EP0285397A2 — Cube corner polarizer

Claim 1

Independent Claim 77 words

A method of producing preferential polarization of the output light beam from a laser of the kind having a three surface retroreflector, said method comprising, mounting three reflecting surfaces of a retroreflector so that the surfaces are orthogonal in the retroreflector assembly, and obtaining the preferential polarization by controlling the combined effect of the orientation of the retroreflector assembly with respect to the axis of the laser beam and the selection of coatings on said three surfaces.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 77 words

A method of producing preferential polarization of the output light beam from a laser of the kind having a three surface retroreflector, said method comprising, mounting three reflecting surfaces of a retroreflector so that the surfaces are orthogonal in the retroreflector assembly, and obtaining the preferential polarization by controlling the combined effect of the orientation of the retroreflector assembly with respect to the axis of the laser beam and the selection of coatings on said three surfaces.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 55 words

The invention defined in claim 1 including rotating the retroreflector assembly to a position which causes at least one reflecting surface to have an angle of incidence which is different from the angles of incidence of the other reflecting surfaces to cause the combined effects of the angles of incidence to produce the preferential polarization.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 53 words

The invention defined in claim 2 including rotating the retroreflector to a position in which the angles of incidence on two of the reflecting surfaces are substantially the same and the angle of incidence on the third reflecting surface is enough different to cause the third reflecting surface to produce the preferential polarization.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 30 words

The invention defined in claim 1 including controlling the selection of the coatings on the reflecting surfaces to cause the combined effects of the coatings to produce the preferential polarization.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 40 words

The invention defined in claim 4 including applying substantially the same coating to two of the reflecting surfaces and applying to the third reflecting surface a coating enough different to cause the third reflecting surface to produce the preferential polarization

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 42 words

The invention defined in claim 1 including both rotating the retroreflector assembly and controlling the selection of coatings on the reflecting surfaces to cause the combined effects of the angles of incidence and the selection of coatings to produce the preferential polarization.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 28 words

The invention defined in claim 6 including rotating the retroreflector to a position and selecting the coatings so that one of the three reflecting surfaces controls the polarization.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 17 words

The invention defined in any one of the preceding claims wherein the preferential polarization is linear polarization.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 84 words

The invention defined in claim 5 wherein the preferential polarization is linear polarization, and the retroreflector is oriented in a symmetrical way such that the angle of incidence of light at each reflecting surface is identical and approximately 54.6 degrees, two of the reflecting surfaces have coatings such that their S and P differential reflectivities are minimized, and the third reflecting surface has a coating such that its S and P differential reflectivity is maximized and significantly different from the other two reflecting surfaces.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 90 words

The invention defined in claim 9 wherein the laser is a carbon dioxide laser, each of the reflection surfaces comprises a layer of silver on a silicon substrate, two surfaces are enhanced with dielectric layers of ZnSe and all three surfaces are protected with TrF coatings, preferably the two enhanced surfaces have S and P reflectivities of 0.998 and 0.993, and preferably the third surface has S and P reflectivities of 0.996 and 0.984 providing a differential reflectivity of about 1% which is enough to preferentially polarize the circulating light.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 28 words

The invention defined in any one of the preceding claims including mounting two resonating mirrors in close proximity and on a common base plate to provide optical stability.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 78 words

Apparatus for producing preferential polarization of the output light beam from a laser of the kind having a three surface retroreflector, said apparatus comprising, a retroreflector having three reflecting surfaces mounted so that the surfaces are orthogonal in the retroreflector assembly, and polarization means for obtaining the preferential polarization by controlling the combined effect of the orientation of the retroreflector with respect to the axis of the laser beam and the selection of coatings on said three surfaces.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 78 words

Apparatus for producing preferential polarization of the output light beam from a laser of the kind having a three surface retroreflector, said apparatus comprising, a retroreflector having three reflecting surfaces mounted so that the surfaces are orthogonal in the retroreflector assembly, and polarization means for obtaining the preferential polarization by controlling the combined effect of the orientation of the retroreflector with respect to the axis of the laser beam and the selection of coatings on said three surfaces.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 62 words

The invention defined in claim 12 wherein the polarization means include rotating means for rotating the retroreflector assembly to a position which causes at least one reflecting surface to have an angle of incidence which is different from the angles of incidence of the other reflecting surfaces to cause the combined effects of the angles of incidence to produce the preferential polarization.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 54 words

The invention defined in claim 13 wherein the retroreflector is rotated to a position in which the angles of incidence on two of the reflecting surfaces are substantially the same and the angle of incidence on the third reflecting surface is enough different to cause the third reflecting surface to produce the preferential polarization.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 29 words

The invention defined in claim 12 including coating means for producing coatings on the reflecting surfaces to cause the combined effects of the coating to produce the preferential polarization.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 41 words

The invention defined in claim 15 wherein the coatings on two of the reflecting surfaces are substantially the same and wherein the third reflecting surface has a coating enough different to cause the third reflecting surface to produce the preferential polarization.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 18 words

The invention defined in any one of claims 12 to 16 wherein the preferential polarization is linear polarization.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 84 words

The invention defined in claim 16 wherein the preferential polarization is linear polarization, and the retroreflector is oriented in a symmetrical way such that the angle of incidence of light at each reflecting surface is identical and approximately 54.6 degrees, two of the reflecting surfaces have coatings such that their S and P differential reflectivities are minimized, and the third reflecting surface has a coating such that its S and P differential reflectivity is maximized and significantly different from the other two reflecting surfaces.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 90 words

The invention defined in claim 18 wherein the laser is a carbon dioxide laser, each of the reflection surfaces comprises a layer of silver on a silicon substrate, two surfaces are enhanced with dielectric layers of ZnSe and all three surfaces are protected with TrF coatings, preferably the two enhanced surfaces have S and P reflectivities of 0.998 and 0.993, and preferably the third surface has S and P reflectivities of 0.996 and 0.984 providing a differential reflectivity of about 1% which is enough to preferentially polarize the circulating light.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 38 words

The invention defined in any one of claims 12 to 19 including two resonating mirrors and mirror mounting means for mounting the two resonating mirrors in close proximity and on a common base plate to provide optical stability.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 106 words

An optical mounting system for a laser of the kind having a folded light path, said optical system comprising, base means providing a unitary, strong, rigid support for the optical components of the laser, first and second block means for supporting the optical components of the laser and connected to the base means, a unitary cube corner retroreflector having three orthogonal reflecting surfaces and mounted in a fixed position on said first block means, two resonating mirrors mounted in close proximity and by a common, rigid member to said second block means so that optical stability is achieved by the cube corner and resonating mirror combination.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 106 words

An optical mounting system for a laser of the kind having a folded light path, said optical system comprising, base means providing a unitary, strong, rigid support for the optical components of the laser, first and second block means for supporting the optical components of the laser and connected to the base means, a unitary cube corner retroreflector having three orthogonal reflecting surfaces and mounted in a fixed position on said first block means, two resonating mirrors mounted in close proximity and by a common, rigid member to said second block means so that optical stability is achieved by the cube corner and resonating mirror combination.

Cube corner polarizer

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