# US 8,570,645 B2 · Beam steering device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,570,645 B2 - Document ID: US8570645B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/501,117 - Filed: 2010-09-30 - Published: 2012-08-16 - Granted: 2013-10-29 - Earliest claimed: 2009-10-30 - Assignees: Koninklijke Philips N.V. - Applicants: Fetze Pijlman; Marcellinus Petrus Carolus Michael Krijn; Michel Cornelis Josephus Marie Vissenberg; Lieven Raf Roger Desmet; Baptiste Fleury Louis Delplanque; Tim Dekker - Inventors: Fetze Pijlman; Marcellinus Petrus Carolus Michael Krijn; Michel Cornelis Josephus Marie Vissenberg; Lieven Raf Roger Desmet; Baptiste Fleury Louis Delplanque; Tim Dekker - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8570645B2 ## CPC - G02F 1/292: {by controlled diffraction or phased-array beam steering (controlled diffraction for optical switching G02F1/31)} - G02B 5/06: Fluid-filled or evacuated prisms - G02B 26/0883: {the refracting element being a prism} - G02F 1/291: {Two-dimensional analogue deflection} - G02F 2202/40: Materials having a particular birefringence, retardation - G02F 2203/24: beam steering - G02F: OPTICAL DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONTROL OF LIGHT BY MODIFICATION OF THE OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF THE MEDIA OF THE ELEMENTS INVOLVED THEREIN; NON-LINEAR OPTICS; FREQUENCY-CHANGING OF LIGHT; OPTICAL LOGIC ELEMENTS; OPTICAL ANALOGUE/DIGITAL CONVERTERS - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS ## Abstract A beam steering device (300) for deflecting a beam of light is provided. The beam steering device comprises a first deflecting member (310), a rotating member (320), and a second deflecting member (330). For an incoming beam of light having components (303, 302) with their polarization parallel (303′) and perpendicular (302′), respectively, to an optic axis (314, 334) of the beam steering device, the parallel component (303) is deflected by a first angle (304) when passing the first deflecting member. When passing the rotating member, the polarization (303′, 302′) of the beam of light is rotated by 90 degrees (303″, 302″). When passing the second deflecting member, the perpendicular component (302) is deflected by a second angle (305). ## Claims ### Claim 1 A device for deflecting a beam of light, said device comprising: a first deflecting member for deflecting a fraction of the beam of light by a first angle, said first deflecting member comprising a first prism comprising: a first optical member giving rise to a first index of refraction, and a second birefringent optical member having an electrically controllable optic axis giving rise to a second index of refraction, the fraction of the beam of light having a linear polarization such that said first angle is proportional to the difference between said first index of refraction and said second index of refraction, a second deflecting member for deflecting a fraction of the beam of light by a second angle, said second deflecting member comprising a second prism comprising: a third optical member giving rise to a fifth index of refraction, and a fourth birefringent optical member having an electrically controllable optic axis giving rise to a sixth index of refraction, the fraction of the beam of light having a linear polarization parallel such that said second angle is proportional to the difference between said fifth index of refraction and said sixth index of refraction, and a rotating member having at least a first state, said rotating member being configured, when in its first state, for rotating the polarization of the beam of light by 90 degrees, said rotating member being located between said first deflecting member and said second deflecting member. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein said first prism and said second prism are micro prisms. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein the optic axis of said second optical member of said first prism and the optic axis of said second optical member of said second prism are jointly electrically controllable such that said first angle and said second angle are substantially equal. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein said first optical members are polymer based. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein said second optical members are liquid crystal based. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein said rotating member further has a second state, said rotating member being configured, when in its second state, to leave the polarization of the beam of light substantially unaffected, wherein said rotating member is electrically switchable between its first and its second state. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The device according to claim 6, wherein said rotating member is liquid crystal based. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) A device comprising a plurality of devices according to claim 6, said plurality of devices being arranged as pixels in a matrix, wherein said pixels are individually controllable. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The device according to claim 6, further comprising: a telescope for magnifying the beam deflection. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The device according to claim 6, further comprising: an array of telescopes for magnifying the beam deflection. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The device according to claim 9, said telescopes comprising: a first lens having focal length fi, and a second lens having focal length f2, wherein f1>f2 and the distance between said first lens and said second lens is f1+f2. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The device according to claim 9, said telescopes comprising: a first plurality of lenses having focal length f1 and diameter D1, said first plurality of lenses being arranged in a matrix, and a second plurality of lenses having focal length f2 and diameter D2, said second plurality of lenses being arranged in a matrix, wherein f1>f2 and the distance between said first plurality of lenses and said second plurality of lenses is f1+f2. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The device according to claim 12, said telescopes further comprising: a third plurality of lenses having focal length f3 and diameter D3, said third plurality of lenses being arranged in a matrix and located between said first plurality of lenses and said second plurality of lenses at distance f1 from said first plurality of lenses and at distance f2 from said second plurality of lenses, wherein 1/f3=+1/f2. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The device according to claim 12, further comprising a light source.