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:
Aug. 20, 1996
Filed:
Jul. 06, 1994
Joseph L McLaughlin, Marblehead, MA (US);
Mark R Fernald, Amherst, NH (US);
Kenneth J Harte, Carlisle, MA (US);
Hughes Danbury Optical Systems, Inc., Danbury, CT (US);
Abstract
An optical beam homogenizer includes an entrance pupil through which a non-uniform optical beam propagates. A first optical component having plural flat surfaces receives the input beam. The flat surfaces of the first optical component effectively segment the entrance pupil by dividing the input beam into plural beamlets, one beamlet for each pupil segment and flat surface. The beamlets are received by a second optical component which also has multiple flat surfaces, each flat surface receiving a beamlet. The second optical component directs the beamlets toward each other such that they overlap at an exit pupil of the system. The second optical component also focuses the beamlets such that an image of each entrance pupil segment is formed at the exit pupil. The images of the individual entrance pupil segments are superimposed upon each other at the exit pupil to form a uniform optical output beam.