Fine-line diffractive subtractive color filters

Claim 2

In a fine-line rectangular-profile diffractive subtractive filter surrounded by a medium having an index of refraction n 1 and responsive to the illumination thereof with unpolarized white light for deriving zero diffraction order output light exhibiting a single one of the group of colors consisting of cyan, magenta, yellow and green, wherein said filter has a given line spacing d and said rectangular-profile has a given aspect ratio b and a given optical depth a; the improvement: wherein the respective values of n 1 d and b define a point within a certain one of plot areas 200, 202, 204, 206 and 208 of FIG. 2.

Claim 3

The filter defined in claim 2, wherein said single one of the colors is green, and wherein the respective values of n 1 d and b define a point within a certain one of plot areas 200 and 202 of FIG. 2.

Claim 4

The filter defined in claim 2, wherein the value n 1 d is substantially 1.4μm and wherein the respective values of a and b define a point substantially on plot-line 300 of FIG. 3.

Claim 5

The filter defined in claim 3, wherein the respective values of a and b define a point substantially on solid portion 302 of plot-line 300 of FIG. 3.

Claim 6

The filter defined in claim 2, wherein the value of n 1 d is substantially 1.4μm and wherein a and b are substantially 1200nm and 0.3 in value.

Claim 7

The filter defined in claim 2, wherein the value of n 1 d is substantially 1.4μm and wherein a and b are substantially 1180nm and 0.325 in value.

Claim 8

The filter defined in claim 2, wherein the value n 1 d is substantially 1.7μm and wherein the respective values of a and b define a point substantially on plot-line 400 of FIG. 4.

Claim 9

The filter defined in claim 7, wherein the respective values of a and b define a point substantially on a certain one of solid portions 402 and 404 of plot-line 400 of FIG. 4.

Claim 10

The filter defined in claim 2, wherein the value of n 1 d is substantially 2.0μm and wherein the respective values of a and b define a point substantially on plot-line 500 of FIG. 5.

Claim 11

The filter defined in claim 9, wherein the respective values of a and b define a point substantially on a certain one of solid portions 502 and 504 of plot-line 500 of FIG. 5.

Claim 12

The filter defined in claim 1, wherein said single one of the colors is magenta and wherein the respective values of n 1 d and b define a point within plot area 204 of FIG. 2.

Claim 13

The filter defined in claim 11, wherein the value of n 1 d is substantially 1.4μm and wherein the respective value of a and b define a point substantailly on plot-line 310 of FIG. 3.

Claim 14

The filter defined in claim 11, wherein the value of n 1 d is substantially 1.7μm and wherein the respective values of a and b define a point substantially on plot-line 410 of FIG. 4.

Claim 15

The filter defined in claim 13, wherein the respective values of a and b define a point substantially on solid portion 412 of plot-line 410 of FIG. 4.

Claim 16

The filter defined in claim 11, wherein the value of n 1 d is substantially 1.7μm and wherein a and b are substantially 870nm and 0.35 in value.

Claim 17

The filter defined in claim 11, wherein the value of n 1 d is substantially 1.7μm and wherein a and b are substantially 905 and 0.325 in value.

Claim 18

The filter defined in claim 11, wherein the value of n 1 d is substantially 2.0μm and wherein the respective values of a and b define a point substantially on plot-line 512 of FIG. 5.

Claim 19

The filter defined in claim 17, wherein the respective values of a and b define a point substantially on solid portion 514 of plot-line 512 of FIG. 5.

Claim 20

The filter defined in claim 1, wherein said single one of the colors is yellow, and wherein the respective values of n 1 d and b define a point within plot area 206 of FIG. 2.

Claim 21

The filter defined in claim 19, wherein the value of n 1 d is substantially 1.4μm and wherein the respective values of a and b define a point substantially on plot-line 312 of FIG. 3.

Claim 22

The filter defined in claim 20, wherein the respective values of a and b define a point substantially on solid portion 314 of plot-line 312 of FIG. 3.

Claim 23

The filter defined in claim 19, wherein the value of n 1 d is substantially 1.4 and wherein a and b are substantially 700nm and 0.35 in value.

Claim 24

The filter defined in claim 19, wherein the value of n 1 d is substantially 1.4μm and wherein a and b are substantially 710nm and 0.325 in value.

Claim 25

The filter defined in claim 19, wherein the value of n 1 d is substantially 1.4μm and wherein a and b are substantially 710nm and 0.3 in value.

Claim 26

The filter defined in claim 19, wherein the value of n 1 d is substantially 1.7μm and wherein the respective values of a and b define a point substantially on plot-line 418 of FIG. 4.

Claim 27

The filter defined in claim 25, wherein the respective values of a and b defined a point substantially on solid portion 420 of plot-line 418 of FIG. 4.

Claim 28

The filter defined in claim 19, wherein the value of n 1 d is substantially 2.0μm and wherein the values of a and b define a point substantially on plot-line 520 of FIG. 5.

Claim 29

The filter defined in claim 27, wherein the respective values of a and b define a point substantially on solid portion 522 of plot-line 520 of FIG. 5.

Claim 30

The filter defined in claim 1, wherein said single one of the colors is cyan, and wherein the respective values of a and b define a point within plot area 208 of FIG. 2.

Claim 31

The filter defined in claim 29, wherein the value of n 1 d is substantially 1.4μm and wherein the respective values of a and b define a point substantially on a certain one of plot-lines 308 and 312 of FIG. 3.

Claim 32

The filter defined in claim 30, wherein the respective values of a and b define a point substantially solid portion 322 of plot-line 320 of FIG. 3.

Claim 33

The filter defined in claim 29, wherein the value of n 1 d is substantially 1.4μm and wherein a and b are substantially 520nm and 0.25 in value.

Claim 34

The filter defined in claim 29, wherein the value of n 1 d is substantially 1.4μm and wherein a and b are substantially 460nm and 0.3 in value.

Claim 35

The filter defined in claim 29, wherein the value of n 1 d is substantially 1.4μm and wherein a and b are substantially 430nm and 0.325 in value.

Claim 36

The filter defined in claim 29, wherein the value of n 1 d is substantially 1.7μm and wherein the respective values of a and b define a point substantially on plot-line 426 of FIG. 4.

Claim 37

The filter defined in claim 35, wherein the respective values of a and b define a point substantially on solid portion 428 of plot-line 426 of FIG. 4.

Claim 38

The filter defined in claim 29, wherein the value of n 1 d is substantially 2.0μm and wherein the respective values of a and b defined a point substantially on a certain one of plot-lines 510 and 528 of FIG. 5.

Claim 39

The filter defined in claim 37, wherein the respective values of a and b define a point substantially on solid portion 530 of plot-lines 528 of FIG. 5.

Claim 40

In a fine-line rectangular-profile diffraction subtractive filter surrounded by a medium having an index of refaction n 1 and responsive to the illumination thereof with unpolarized white light for deriving zero diffraction order output light; the improvement: wherein said filter over a first region thereof has a line spacing multiplied by n 1 of substantially 1.4μm, an aspect ratio of substantially 0.3 and an optical amplitude of substantially 460nm, whereby said output light from said first region exhibits a cyan color, wherein said filter over a second region thereof has a line spacing multiplied by n 1 of substantially 1.4μm, an aspect ratio of substantially 0.3 and an optical amplitude of substantially 710nm, whereby said output light from said second region exhibits a yellow color and wherein said filter over a third region thereof has a line spacing of multiplied by n 1 of substantially 1.4μm, an aspect ratio of substantially 0.3 and an optical amplitude of substantially 1200nm whereby said output light from said third region exhibits a green color.

Claim 41

In a fine-line rectangular-profile diffraction subtractive filter surrounded by a medium having an index of refaction n 1 and responsive to the illumination thereof with unpolarized white light for deriving zero diffraction order output light; the improvement: wherein said filter over a first region thereof has a line spacing multiplied by n 1 of substantially 1.4μm, an aspect ratio of substantially 0.3 and an optical amplitude of substantially 460nm, whereby said output light from said first region exhibits a cyan color, wherein said filter over a second region thereof has a line spacing multiplied by n 1 of substantially 1.4μm, an aspect ratio of substantially 0.3 and an optical amplitude of substantially 710nm, whereby said output light from said second region exhibits a yellow color and wherein said filter over a third region thereof has a line spacing of multiplied by n 1 of substantially 1.4μm, an aspect ratio of substantially 0.3 and an optical amplitude of substantially 1200nm whereby said output light from said third region exhibits a green color.

Claim 42

In a fine-line rectangular-profile diffraction subtractive filter surrounded by a medium having an index of refraction n 1 and responsive to the illumination thereof with unpolarized white light for deriving zero diffraction order output light; the improvement: wherein said filter over a first region thereof has a line spacing multiplied by n 1 of substantially 1.4μm, an aspect ratio of substantially 0.325 and an optical amplitude of substantially 430nm, whereby said output light from said first region exhibits a cyan color, wherein said filter over a second region thereof has a line spacing multiplied by n 1 of substantially 1.4μm, an aspect ratio of substantially 0.325 and an optical amplitude of substantially 710nm whereby said output light from said second region exhibits a yellow color, and wherein said filter over a third region thereof has a line spacing multiplied by n 1 of substantially 1.4μm, an aspect rationof substantially 0.325 and an optical amplitude of substantially 1180 whereby said output light from said third region exhibits a green color.

Claim 43

In a fine-line rectangular-profile diffraction subtractive filter surrounded by a medium having an index of refraction n 1 and responsive to the illumination thereof with unpolarized white light for deriving zero diffraction order output light; the improvement: wherein said filter over a first region thereof has a line spacing multiplied by n 1 of substantially 1.4μm, an aspect ratio of substantially 0.325 and an optical amplitude of substantially 430nm, whereby said output light from said first region exhibits a cyan color, wherein said filter over a second region thereof has a line spacing multiplied by n 1 of substantially 1.4μm, an aspect ratio of substantially 0.325 and an optical amplitude of substantially 710nm whereby said output light from said second region exhibits a yellow color, and wherein said filter over a third region thereof has a line spacing multiplied by n 1 of substantially 1.4μm, an aspect rationof substantially 0.325 and an optical amplitude of substantially 1180 whereby said output light from said third region exhibits a green color.