Abstract:
A head-up display device 1 includes a display element 110, a beam splitter 120, a movable mirror 130, first and second mirrors 150, 160, and a movable unit 140. The display element 110 emits light to form a display image. The beam splitter 120 being an optical member that reflects light or through which light is transmitted, reflects light emitted from the display element 110. The movable mirror 130 reflects light reflected off the beam splitter 120. The first and second mirrors 150, 160 that reflect light transmitted through the beam splitter 120 after being reflected off the movable mirror 130, or through which the light transmitted through the beam splitter 120 is transmitted, project a virtual image. The movable unit 140 adjusts a distance between the movable mirror 130 and the beam splitter 120 to adjust a projection distance of the virtual image.
Abstract:
An optical switch comprises a plurality of input ports and a plurality of out port ports; a plurality of displaceable optical elements for directing beams from a selected input to a selected output; wherein the number of displaceable elements substantially corresponds to either the number of input ports or the number of output ports.
Abstract:
A process for fabricating a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) composed of fixed components fixedly supported on a lower substrate and movable components movably supported on the lower substrate. The process utilizes an upper substrate separate from the lower substrate. The upper substrate is selectively etched in its top layer to form therein a plurality of posts which project commonly from a bottom layer of the upper substrate. The posts include the fixed components to be fixed to the lower substrate and the movable components which are resiliently supported only to one or more of the fixed components to be movable relative to the fixed components. The lower substrate is formed in its top surface with at least one recess. The upper substrate is then bonded to the top of the lower substrate upside down in such a manner as to place the fixed components directly on the lower substrate and to place the movable components upwardly of the recess. Finally, the bottom layer of the upper substrate is removed to release the movable components from the bottom layer for floating the movable components above the recess and allowing them to move relative to the lower substrate, while keeping the fixed components fixed to the top of the lower substrate.
Abstract:
An dynamic optical filter 10 is provided to selectively attenuate or filter a wavelength band(s) of light (i.e., optical channel(s)) or a group(s) of wavelength bands of an optical WDM input signal 12. The optical filter is controllable or programmable to selectively provide a desired filter function. The optical filter 10 includes a spatial light modulator 36, which comprises an array of micromirrors 52 effectively forms a two-dimensional diffraction grating mounted in a retro-reflecting configuration. Each optical channel 14 is dispersed separately or overlappingly onto the array of micro-mirrors 52 along a spectral axis or direction 55 such that each optical channel or group of optical channels are spread over a plurality of micro-mirrors to effectively pixelate each of the optical channels or input signal. Each channel 14 or group of channels may be selectively attenuated by flipping or tilting a selected number of micro-mirrors to thereby deflect a portion of the incident radiation away from the return optical path. The micro-mirrors operate in a digital manner by flipping between a first and second position in response to a control signal 56 provided by a controller 58 in accordance with an attenuation algorithm and an input command 60. The switching algorithm may provide a bit (or pixel) map or look-up table indicative of the state of each of the micro-mirrors 52 of the array to selectively attenuate the input signal and provide a modified output signal 38 at optical fiber 40.
Abstract:
An article having an optical fiber integrally attached to a micro-device having spaced movable and nonmoving layers suitable for creating optical interference effects is disclosed. In one configuration, the micro-device is suitable for optical modulation, wherein the movable layer is electrostatically actuated to move towards the nonmoving layer. Such movement changes the size of the gap between the layers, resulting in a change in micro-device reflectivity. An optical signal is modulated by controlling micro-device reflectivity via a controlled voltage source. In a second configuration, the micro-device is suitable for measuring pressure. For pressure measurement, the movable membrane moves in response to pressure changes. The change in membrane position again results in a change in micro-device reflectivity. Reflectivity is correlatable to pressure. In a third configuration, the micro-device is suitable for measuring temperature. In the third configuration, the movable membrane is isolated from pressure effects by the addition of an evacuated cavity located beneath the membrane. The region between the movable and nonmoving layers is gas filled. Changes in gas pressure due to changes in gas temperature cause the movable layer to move, affecting micro-device reflectivity. Reflectivity is correlatable to temperature.
Abstract:
A fiber-optic probe (10) for diagnosing material within the vascular system of a patient comprises a plurality of optical fibers (20). A light source coupled to the optical fibers (20) irradiates tissue with light (95) and a spectral analyzer (60) separates fluorescent or Raman scattered light (54) returning from the tissue and transmitted along the optical fibers (20) to the spectral analyzer (60) into different wavelengths. The separated wavelengths of light are received by a detector (64) and are processed by a computer (80).
Abstract:
An optical system, such as an integrated monolithic optical bench, includes a three-dimensional curved optical element etched in a substrate such that the optical axis of the optical system lies within the substrate and is parallel to the plane of the substrate.
Abstract:
A head-up display device 1 includes a display element 110, a beam splitter 120, a movable mirror 130, first and second mirrors 150, 160, and a movable unit 140. The display element 110 emits light to form a display image. The beam splitter 120 being an optical member that reflects light or through which light is transmitted, reflects light emitted from the display element 110. The movable mirror 130 reflects light reflected off the beam splitter 120. The first and second mirrors 150, 160 that reflect light transmitted through the beam splitter 120 after being reflected off the movable mirror 130, or through which the light transmitted through the beam splitter 120 is transmitted, project a virtual image. The movable unit 140 adjusts a distance between the movable mirror 130 and the beam splitter 120 to adjust a projection distance of the virtual image.
Abstract:
For the purpose of mixing laser light (P0) from a laser light source (18), the laser light (P0) is made incident on a first end surface of an optical fiber (24), and is emitted from a second end surface of the optical fiber (24). Subsequently, laser light (P1) emitted from the second end surface of the optical fiber (24) is made incident on a first end surface of an optical fiber (28), and is emitted from a second end surface of the optical fiber (28). A swinging micro-electromechanical system (27) having a mirror plate (27a) is interposed between the second end surface of the optical fiber (24) and the first end surface of the optical fiber (28). Thus, the mirror plate (27a) is swung, and a laser beam (P4) is thereby shifted and mixed.