Holographic method for producing desired wavefront transformations

Claim 1

A method of redistributing light from a first plane to a second plane spaced from said first plane comprising the steps of: fixedly positioning in said first plane one holographic optical element containing a plurality of closely adjacent facets spatially arranged in a predetermined relationship with respect to each other, each facet having an interference grating for receiving a portion of input light having a first intensity pattern and each of said facets simultaneously diffracting that portion of said input light it receives in a direction so as to cause the diffracted output light from each of said facets to simultaneously arrive at a difference relative locating in said second plane from the relative location of the particular facet producing said output light and to cause the diffracted output light from said plurality of facets to be spatially redistributed in a second intensity pattern differing from said first and intensity pattern and to collectively and simultaneously impinge on a desired area residing in said second plane in a predetermined relationship differing from the predetermined relationship of said facets with respect to each other.

Claim 2

A method of redistributing light from a first plane to a second plane spaced from said first plane comprising the steps of: fixedly positioning in said first plane one holographic optical element containing a plurality of closely adjacent facets spatially arranged in a predetermined relationship with respect to each other, each facet having an interference grating for receiving a portion of input light having a first intensity pattern and each of said facets simultaneously diffracting that portion of said input light it receives in a direction so as to cause the diffracted output light from each of said facets to simultaneously arrive at a difference relative locating in said second plane from the relative location of the particular facet producing said output light and to cause the diffracted output light from said plurality of facets to be spatially redistributed in a second intensity pattern differing from said first and intensity pattern and to collectively and simultaneously impinge on a desired area residing in said second plane in a predetermined relationship differing from the predetermined relationship of said facets with respect to each other.

Claim 9

A method of redistributing light from a first plane to a third plane via a second intermediate plane, the method comprising the steps of: fixedly positioning in said first plane the first holographic optical element containing a plurality of closely adjacent facets arranged in a predetermined relationship relative to each other, each facet having an interference grating for receiving a portion of input light in the form of a single beam; said facets simultaneously diffracting said input light in the form of a second beam having a first illumination pattern so as to cause the diffracted output light in the form of said second beam to impinge on said second plane to produce a second illumination pattern in said second plane differing from said first illumination pattern; and fixedly positioning in said second plane a holographic element containing a plurality of closely spaced facets arranged in a second predetermined relationship relative to each other, each facet of said second holographic optical element causing the second beam constituting the output light from said first holographic optical element to impinge on said third plane to maintain said second illumination pattern in said third plane, the arrangement of said facets contained in said second holographic optical element differing from the arrangement of said facets contained in said first holographic element and the interference pattern of each of said facets contained in said second holographic optical element being such as to collectively produce said second pattern.

Claim 10

A method of redistributing light from a first plane to a third plane via a second intermediate plane, the method comprising the steps of: fixedly positioning in said first plane the first holographic optical element containing a plurality of closely adjacent facets arranged in a predetermined relationship relative to each other, each facet having an interference grating for receiving a portion of input light in the form of a single beam; said facets simultaneously diffracting said input light in the form of a second beam having a first illumination pattern so as to cause the diffracted output light in the form of said second beam to impinge on said second plane to produce a second illumination pattern in said second plane differing from said first illumination pattern; and fixedly positioning in said second plane a holographic element containing a plurality of closely spaced facets arranged in a second predetermined relationship relative to each other, each facet of said second holographic optical element causing the second beam constituting the output light from said first holographic optical element to impinge on said third plane to maintain said second illumination pattern in said third plane, the arrangement of said facets contained in said second holographic optical element differing from the arrangement of said facets contained in said first holographic element and the interference pattern of each of said facets contained in said second holographic optical element being such as to collectively produce said second pattern.

Claim 14

A method of aligning first and second holograms to redistribute input light from a first plane to a second plane comprising the steps of: securing the first hologram to one side of a transparent block; and securing the second hologram to an opposite side of said block, each of said holograms including a plurality of closely adjacent facets, each of the facets of said first hologram being positioned at predetermined locations relative to each other for diffracting a portion of the input light striking said first hologram so that the total diffracted output light from said plurality of facets is transmitted through said transparent block in a spatially redistributed pattern onto said second hologram at predetermined locations relative to each other differing from the predetermined locations of the facets of said first hologram relative to each other and the light propagated from said second hologram retaining said redistributed pattern therein.

Claim 15

A method of aligning first and second holograms to redistribute input light from a first plane to a second plane comprising the steps of: securing the first hologram to one side of a transparent block; and securing the second hologram to an opposite side of said block, each of said holograms including a plurality of closely adjacent facets, each of the facets of said first hologram being positioned at predetermined locations relative to each other for diffracting a portion of the input light striking said first hologram so that the total diffracted output light from said plurality of facets is transmitted through said transparent block in a spatially redistributed pattern onto said second hologram at predetermined locations relative to each other differing from the predetermined locations of the facets of said first hologram relative to each other and the light propagated from said second hologram retaining said redistributed pattern therein.

Claim 17

A method of aligning a second hologram with a first hologram comprising the steps of: securing a first hologram to one side of a transparent block, said first hologram containing therein a plurality of closely adjacent facets positioned at predetermined locations relative to each other for collectively diffracting input light into a desired redistributed light pattern, securing a photosensitive film to an opposite side of said block, exposing said first hologram to an object wave to form the desired redistributed pattern on said film, and simultaneously exposing said film to a reference wave to record a second hologram containing therein a plurality of facets positioned at predetermined locations relative to each other which predetermined locations differ from the predetermined locations of the facets of said first hologram.

Claim 18

A method of aligning a second hologram with a first hologram comprising the steps of: securing a first hologram to one side of a transparent block, said first hologram containing therein a plurality of closely adjacent facets positioned at predetermined locations relative to each other for collectively diffracting input light into a desired redistributed light pattern, securing a photosensitive film to an opposite side of said block, exposing said first hologram to an object wave to form the desired redistributed pattern on said film, and simultaneously exposing said film to a reference wave to record a second hologram containing therein a plurality of facets positioned at predetermined locations relative to each other which predetermined locations differ from the predetermined locations of the facets of said first hologram.

Claim 20

A method of redistributing light from a first plane to a second plane spaced from said first plane comprising the steps of: fixedly positioning in said first plane a holographic optical element containing a plurality of closely adjacent facets, each facet having an interference grating for receiving input light in the form of either a first or second beam, each of said first and second beams being directed onto different facets; and diffracting said input light in a direction so as to cause the diffracted output light to be spatially redistributed and to impinge on a desired area residing in said second plane in a predetermined illumination pattern, said output light including third and fourth beams and said third and fourth beams being at an angle relative to said first and second beams.

Claim 21

A method of redistributing light from a first plane to a second plane spaced from said first plane comprising the steps of: fixedly positioning in said first plane a holographic optical element containing a plurality of closely adjacent facets, each facet having an interference grating for receiving input light in the form of either a first or second beam, each of said first and second beams being directed onto different facets; and diffracting said input light in a direction so as to cause the diffracted output light to be spatially redistributed and to impinge on a desired area residing in said second plane in a predetermined illumination pattern, said output light including third and fourth beams and said third and fourth beams being at an angle relative to said first and second beams.