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:
Jul. 30, 1991
Filed:
May. 08, 1989
Thomas J Cloonan, Downers Grove, IL (US);
Jack L Jewell, Bridgewater, NJ (US);
Frederick B McCormick, Jr, Lisle, IL (US);
David A Miller, Fairhaven, NJ (US);
Michael E Prise, Atlantic Highlands, NJ (US);
AT&T Bell Laboratories, Murray Hill, NJ (US);
Abstract
Optical apparatus for performing wavelength-dependent beam combination. The apparatus relies on a polarization beam splitter in combination with other optical elements to develop combined beams with the same polarization type and that are therefore suitable for polarization-dependent combination with other beam arrays. A dichroic mirror, which is used as the wavelength-dependent element of the apparatus, is oriented such that the incident beams are substantially perpendicular to the mirror. With this orientation, the dichroic mirror achieves near-ideal performance even with beam arrays having a substantial angular field. The apparatus also uses two plates which, although designed for operation as quarter-wave plates at one of the two wavelights being combined, are oriented with their respective fast axes substantially perpendicular to each other such that polarization conversions, effected by the plates on beams having the other of the two wavelengths, substantially cancel each other.