Diffractive waveplate lenses and applications
AssigneesBeam Engineering for Advanced Measurements Co., U.S. Government as represented by the Secretary of the Army
InventorsNelson V. Tabirian, Svetlana Serak, Olena Uskova, David E. Roberts, Anna Tabirian, Diane Steeves, Brian Kimball
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Abstract
Methods, systems and devices for diffractive waveplate lens and mirror systems allowing electronically focusing light at different focal planes. The system can be incorporated into a variety of optical schemes for providing electrical control of transmission. In another embodiment, the system comprises diffractive waveplates of different functionality to provide a system for controlling not only focusing but other propagation properties of light including direction, phase profile, and intensity distribution.
Claims11
An optical system comprising:
- a light source;
- a flat mirror having a quarter wave plate deposited on the flat mirror;
- one or more diffractive waveplates with switchable optical power for receiving the light from the light source, said one or more diffractive wave plates are selected from a group consisting of cylindrical diffractive waveplate lenses, cycloidal diffractive waveplates, axial diffractive waveplates, axicon diffractive waveplates, beam shaping diffractive waveplates, and arrays of diffractive waveplates;
- and
- a switching device for selectively switching the optical power of said diffractive waveplates to provide an electrically controlled diffraction property in reflected light;
- a flat mirror to provide an electrically controlled diffraction property in reflected light;
- and
- at least one quarter waveplate deposited on the flat mirror.
(canceled)
An optical imaging system with multiple focal lengths comprising:
- a generally unpolarized and non-monochromatic light source;
- one or more diffractive waveplates with switchable optical power for receiving the light from the generally unpolarized and non-monochromatic light source, said one or more diffractive wave plates are selected from a group consisting of diffractive waveplate lenses, cycloidal diffractive waveplates, axial diffractive waveplates, axicon diffractive waveplates, beam shaping diffractive waveplates, and arrays of diffractive waveplates;
- a substrate in the optical imaging system;
- and
- switching devices for selectively switching the optical power of said one or more diffractive waveplates.
The optical imaging system as in claim 11 wherein said switching devices for selectively switching the optical power of said diffractive waveplate lens system include variable phase retardation plates.
(canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.