The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 05, 2019
Filed:
Aug. 29, 2014
Nikon Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Daniel Gene Smith, Tucson, AZ (US);
Nikon Corporatin, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
Laser radar systems include focusing optical systems having a retroreflector such as a corner cube that is translatable with respect to an objective lens. The retroreflector provides a selected retardance to an interrogation optical beam that is directed to a target as well as to a returned portion of the interrogation optical beam that is directed to a detection system. Typically, an input linearly polarized interrogation beam is returned by the retroreflector as a circularly polarized beam that is directed to the target. Returned beam portions from the target are coupled by the retroreflector to a detection system in a linear polarization that is orthogonal to that of the input linearly polarized optical beam. The retroreflector produces state of polarization changes based on retardance associated with total internal reflection from coated or uncoated optical surfaces. Retroreflector surfaces that are not to introduce retardance are coated with suitable zero or low retardance coatings.