Sony Corporation

Masao Katsumata

Hideki Yamamoto

Hideo Tomita

Tetsuro Okamura

A lighting optical unit having an optical system for irradiating light from a light-source lamp on a predetermined object in a uniform and/or convergent manner includes a reflector for reflecting light from the light-source lamp to provide converged light and an optical assembly for collimating this converged light to provide a bundle of approximately parallel rays, wherein the bundle of approximately parallel rays is made to enter the optical systeml. Thus, in a liquid-crystal projector using a transmission type liquid-crystal panel with micro-lens, while a demand for increasing a quantity of light incident on an effective area of pixel of a liquid-crystal panel is being satisfied, the lighting optical unit can be made compact in size.

Illumination optical unit liquid crystal projector and production method of liquid crystal projector

An apparatus for transmitting or reflecting incident light. The apparatus includes a pair of diffraction grid substrates; a substantially grid-shaped diffraction grid formed of metal, wherein the diffraction grid is disposed between the substrates; and a pair of adhesive layers, each adhesive layer coupled to each substrate. The apparatus also includes a pair of block members, wherein each block member is coupled to each adhesive layer. The block member is configured with a plurality of substantially equally-shaped flat plate members alternately layered with adhesive layers for optically coupling the block member with substantially reduced optical distortion than when configured with a single transparent component. The block member includes a surface to output the light transmitted or reflected from the diffraction grid and passing through the flat plate members.

Prism, projection and optical component

Provided are an illumination optical system having superior color rendering properties while ensuring sufficient illuminance, an image display apparatus comprising the illumination optical system and a spatial modulation device illuminated by the illumination optical system, and a method of illuminating the spatial modulation device. A first light source (), a second light source () having a different emission spectrum from an emission spectrum of the first light source (), and a replacement optical system replacing light in a specific waveband in a luminous flux (L) from the first light source () with a luminous flux (L) from the second light source () are comprised, and the light in the specific waveband with weak light intensity in the luminous flux (L) from the first light source () is replaced with the luminous flux (L) with sufficient intensity from the second light source (). Thereby, a white balance can be kept without reducing the illuminance more than necessary, and superior color rendering properties can be exhibited.

Illuminating optical system, image display unit and method of illuminating space modulation element

A prism optimally separating and synthesizing a light beam of a wide angle of incidence. A diffraction prism of the present invention is so constructed that a diffraction grid is sandwiched between a pair of diffraction grid substrates , a pair of prism substrates are bonded to the surfaces of the prism substrates facing the diffraction grid with interposition of adhesive layers , and a diffraction grid medium having a refractive index substantially equal to that of the prism substrates is charged in a gap defined by the diffraction grid and the prism substrates , with the respective component members being optically combined together. An incident light is led to the diffraction grid and separated on transmission or reflection by the operation of diffraction by the diffraction grid

Prism, projection device and optical component

A projection apparatus is disclosed which uses a light modulation element of the reflection type and can demultiplex and multiplex light appropriately. The projection apparatus includes four PBSs including an incoming PBS, a RB-PBS, a G-PBS and an outgoing PBS to demultiplex illumination light emitted from a lamp into light components in wavelength bands of blue, red and green. The illumination light in the wavelength band of green is introduced to a position at which the highest contrast is obtained, and a third liquid crystal panel is disposed at the position. The illumination light in the wavelength band of red is introduced to another position at which the second highest contrast is obtained, and a second liquid crystal panel is disposed at the position. The illumination light in the wavelength band of blue is introduced to the remaining position, and a first liquid crystal panel is disposed at the position. Reflected light components in the wavelength bands modulated by the individual liquid crystal panels are multiplexed and then projected in an enlarged scale through a projection lens.

Projection apparatus

A semiconductor device can be prevented from mal-functioning by interrupting reflected beam. Polarizing plates (1), (3) are disposed at beam entrance and exit sides, respectively of a transmission liquid-crystal display device (2) as polarizers. Beam from the polarizing plate (3) has the change of light and shade presented in accordance with a video signal. An optical isolator using a quarter-wave plate (4) is disposed at the beam exit side of the polarizing plate (3). A glass panel (5) such as an optical filter is disposed at the beam exit side of the quarter-wave plate (4), whereby beam from the polarizing plate (3) is converted into linearly-polarized beam having an arbitrary plane of polarization. When this linearly-polarized beam is introduced into the optical isolator using the quarter-wave plate (4), inputted linearly-polarized beam is converted into circularly-polarized beam by action of the quarter-wave plate (4). The thus converted circularly-polarized beam is irradiated on the glass panel (5).

Growing community of inventors

Tokyo, Japan

Masao Katsumata