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US 6,959,138 B2Granted
Planar optical waveguide
AssigneeNanoventions, Inc.
InventorsRichard A. Steenblik, Mark J. Hurt
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AssigneeNanoventions, Inc.
InventorsRichard A. Steenblik, Mark J. Hurt
Estimating the term…
An optical waveguide for light transmission and a method for creating a master and for generating an optical waveguide therefrom. The waveguide includes a first polymer layer having at least one optical element formed therein, the first polymer layer having an index of refraction of preferably 1.55 or greater, bonded to a second polymer layer, preferably polypropylene, having an index of refraction of preferably 1.50 or less. Since the refractive index of air is approximately 1.0, the first polymer layer is sandwiched between two layers of low refractive index material. The differences between the indices of refraction cause light projected into the polymer layer to be guided in the polymer layer by total internal reflection. Furthermore, once the optical element has been formed in the first polymer layer, it can be used as a master for generating embossments. The embossments are preferably generated by placing liquid polymer in contact with the master, curing it, and separating the cured polymer embossment from the master.
An optical waveguide comprising a first polymer layer having at least one optical element formed therein for operating on light passing through said waveguide by modifying or altering the wavefront form or energy distribution of the light, said first polymer layer having at least two sides and a second polymer layer having at least two sides wherein one of said at least two sides of said first polymer layer is disposed adjacent to one of said at least two sides of said second polymer layer, said first polymer layer having a first index of refraction, said second polymer layer having a second index of refraction, said first index of refraction being higher than said second index of refraction, wherein light projected into said first polymer layer in a direction substantially parallel to said first and second sides of said first polymer layer will be guided through said first polymer layer by internal reflection.
An optical waveguide comprising a first polymer layer having at least one optical element formed therein for operating on light passing through said waveguide in a predetermined manner, said first polymer layer having at least two sides and a second polymer layer having at least two sides wherein one of said at least two sides of said first polymer layer is disposed adjacent to one of said at least two sides of said second polymer layer, said first polymer layer having a first index of refraction, said second polymer layer having a second index of refraction, said first index of refraction being higher than said second index of refraction, wherein light projected into said first polymer layer in a direction substantially parallel to said first and second sides of said first polymer layer will be guided through said first polymer layer by internal reflection wherein said first polymer layer has a plurality of optical waveguide channels formed therein wherein light projected into said optical waveguide channels is restricted by said optical waveguide channels such that the light projected into said optical waveguide channels propagates in phase coherence and wherein said optical waveguide channels comprise an optical splitter.
An optical waveguide comprising a first polymer layer having at least one optical element formed therein for operating on light passing through said waveguide in a predetermined manner, said first polymer layer having at least two sides and a second polymer layer having at least two sides wherein one of said at least two sides of said first polymer layer is disposed adjacent to one of said at least two sides of said second polymer layer, said first polymer layer having a first index of refraction, said second polymer layer having a second index of refraction, said first index of refraction being higher than said second index of refraction, wherein light projected into said first polymer layer in a direction substantially parallel to said first and second sides of said first polymer layer will be guided through said first polymer layer by internal reflection wherein said first polymer layer has a plurality of optical waveguide channels formed therein wherein light projected into said optical waveguide channels is restricted by said optical waveguide channels such that the light projected into said optical waveguide channels propagates in phase coherence and wherein said optical waveguide channels comprise an optical combiner.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.