially perpendicular direction from the first deflector, and an angle between each of the first reflecting surfaces and the first plane being in a neighborhood of a half angle of the predetermined angle. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The optical element according to claim 1, wherein a transmittance of light obliquely incident on the first beam splitter film is uniform. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The optical element according to claim 1, wherein a transmittance of light obliquely incident on the first beam splitter film increases along the first direction. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The optical element according to claim 1, wherein the first deflector is formed thinly so that the first reflecting surfaces and the first beam splitter film intersect. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The optical element according to claim 1, wherein the first reflecting surfaces are covered by a reflecting member that reflects an entire band of visible light. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The optical element according to claim 1, wherein the first reflecting surfaces are covered by a reflecting member that reflects a band of visible light in a predetermined wavelength and transmits visible light outside of the predetermined band. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The optical element according to claim 1, wherein the first waveguide is formed from material having heat resistance. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The optical element according to claim 1, wherein the second reflecting surfaces are formed on a same surface as the second plane. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The optical element according to claim 1, wherein the second reflecting surfaces are formed in the first deflector. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The optical element according to claim 1, further comprising an oblique light reflective film, adhered to the second plane of the first waveguide, that reflects light obliquely incident from the first waveguide and transmits light incident in a substantially perpendicular direction from the first waveguide. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The optical element according to claim 10, further comprising a cover, formed from a light transmitting material, covering a side of the oblique light reflective film opposite the first waveguide. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) An optical mechanism comprising: the optical element according to claim 1 as a first optical element; and a second optical element including: a second waveguide, formed as a plate having a third plane and a fourth plane opposing each other, that propagates light incident at a second predetermined angle while reflecting the light between the third plane and the fourth plane; a second beam splitter film, adhered to the third plane of the second waveguide, that separates light incident from the second waveguide into transmitted light and reflected light; and a second deflector, joined to the second waveguide with the second beam splitter film therebetween, having a plurality of third reflecting surfaces provided along a second direction differing from the first direction, the third reflecting surfaces reflecting, in a direction substantially perpendicular to a surface of the second beam splitter film, light that is incident on the third plane at the second predetermined angle and transmitted by the second beam splitter film, the second beam splitter film reflecting a majority of light incident at the second predetermined angle from the second waveguide and transmitting a majority or all of light incident in a substantially perpendicular direction from the second deflector, and the first optical element and the second optical element being disposed so that light emitted from the fourth plane of the second optical element is incident on the second reflecting surfaces. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The optical mechanism according to claim 12, wherein a space is provided between the first optical element and the second optical element. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The optical mechanism according to claim 12, further comprising: an oblique light reflective film, adhered to the fourth plane of the second waveguide, that reflects light obliquely incident from the second waveguide and transmits light incident in a substantially perpendicular direction from the second waveguide, wherein the first optical element is disposed to adhere to the oblique light reflective film. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The optical mechanism according to claim 12, wherein the second reflecting surfaces are formed on a same surface as the second plane, and the first optical element and the second optical element are disposed so that the fourth plane faces the second reflecting surfaces with the first optical element therebetween. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The optical mechanism according to claim 12, wherein the first optical element is supported to be displaceable in a direction parallel to the fourth plane of the second optical element, and the light emitted from the fourth plane of the second optical element is incident on the second reflecting surfaces when the first optical element is displaced to a predetermined displacement position. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The optical mechanism according to claim 12, further comprising a Δλ/2 wavelength plate between the first optical element and the second optical element. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The optical mechanism according to claim 17, wherein the first beam splitter film is a first polarizing beam splitter film, and the second beam splitter film is a second polarizing beam splitter film. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The optical mechanism according to claim 12, further comprising a laser light source emitting laser light that is guided into the first optical element. ### Claim 20 An optical mechanism comprising: a first optical element; a second optical element; and a λ/2 wavelength plate between the first optical element and the second optical element, the first optical element including: a first waveguide, formed as a plate having a first plane and a second plane opposing each other, that propagates light incident at a predetermined angle while reflecting the light between the first plane and the second plane; a first polarizing beam splitter film, adhered to the first plane of the first waveguide, that separates light incident from the first waveguide into transmitted light and reflected light; and a first deflector, joined to the first waveguide with the first polarizing beam splitter film therebetween, having a plurality of first reflecting surfaces provided along a first direction, the first reflecting surfaces reflecting, in a direction substantially perpendicular to a surface of the first polarizing beam splitter film, light that is incident on the first plane at the predetermined angle and transmitted by the first polarizing beam splitter film, the first polarizing beam splitter film reflecting a majority of light incident at the predetermined angle from the first waveguide and transmitting a majority or all of light incident in a substantially perpendicular direction from the first deflector, the second optical element including: a second waveguide, formed as a plate having a third plane and a fourth plane opposing each other, that propagates light incident at a second predetermined angle while reflecting the light between the third plane and the fourth plane; a second polarizing beam splitter film, adhered to the third plane of the second waveguide, that separates light incident from the second waveguide into transmitted light and reflected light; and a second deflector, joined to the second waveguide with the second polarizing beam splitter film therebetween, having a plurality of third reflecting surfaces provided along a second direction differing from the first direction, the third reflecting surfaces reflecting, in a direction substantially perpendicular to a surface of the second polarizing beam splitter film, light that is incident on the third plane at the second predetermined angle and transmitted by the second polarizing beam splitter film, the second polarizing beam splitter film reflecting a majority of light incident at the second predetermined angle from the second waveguide and transmitting a majority or all of light incident in a substantially perpendicular direction from the second deflector, and the first optical element and the second optical element being disposed so that light emitted from the fourth plane of the second optical element is incident on the first optical element. ### Claim 21 An optical mechanism comprising: an optical element; and a laser light source emitting laser light that is guided into the optical element, the optical element including: a first waveguide, formed as a plate having a first plane and a second plane opposing each other, that propagates light incident at a predetermined angle while reflecting the light between the first plane and the second plane; a first beam splitter film, adhered to the first plane of the first waveguide, that separates light incident from the first waveguide into transmitted light and reflected light; and a first deflector, joined to the first waveguide with the first beam splitter film therebetween, having a plurality of first reflecting surfaces provided along a first direction, the first reflecting surfaces reflecting, in a direction substantially perpendicular to a surface of the first beam splitter film, light that is incident on the first plane at the predetermined angle and transmitted by the first beam splitter film, the first beam splitter film being a polarizing beam splitter film that reflects a majority of s-polarized light incident at the predetermined angle from the first waveguide and transmits a majority or all of s-polarized light incident in a substantially perpendicular direction from the first deflector.