Opto-optical light deflector/modulator
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorGlenn T. Sincerbox
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An opto-optical light deflector/modulator has means for providing first and second coherent wave fronts of wavelength (.lambda..sub.0) to travel in a transparent optical active medium to produce an optically generated standing wave that induces a periodic refractive index variation in the medium suitable for diffraction purposes. The device also includes means for providing a third wavefront (.lambda..sub.1) to travel in said medium which is diffracted by the periodic refractive index variation induced by the first and second wavefronts.
Claims9
An opto-optical light deflector comprising:
- a transparent optical active medium,
- means for providing first and second coherent wavefronts of wavelength (.lambda..sub.0) to travel in said medium thereby producing an optically generated standing wave that induces a periodic variation in the optical properties for diffraction purposes,
- means for providing a third wave front (.lambda..sub.1) to travel in said medium, said third wavefront being diffracted by the periodic variation, and
- means for varying the wavelength of said first wavefront and said second wavefront to the same wavelength (.lambda..sub.m) to alter the periodicity of the variation whereby the diffraction direction of said third wavefront is altered.
An opto-optical digital light deflector comprising
- a transparent optically active medium,
- means for providing a multiplicity of first wavefronts of discretely different wavelengths, .lambda..sub.1,2,3 . . . m, to travel in said medium,
- reflection means for generating second wavefronts from said first wavefronts, said first and said second wavefronts being at the same wavelength .lambda..sub.1,2,3 . . . m, to travel in said medium thereby producing optically generated standing waves that induce a periodic variation in the optical properties for diffraction purposes, and
- means for randomly selecting an individual wavefront from said multiplicity of fixed wavelengths.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.