Lightsmyth Technologies Inc.

Ii-Vi Delaware, Inc.

Finisar Corporation

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Steyphi Services De LLC

Volonte Jewels LLC

Ol Security Limited Liability Company

Christoph M Greiner

Dmitri Iazikov

Thomas W Mossberg

Jianji Yang

David S Alavi

Justin M Hannigan

Tengda Du

Xiaojie Xu

John H Clark

Charles B Roxlo

Timothy S Gray

Lawrence D Brice

Dimitri Iazikov

An incident optical beam illuminates a subset of contiguous array of diffraction gratings on a substrate and produces one or more diffracted output beams. The grating array can be arranged so that (i) multiple incident beams result in a contiguous composite solid angle of far-field illumination, (ii) multiple output beams arising from any one incident beam do not overlap in the far field, or (iii) both. The gratings of the array can be arranged to produce a desired far-field illumination intensity profile. The grating array can be arranged so as to suppress or eliminate laser speckle arising from the output beams.

Diffraction grating array for wide-angle illumination

An optical element includes a substrate, an intermediate layer, a topmost layer, and a contiguous multitude of recessed and non-recessed areal regions. The intermediate layer is formed over a top surface of the substrate and has a refractive index n. The topmost layer is formed directly on the intermediate layer and has a refractive index nwhere n≠n. The intermediate and topmost layers are substantially transparent over an operational wavelength range that includes a design wavelength λ. A subset of areal regions has a largest transverse dimension less than about λ. Each non-recessed areal region includes corresponding portions of the intermediate and topmost layers. Each recessed areal region extends entirely through the topmost layer and at least partly through the intermediate layer. A fill medium fills the recessed areal regions. The areal regions are variously sized and distributed transversely across the optical element.

Partially etched phase-transforming optical element

An optical element includes a transmissive layer arranged on a substrate and made up of discrete volumes of first and second optical media. The layer is between the substrate and another optical medium. The volumes are arranged so that, averaged over a wavelength's distance of an incident optical signal, the effective reflectivities of the two surfaces of the transmissive layer and the effective double-pass phase delay through the transmissive layer are substantially constant across the transmissive layer. The reflectivities and phase delay result in net power reflectivity that differs from that of the substrate in direct contact with the other optical medium. The transmissive layer can be arranged as an anti-reflection layer.

Partially etched reflection-modification layer

Incident optical signals propagate within a diffuser substrate and impinge upon an optical diffuser within the diffuser substrate or on its output surface. The optical diffuser redirects or transforms respective portions of each incident signal into corresponding forward- and backward-directed optical signals. The backward-directed signals are redirected or transformed into additional incident signals, and so on. The forward-directed optical signals collectively form the optical output of an illumination source that exhibits reduced speckle. The illumination source can include multiple laser sources formed on or attached to an input surface of the diffuser substrate.

Optical apparatus for wide-angle illumination

An optical element includes a substrate, an intermediate layer, a topmost layer, and a contiguous multitude of recessed and non-recessed areal regions. The intermediate layer is formed over a top surface of the substrate and has a refractive index n. The topmost layer is formed directly on the intermediate layer and has a refractive index nwhere n&#x2260;n. The intermediate and topmost layers are substantially transparent over an operational wavelength range that includes a design wavelength &#x3bb;. A subset of areal regions has a largest transverse dimension less than about &#x3bb;. Each non-recessed areal region includes corresponding portions of the intermediate and topmost layers. Each recessed areal region extends entirely through the topmost layer and at least partly through the intermediate layer. A fill medium fills the recessed areal regions. The areal regions are variously sized and distributed transversely across the optical element.

Diffraction grating array for wide-angle illuminateon

An optical element includes a transmissive layer comprising a multitude of discrete volumes of first and second optical media arranged along the transmissive layer. The discrete volumes are arranged to approximate a desired phase function (typically modulo 2&#x3c0;) and are smaller than an operational wavelength in order to provide a range of phase delays needed to adequately approximate the desired phase function. Effecting at least partial reflow of one or both of the optical media can smooth the morphology of the transmissive layer so as to reduce unwanted diffraction or scattering.

Phase-transforming optical element formed by partial etching or by partial etching with reflow

Input optical signals propagate toward first optical diffuser, resulting in first-forward-directed optical signals that propagate toward a second optical diffuser, in turn resulting in second forward-directed optical signals. The second forward-directed optical signals collectively form the optical output of an illumination source that appears to emanate from an enlarged extended source and exhibits reduced speckle. The illumination source can include multiple laser sources formed on or attached to the first optical diffuser.

An optical element (transmissive or reflective) includes a transmissive layer comprising two different optical media arranged among discrete volumes arranged along the layer. The discrete volumes are arranged to approximate a desired phase function (typically modulo 2&#x3c0;) and are smaller than an operational wavelength in order to provide a range of phase delays needed to adequately approximate the desired phase function.

A diffraction grating comprises a substrate (with index n) with a surface facing an optical medium (with index n&#x3c;n), a dielectric or semiconductor layer of thickness t on the substrate surface (with index n&#x2260;n), and a set of diffractive elements on the layer (with index n&#x2260;n). The diffractive elements comprise a set of ridges protruding into the optical medium, which fills trenches between the ridges, and are characterized by a spacing &#x39b;, a width d, and a height h. Over an operational wavelength range, &#x3bb;/2n&#x3c;&#x39b;&#x3c;&#x3bb;/(n+n). An optical signal incident on the diffractive elements from within the substrate at an incidence angle exceeding the critical angle, n, n, n, n, &#x39b;, d, h, and t result in wavelength-dependent, first-order diffraction efficiency of the grating greater than a prescribed level over the operational wavelength range for both s- and p-polarized optical signals.

Reflective diffraction gratings employing efficiency enhancement or etch barrier layers

A reflective optical element includes a reflective surface comprising a multitude of discrete recessed and non-recessed areas arranged along the reflective surface. The discrete areas are arranged to approximate a desired phase function (typically modulo 2&#x3c0;) and are smaller than an operational wavelength in order to provide a range of phase delays needed to adequately approximate the desired phase function. Effecting at least partial reflow of one or more optical media or reflective materials can smooth the morphology of the reflective surface so as to reduce unwanted diffraction or scattering.

Phase-transforming optical reflector formed by partial etching or by partial etching with reflow

An optical assembly includes a first grating device configured to: receive a light beam that includes an optical signal with a particular wavelength from a fiber; and change a propagation direction of the optical signal according to the particular wavelength of the optical signal. The optical assembly also includes a second grating device configured to: receive the optical signal outputted from the first grating device; change the propagation direction of the optical signal according to the particular wavelength of the optical signal; and direct the optical signal onto a grating coupler. The first grating device and the second grating device are configured to satisfy a plurality of configuration constraints.

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Eugene, OR, United States of America

Christoph M Greiner