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US 7,018,058 B2Granted
Polarization conversion system
AssigneeIntel Corporation
InventorsMichael O'Connor, Clark A. Pentico
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A reflector, light source, phase retarder, and linear polarizer configured to increase a single-polarization output beam by converting wrong-polarization light into correct-polarization light. The linear polarizer reflects the wrong-polarization light and transmits the correct-polarization light. The phase retarder converts the wrong-polarization light into correct-polarization light, which is then transmitted by the linear polarizer.
Claims2
An apparatus comprising:
- a curved reflector having a concave reflective surface;
- a quarter-wave phase retarder in an optical path with the curved reflective surface;
- a linear polarizer in the optical path;
- and
- a light source in the optical path and having a substantially spherical shape, a reflective interior, and two windows of reduced reflectivity, one of the windows positioned to transmit light to the quarter-wave phase retarder and the reflector, and the other of the windows positioned to transmit light to the linear polarizer.
2 more elements
A system comprising:
- a linear polarizer means for transmitting light of a first polarization and for reflecting light of a second polarization;
- phase retarder means for altering polarization of the light of the second polarization reflected from the linear polarizer means;
- reflector means for reflecting the altered polarization light from the phase retarder means back to the linear polarizer means;
- and
- a substantially spherical light source with a reflective inner surface.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.