Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.

Panasonic Corporation

Panasonic Holdings Corporation

Kouki Ichihashi

Masahiro Kasano

Katsuhiko Hayashi

Yasuhiro Tanaka

Xinbing Liu

Takahiro Kobayashi

Daizaburo Matsuki

Yoshio Umeda

Yosuke Asai

Takayuki Kai

Janet Milliez

An optical resonator of wavelength beam combining type, includes: a laser diode array having a plurality of laser elements arranged along a predetermined direction and configured to emit light beams having wavelengths different from one another; a diffraction grating that diffracts the light beam emitted from each of the laser elements at a diffraction angle corresponding to the wavelength of the light beam; an output coupler that reflects a part of the light beam diffracted by the diffraction grating toward each of the laser elements; and an optical system provided between the laser diode array and the diffraction grating and configured to align the light beams emitted from the laser elements with one another; wherein the optical system includes a first lens element having a negative power only in the predetermined direction and a second lens element having a positive power only in the predetermined direction.

Optical resonator, and laser processing apparatus

An optical unit for a laser processing system includes a laser diode including a plurality of laser emitters which emit laser light, a lens unit including a plurality of lenses, a holding block having a light-transmitting property, and a light-shielding film. The holding block and the laser diode are bonded to each other with a first adhesive, and the lens unit and the holding block are bonded to each other with a second adhesive. The light-shielding film is located between the lens unit and the holding block.

Optical unit for laser processing system and laser processing system

The present disclosure provides a virtual image display apparatus, head-up display system, and vehicle that distribute a spatially divided parallax image between a left eye and right eye of a user appropriately. The virtual image display apparatus according to the present disclosure includes a display device configured to spatially divide with a first pitch and to output right-eye images and left-eye images, first optical members periodically disposed with a second pitch, distributing light based on the output from the display device between a right-eye direction and a left-eye direction, and a second optical member configured to reflect or refract, by positive power, the light distributed between the right-eye direction and the left-eye direction by the first optical members. The first pitch is narrower than the second pitch.

Virtual image display apparatus, head-up display system, and vehicle

An image display apparatus includes: an image display panel; a backlight device; first and second liquid crystal prism elements each configured to change a deflection direction of emitted light according to a voltage applied thereto; a position detection section configured to detect a position of a user; and a control section configured to control the voltages applied to the liquid crystal prism elements, on the basis of information of the position of the user detected by the position detection section. Each liquid crystal prism element includes a pair of opposing substrates, a plurality of triangular prisms which have ridge lines extending in a first direction parallel to one side of the image display panel and are arranged between the pair of opposing substrates so as to be aligned along a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, and a liquid crystal sealed between the opposing substrates.

Image display apparatus

An image display apparatus is provided, which uses a light deflection element capable of deflecting incident light so as to follow the position of an observer, and suppressing reduction in the intensity of light reaching eyes of the observer, regardless of the position of the observer. The light deflection element according to the present disclosure is configured to deflect incident light, and includes: a first optical element that deflects incident light; a second optical element that changes a deflection direction of emitted light by changing a refractive index thereof according to a voltage applied thereto; a first electrode provided on the first optical element side; a plurality of second electrodes provided on the second optical element side; and a control section that controls the voltage applied to the second optical element.

An image display apparatus according to the present disclosure includes: an image display panel; a backlight device; a first optical element located between the image display panel and the backlight device and configured to deflect a light incident thereon; a second optical element located between the first optical element and the image display panel and configured to change a deflection angle of emitted light according to a voltage applied thereto; a plurality of first lenses located between the first optical element and the backlight device; a plurality of second lenses located between the second optical element and the image display panel; a position detection section configured to detect a viewing position of a viewer; and a control section configured to control the voltage applied to the second optical element, according to the detected viewing position. The first lenses and the second lenses constitute an afocal optical system.

A light deflection element is capable of deflecting incident light so as to follow a position of an observer and suppressing reduction in intensity of light that reaches eyes of the observer regardless of their position. The light deflection element includes: a first optical element configured to deflect incident light; a second optical element configured to change a deflection direction of emitted light by changing a refractive index thereof according to a voltage applied thereto; a third optical element; and a control section configured to control the voltage applied to the second optical element. At least one of interfaces between the first and second optical elements and the second and third optical elements is an aspheric surface. The aspheric surface has an optical power that compensates enlargement of the emitted light which is caused by refractive index distribution caused when a voltage is applied to the second optical element.

Light deflection element and image display apparatus using the same

A liquid crystal prism element includes a pair of opposing substrates, a plurality of triangular prisms which have a ridge line extending in a Y axis direction and are arranged between the opposing substrates so as to be aligned along an X axis direction, and a liquid crystal layer formed between the opposing substrates. Each triangular prism has an inclined surface located on a center side of the opposing substrate in the X axis direction, an inclined surface located on a lateral side of the opposing substrate in the X axis direction, and a bottom surface. Both of the two inclined surfaces of a triangular prism provided at least in a portion of a region on the opposing substrate are formed so as to not be perpendicular to the opposing substrate.

A luminous intensity distribution system includes a first optical element extending in a first direction, and distributes, given that a first direction is taken to be leftward-rightward when viewed frontward-rearward, light having entered a light-incident surface from a right-rear direction and emits the light through a light-emitting surface toward a right-forward direction when viewed from the frontward end, and distributes light having entered the light-incident surface from a left-rear direction and emits the light through the light-emitting surface toward a left-forward direction when viewed from the frontward end; and a second optical element extending in the first direction and that diffuses light having entered the light-incident surface and emits the light through the light-emitting side, with the first optical element and the second optical element being arranged in parallel with each other vertically when viewed frontward-rearward.

Luminous intensity distribution system and stereoscopic image display device

There are provided light-emitting layer provided on transparent substrate and emitting light of a specific wavelength, first reflecting layer formed on a light exit side relative to light-emitting layer and including a function of reflecting light emitted from light-emitting layer, second reflecting layer provided on a side of substrate in a manner to interpose light-emitting layer between first reflecting layer and second reflecting layer; light diffusion layer that diffuses light emitted from light-emitting layer is disposed between first reflecting layer and second reflecting layer; and second reflecting layer is formed of a high reflective metallic layer formed of a metallic film having a high reflectivity, a low refractive index layer formed of a material film having a low refractive index, and a multilayer-film reflective layer formed by laminating films made of materials having different reflectivity.

Backlight unit, liquid crystal display apparatus using the same, and light-emitting diode used therefor

There are provided light-emitting layer provided on transparent substrate and emitting light of a specific wavelength, mirror layer formed on a light exit side of light-emitting layer and including a function of reflecting light emitted from light-emitting layer, reflecting layer provided on a side of substrate in a manner to interpose light-emitting layer between mirror layer and reflecting layer; and a diffusion layer that diffuses light emitted from light-emitting layer is disposed between mirror layer and reflecting layer.

A surface light emitting apparatus capable of providing uniform illumination while efficiently using a laser light. The apparatus comprises a light source section that includes at least one light source which emits laser beam; an optical guiding section that guides from an incidence surface of the optical guiding section the laser beam emitted from the light source section and emits the laser beam from a radiation surface of the optical guiding section; and an optical element section that includes at least one beam shaping optical element with a powered surface which converts an intensity distribution of the laser beam emitted from the light source section at the incidence surface of the optical guiding section to a uniform intensity distribution.

Surface light emitting apparatus emitting laser light

A scanning optical system includes a deflector for deflecting a laser light flux from a light source and a second imaging optical system for focusing the laser light flux deflected by the deflector on a target scanning surface. The second imaging optical system has at least one optical function surface on which an optical function portion including a plurality of convex portions arranged therein so as to have a serrate cross section is formed in at least part thereof. The optical function surface is formed so that a width of each of the convex portions in an arrangement direction in which the convex portions are arranged is larger than a width of the laser light flux in the arrangement direction, which enters the optical function surface.

Scanning optical system, image formation apparatus including the scanning optical system, and imaging optical system used in the scanning optical system

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Osaka, Japan

Kouki Ichihashi