Self imaging system using a waveguide

An imaging system for the at least one-dimensional self imaging of an object having a waveguide of prismatic form with reflecting boundary surfaces, wherein the distance L between the object and the image measured along the axis of the waveguide, at least one quantity W.sub.eq representing the inverse-root-mean-square average transverse dimension of the guide measured along the imaging direction, the effective index of refraction n.sub.1 of the waveguide material, and the wavelength .lambda., satisfy the imaging condition

• L.lambda. = 4hn.sub.1 W.sup.2.sub.eq,
• separately for each imaging dimension, in which h is a rationale fractional number, and further comprising a number of optical waveguides (G FIG. 34) applied with their end faces against the end face of the first mentioned waveguide, whose other end face is reflecting, the arrangement being such that the end faces of each of the individual waveguides are imaged upon the end faces of all the other waveguides, said waveguide having a rectangular cross-section whose transverse dimensions in the object and image planes relate to each other as the desired image magnifications along each imaging dimension.

An imaging system for the at least one-dimensional self imaging of an object comprising a waveguide with reflecting boundary surfaces, two of which slope toward each other and intersect at least one other boundary surface wherein the distance L between the object and the image measured along the axis of the waveguide, at least one quantity W.sub.eq representing the inverse-root-mean-square average transverse dimension of the guide measured along the imaging direction, the effective index of refraction n.sub.1 and the wavelength .lambda., satisfy the imaging condition

• L.lambda. = 4hn.sub.1 W.sup.2.sub.eq
• separately for each imaging dimension, wherein, in the case of single imaging h is an integer and in the case of multiple imaging is a rationale fractional number, said waveguide having the maximum number of the individual modes counted along a direction corresponding to the width W.sub.eq limited to a value which corresponds to the quotient of the transverse dimension W.sub.eq and the desired spatial resolution (r) of the system, but smaller than the number of the parallel node planes of the highest possible modes, said wavelength having a rectangular cross-section whose transverse dimensions in the object and image planes relate to each other as the desired image magnifications along each imaging dimension.

An imaging system for the at least one-dimensional self imaging of an object comprising a waveguide with reflecting boundary surfaces, two of which slope toward each other and intersect at least one other boundary surface, wherein the distance L between the object and the image measured along the axis of the waveguide, at least one quantity W.sub.eq representing the inverse-root-mean-square average transverse dimension of the guide measured along the imaging direction, the effective index of refraction n.sub.1 and the wavelength .lambda., satisfy the imaging condition

• L.lambda. = 4hn.sub.1 W.sup.2.sub.eq
• separately for each imaging dimension, wherein in the case of single imaging h is an integer and in the case of multiple imaging is a rationale fractional number, said waveguide having on its boundary faces thin phase-correcting layers (41) of dielectric material, said waveguide having a rectangular cross-section whose transverse dimensions in the object and image planes relate to each other as the desired image magnifications along each imaging dimension.

An imaging system for the at least one-dimensional self imaging of an object comprising a waveguide with reflecting boundary surfaces, two of which slope toward each other and intersect at least one other boundary surface, wherein the distance L between the object and the image measured along the axis of the waveguide, at least one quantity W.sub.eq representing the inverse-root-mean-square average transverse dimension of the waveguide taking into account the effective index of refraction n.sub.1 of the waveguide material, and the wavelength .lambda., satisfy the imaging condition

• L.lambda. = 4hn.sub.1 W.sup.2.sub.eq
• separately for each imaging dimension, in which h is a rationale fractional number, and further comprising a number of optical waveguides (G FIG. 34) applied with their end faces against the end face of said first mentioned waveguide, whose other end face is reflecting, the arrangement being such that the end faces of each of the individual waveguides are imaged upon the end faces of all the other waveguides, said waveguide having a rectangular cross-section whose transverse dimensions in the object and image planes relate to each other as the desired image magnifications along each imaging dimension.

An imaging system for the at least one-dimensional self imaging of an object comprising a waveguide of layer form with reflecting boundary surfaces, wherein the distance L between the object and the image measured along the axis of the waveguide, at least one quantity W.sub.eq representing the inverse-root-mean-square average transverse dimension of the guide measured along the imaging direction, the effective index of refraction n.sub.1 and the wavelength .lambda., satisfy the imaging condition

• L.lambda. = 4hn.sub.1 W.sup.2.sub.eq
• separately for each imaging dimension, wherein, in the case of single imaging h is an integer and in the case of multiple imaging is a rationale fractional number, said waveguide having the maximum number of the individual modes counted along a direction corresponding to the width W.sub.eq limited to a value which corresponds to the quotient of the transverse dimension W.sub.eq and the desired spatial resolution (r) of the system and having a rectangular cross-section whose transverse dimensions in the object and image planes relate to each other as the desired image magnifications along each imaging dimension.

An imaging system for the at least one-dimensional self imaging of an object comprising a waveguide with reflecting boundary surfaces, wherein the distance L between the object and the image measured along the axis of the waveguide, at least one quantity W.sub.eq representing the inverse-root-mean-square average transverse dimesion of the guide measured along the imaging dimension, the effective index N.sub..mu. of the wave-guide material, and the wave-length .lambda., satisfy the imaging condition

• L.lambda. = 4hN.sub..mu. W.sup.2.sub.eq
• separately for each imaging dimension, wherein h in the case of single imaging is an integer and in the case of multiple imaging is a rationale fractional number, said waveguide having a rectangular cross-section whose transverse dimensions in the object and image planes relate to each other as the desired image magnifications along each imaging dimension.