EP0040033A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Prism polarizer
Assignee: Fujitsu Ltd
•
Filing: 1981-05-05
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2001-05-05
Abstract
Abstract A prism polarizer comprising a pair of anisotropic crystal prisms (1,2) which are faced to each other. Each of said crystal prisms is composed of an crystal which has an optical charac- eristicthatthe difference between the square of the refractive ndex for extraordinary rays and the square of the refractive ndex for ordinary rays is larger than 1. The angle 0 of incidence of a beam upon the facing plane (3) of said pair of prisms (1,2) is equal to the Brewster angle for the refractive index for P-polarization rays (ℓT). P-polarization rays are tarn- smitted through said facing plane. S-polarization rays (tR) are totally reflected at said facing plane (3). Thereby, said incident beam is separated into two polarized beams. Each of said pair of prisms is formed so that each polarized beam is totally reflected within each prism and that the separated outlet beams from said pair of prisms are parallel with each other.
Inventors
- 👤 Masataka Shirasaki
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 12:53
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B5/00; G02B5/04; G02B27/00; G02B27/28; G02B27/283; G02B5/30; G02B5/3025; G02B5/3058; G02B5/3066; G02F; G02F1/00; G02F1/01; G02F1/09; G02F1/093; G02F2203/00; G02F2203/06
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
154 words
A prism polarizer comprising a pair of anisotropic crystal prisms which are faced to each other; each of said crystal prisms being composed of a crystal which has an optical characteristic that the difference between the square of the refractive index for extraordinary rays and the square of the refractive index for ordinary rays is larger than 1; the angle of incidence of a beam upon the facing plane of said pair of prisms being equal to the Brewster angle for the refractive index for P-polarization rays, so that P-polarization rays are transmitted through said facing plane, while S-polarization rays are totally reflected at said facing plane, thereby said incident beam being separated into two polarized beams, each of said pair of prisms being formed so that each of said polarized beams is totally reflected within each prism and that the separated outlet beams from said pair of prisms are parallel with each other.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
154 words
A prism polarizer comprising a pair of anisotropic crystal prisms which are faced to each other; each of said crystal prisms being composed of a crystal which has an optical characteristic that the difference between the square of the refractive index for extraordinary rays and the square of the refractive index for ordinary rays is larger than 1; the angle of incidence of a beam upon the facing plane of said pair of prisms being equal to the Brewster angle for the refractive index for P-polarization rays, so that P-polarization rays are transmitted through said facing plane, while S-polarization rays are totally reflected at said facing plane, thereby said incident beam being separated into two polarized beams, each of said pair of prisms being formed so that each of said polarized beams is totally reflected within each prism and that the separated outlet beams from said pair of prisms are parallel with each other.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
48 words
A prism polarizer according to claim 1, in which an inlet end surface of each prism is inclined with respect to the plane perpendicular to an inlet beam and an outlet end surface of each prism is inclined with respect to the plane perpendicular to an outlet beam.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
A prism polarizer according to claim 1, in which each prism is made of titanium dioxide.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
A prism polarizer according to claim 1, in which a layer of air is formed at said facing plane of said pair of prisms.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
39 words
A prism polarizer according to claim 1, in which a beam of polarized component reflected at said facing plane is again totally reflected within the prism so that this beam leaves the prism in parallel with said facing plane.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
46 words
A prism polarizer according to claim 5, in which at least one of said pair of prisms is of quadrilateral sectional shape and formed so that the inlet beam is directly transmitted from the inlet surface to said facing plane without being relfected within the prism.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
42 words
A prism polarizer according to claim 5, in which at least one of said pair of prisms is of quadrilateral sectional shape and formed so that the inlet beam is totally reflected once within the prism before it reaches said facing plane.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
45 words
A prism polarizer according to claim 5, in which at least one of said pair of prism is of quadrilateral sectional shape and formed so that the inlet beam is totally reflected two or more times within the prism before it reaches said facing plane.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
103 words
A prism polarizer according to claim 1, in which the polarizer is used as one of two polarizers which constitute an optical circulator: wherein the outlet end surfaces of said two polarizers are faced to each other; a rotatory polarization device is disposed between the two polarizers; said rotatory polarization device is arranged so that it rotates the polarization plane of a polarized beam from one direction by 90°, while it does not rotate the polarization plane of a polarized beam from the reverse direction; an optical port of each prism is used as an inlet or an outlet of this optical circulator.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
53 words
A prism polarizer according to claim 9 used in an optical circulator, in which an inlet end surface of each prism is inclined with respect to the plane perpendicular to an inlet beam and an outlet end surface of each prism is inclined with respect to the plane perpendicular to an outlet beam.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2476014A
Cited
FR918102A
Cited
US3267804A
Cited
FR1445758A
Cited
GB1141599A
Cited
CH482210A
Cited
US3612652A
Cited
US3620593A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.