US3676592A
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US
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High-resolution linear optical scanning system with traveling wave acoustic lens
Assignee: Zenith Electronics LLC
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Filing: 1969-10-30
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Granted: 1972-07-11
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Expires: 1989-10-30
Abstract
Abstract The focusing properties of a traveling elastic wave are employed to convert a low-resolution input light beam into a high resolution output beam, both beams scanning linearly in synchronism with the phase velocity of the elastic wave. The elastic wave can be a dilational wave in a transparent solid or liquid of, for example, acoustic character, or a flexural wave on a thin reflector. Specifically, scanning optical beam is projected through appropriate optics to focus on the input plane of the traveling-wave dynamic lens in such a way as to scan transversely at the velocity of a traveling acoustic wave. The acoustic wave is phased such that the instantaneous axis of symmetry of the traveling lens coincides with the optical axis of the scanning input beam, and this relationship is maintained throughout the duration of the line scan. The size of the input spot is restricted to cover a total of approximately one-fourth of an acoustic wavelength, in order to avoid aberrations in the dynamic lens.
Inventors
- 👤 Leigh Curtis Foster
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 08:29
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02F; G02F1/00; G02F1/29; G02F1/33
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 30
Claim 1
Independent Claim
110 words
A high resolution optical scanning system comprising: means for developing a light beam and for scanning said beam within a predetermined scanning plane with a scanning resolution corresponding to a predetermined beam diameter; means for establishing a dynamic acoustic wave focusing lens moving in time and position synchronism with said scanning light beam to improve said scanning resolution comprising an electro-mechanical input transducer coupled to an acoustic-wave propagating medium for projecting an acoustic wave of wavelength larger than said beam diameter in said scanning plane in a direction transverse to said scanning light beam; and utilization means for responding to the light beam of improved resolution from said dynamic lens.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
110 words
A high resolution optical scanning system comprising: means for developing a light beam and for scanning said beam within a predetermined scanning plane with a scanning resolution corresponding to a predetermined beam diameter; means for establishing a dynamic acoustic wave focusing lens moving in time and position synchronism with said scanning light beam to improve said scanning resolution comprising an electro-mechanical input transducer coupled to an acoustic-wave propagating medium for projecting an acoustic wave of wavelength larger than said beam diameter in said scanning plane in a direction transverse to said scanning light beam; and utilization means for responding to the light beam of improved resolution from said dynamic lens.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
An optical scanning system according to claim 1, in which the acoustic wavelength of said wave in said medium is substantially four times said beam diameter.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
33 words
An optical scanning system according to claim 1, in which said acoustic wave propagating medium is transparent and said dynamic lens establishing means is a light-sound interaction cell operating in a transmission mode.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
An optical scanning system according to claim 3, in which said acoustic wave propagating medium is a liquid medium.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
59 words
An optical scanning system according to claim 1, in which said dynamic lens is a cylindrical lens having an axis substantially perpendicular to said scanning plane, and in which a static cylindrical lens with its axis substantially parallel to said scanning plane is provided in tandem with said dynamic lens to provide an output beam with substantial circular symmetry.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
An optical scanning system according to claim 1, in which said means for developing a linearly scanning light beam comprises a laser scanning system.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
55 words
A scanning system according to claim 1, in which said means for developing a scanning light beam comprises a cathode-ray tube for sweeping an electron beam across a phosphor screen in said scanning plane, and which further comprises an imaging lens for directing the light output from said phosphor screen onto said dynamic focusing lens.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
An optical scanning system according to claim 1, which further includes means for driving said transducer with an electrical signal of predetermined fixed frequency.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
38 words
An optical scanning system according to claim 8, which further comprises means for deriving energy from said acoustic wave propagating medium and feeding said energy back to said medium to reduce the driving power requirements for said transducer.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
38 words
An optical scanning system according to claim 9, in which said feedback means comprises an additional electromechanical transducer coupled to said acoustic wave propagating medium and an electrical feedback circuit from said additional transducer to said input transducer.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
25 words
An optical scanning system according to claim 9, in which said acoustic wave propagating medium is formed in a closed loop for acoustic energy feedback.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
121 words
A high-resolution optical scanning system comprising: means for developing a light beam and for scanning said beam within a predetermined scanning plane with a scanning resolution corresponding to a predetermined beam diameter; means for establishing a dynamic acoustic wave focusing lens in frequency and phase synchronism with said scanning light beam to improve said scanning resolution comprising a thin resilient-sheet reflecting element and an electro-mechanical transducer coupled thereto for propagating flexural mode acoustic waves therein to provide a traveling acoustic mirror traveling in frequency and phase synchronism with said scanning light beam in said scanning plane in a direction transverse to said scanning light beam; and utilization means for responding to the light beam of improved resolution from said dynamic lens.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
121 words
A high-resolution optical scanning system comprising: means for developing a light beam and for scanning said beam within a predetermined scanning plane with a scanning resolution corresponding to a predetermined beam diameter; means for establishing a dynamic acoustic wave focusing lens in frequency and phase synchronism with said scanning light beam to improve said scanning resolution comprising a thin resilient-sheet reflecting element and an electro-mechanical transducer coupled thereto for propagating flexural mode acoustic waves therein to provide a traveling acoustic mirror traveling in frequency and phase synchronism with said scanning light beam in said scanning plane in a direction transverse to said scanning light beam; and utilization means for responding to the light beam of improved resolution from said dynamic lens.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
28 words
An optical scanning system according to claim 12, in which said light-sound interaction cell is terminated substantially in its characteristic impedance to avoid standing waves in said medium.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
26 words
Apparatus according to claim 12, in which said acoustic wave transmitting medium is reflective to said light beam and said apparatus operates in a reflection mode.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
28 words
An optical scanning system according to claim 12, in which said acoustic waves are of a frequency corresponding to that of the lowest-order flexural mode for said element.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
125 words
A high-resolution optical scanning system comprising: means for developing a light beam and for scanning said beam within a predetermined scanning plane with a scanning resolution corresponding to a predetermined beam diameter; means for establishing a dynamic acoustic wave focusing lens in frequency and phase synchronism with said scanning light beam to improve said scanning resolution comprising an electro-mechanical input transducer coupled to an acoustic-wave propagating medium for projecting an acoustic wave in said scanning plane in a direction transverse to said scanning light beam, and means for applying to said transducer a pulsed driving signal with a repetition rate corresponding to the scanning frequency of said light beam; and utilization means for responding to the light beam of improved resolution from said dynamic lens.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
125 words
A high-resolution optical scanning system comprising: means for developing a light beam and for scanning said beam within a predetermined scanning plane with a scanning resolution corresponding to a predetermined beam diameter; means for establishing a dynamic acoustic wave focusing lens in frequency and phase synchronism with said scanning light beam to improve said scanning resolution comprising an electro-mechanical input transducer coupled to an acoustic-wave propagating medium for projecting an acoustic wave in said scanning plane in a direction transverse to said scanning light beam, and means for applying to said transducer a pulsed driving signal with a repetition rate corresponding to the scanning frequency of said light beam; and utilization means for responding to the light beam of improved resolution from said dynamic lens.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
131 words
A high-resolution linear optical scanning system comprising: means for developing a light beam and for linearly scanning said beam within a predetermined scanning plane with a scanning resolution corresponding to a predetermined beam diameter; means for establishing a dynamic acoustic wave focusing lens in frequency and phase synchronism with said scanning light beam to improve said scanning resolution comprising an electro-mechanical input transducer coupled to an acoustic-wave propagating medium for projecting an acoustic wave in said scanning plane in a direction transverse to said scanning light beam; and utilization means for responding to the light beam of improved resolution from said dynamic lens, and means including means for returning the output beam from said dynamic lens through said dynamic lens a second time to provide further improvement in said scanning resolution.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
131 words
A high-resolution linear optical scanning system comprising: means for developing a light beam and for linearly scanning said beam within a predetermined scanning plane with a scanning resolution corresponding to a predetermined beam diameter; means for establishing a dynamic acoustic wave focusing lens in frequency and phase synchronism with said scanning light beam to improve said scanning resolution comprising an electro-mechanical input transducer coupled to an acoustic-wave propagating medium for projecting an acoustic wave in said scanning plane in a direction transverse to said scanning light beam; and utilization means for responding to the light beam of improved resolution from said dynamic lens, and means including means for returning the output beam from said dynamic lens through said dynamic lens a second time to provide further improvement in said scanning resolution.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
81 words
Apparatus for use in combination with an optical scanning system for scanning a light beam in a predetermined plane centered on a predetermined axis with a predetermined spot resolution corresponding to a predetermined beam diameter, which apparatus comprises means for substantially increasing said spot resolution including an electromechanical transducer coupled to an acoustic wave transmitting medium for projecting a traveling acoustic wave convergent lens larger than said beam diameter across said axis in time and position synchronism with said scanning beam.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
81 words
Apparatus for use in combination with an optical scanning system for scanning a light beam in a predetermined plane centered on a predetermined axis with a predetermined spot resolution corresponding to a predetermined beam diameter, which apparatus comprises means for substantially increasing said spot resolution including an electromechanical transducer coupled to an acoustic wave transmitting medium for projecting a traveling acoustic wave convergent lens larger than said beam diameter across said axis in time and position synchronism with said scanning beam.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
26 words
Apparatus according to claim 18, in which said acoustic wave transmitting medium is transparent to said light beam and said apparatus operates in a transmission mode.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
148 words
For use in an optical scanning system including a light bEam which is caused to move in a predetermined direction, a system for altering a predetermined optical characteristic of the light beam as it is scanned, comprising: wave propagating means for propagating an elastic wave in the direction of movement of said light beam; and wave generating means coupled to said propagating means for launching a traveling elastic wave in said propagating means traveling in time and position synchronism with said light beam such that said wave follows and interacts with said beam as it is scanned, said wave having a length greater than the width of said light beam in the region of interaction with said wave, said wave generating means imparting to said wave an optical characteristic effective to alter a predetermined optical characteristic of said light beam as it is scanned along said scan line.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
148 words
For use in an optical scanning system including a light bEam which is caused to move in a predetermined direction, a system for altering a predetermined optical characteristic of the light beam as it is scanned, comprising: wave propagating means for propagating an elastic wave in the direction of movement of said light beam; and wave generating means coupled to said propagating means for launching a traveling elastic wave in said propagating means traveling in time and position synchronism with said light beam such that said wave follows and interacts with said beam as it is scanned, said wave having a length greater than the width of said light beam in the region of interaction with said wave, said wave generating means imparting to said wave an optical characteristic effective to alter a predetermined optical characteristic of said light beam as it is scanned along said scan line.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
79 words
The apparatus defined by claim 20 wherein said elastic wave is a compressional acoustic wave, wherein said wave generating means includes a surface which is vibrated to launch said wave, and wherein said wave propagating means includes an optically transmissive medium interfaced with said vibrated surface for propagating the acoustic wave, and wherein said wave generating means imparts a shape to said wave which causes said wave to have a predetermined optical power in at least one dimension thereof.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
34 words
The apparatus defined by claim 21 wherein said wave generating means imparts a shape to said acoustic wave which is such that said wave has an optical power effective to converge said light beam.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
88 words
The apparatus defined by claim 20 wherein said propagating means includes a surface which has a predetermined optical characteristic and which is capable of propagating a flexural wave, wherein said elastic wave is a flexural elastic wave, wherein said wave generating means includes means for launching a flexural elastic wave on said surface of said wave propagating means, and wherein said wave generating means imparts a shape to said elastic wave which is such that said wave has a predetermined optical power in at least one dimension thereof.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
37 words
The apparatus defined by claim 23 wherein said surface of said propagating means is optically reflective, and wherein said shape of said wave as determined by said wave generating means is effective to converge said light beam.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-07-11 | 1976-01-10 | 1976-07-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-07-11 | 1980-01-10 | 1980-07-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-07-11 | 1984-01-10 | 1984-07-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |