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US4627688A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Beam splitter

Assignee: Sano Kiko Co Ltd
•
Filing: 1985-11-20
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Granted: 1986-12-09
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Expires: 2005-11-20
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Abstract

Abstract A beam splitter comprises a transparent substrate having a refractive index N S , at least one low refractive index film layer having a refractive index N L higher than N S , and at least one high refractive index film layer having a refractive index N H higher than N L . The low refractive index film layer and the high refractive index film layer are alternately stacked on the substrate so that the lowermost film layer and the uppermost film layer of the stack are the low refractive index film layer, or the lowermost film layer is the high refractive index film layer and the uppermost film layer is the low refractive index film layer.

Inventors

  • 👤 Takeshi Kobayashi
  • 👤 Kazuo Endo
  • 👤 Nobumasa Nanbu
  • 👤 Yoshizi Kawamura

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-02 14:13
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B27/00; G02B27/10; G02B27/14; G02B27/142; G02B27/28; G02B27/283; G11; G11B; G11B7/00; G11B7/12; G11B7/135; G11B7/1356

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim 120 words
A beam splitter consisting essentially of a transparent substrate having a refractive index N S , one or more low refractive index film layers, each low refractive index film layer having a refractive index N L higher than said refractive index N S , and one or more high refractive index film layers, each high refractive index film layer having a refractive index N H higher than said refractive index N L , whereby N S <N L <N H , said low refractive index film layer and said high refractive index film layer being alternately stacked on said transparent substrate in such a manner that the uppermost film layer of the stack is the low refractive index film layer.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 120 words
A beam splitter consisting essentially of a transparent substrate having a refractive index N S , one or more low refractive index film layers, each low refractive index film layer having a refractive index N L higher than said refractive index N S , and one or more high refractive index film layers, each high refractive index film layer having a refractive index N H higher than said refractive index N L , whereby N S <N L <N H , said low refractive index film layer and said high refractive index film layer being alternately stacked on said transparent substrate in such a manner that the uppermost film layer of the stack is the low refractive index film layer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 24 words
A beam splitter as defined in claim 1 wherein also the lowermost film layer of said stack is the low refractive index film layer.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 38 words
A beam splitter as defined in claim 2 wherein said refractive index N S satisfies the condition of 1.3<N.sub.S <4, and said refractive indices N H and N L satisfy the conditions of 2.5<N.sub.H <8, and 1.6<N.sub.L <5.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 31 words
A beam splitter as defined in claim 2 or 3 wherein the optical film thickness of each film layer is substantially λ 0 /4, where λ 0 is the design wavelength.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 37 words
A beam splitter as defined in claim 2 or 3 wherein said transparent substrate is in the prism form, and said uppermost film layer of said stack is adhered to a prism block via an adhesive layer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 73 words
A beam splitter as defined in claim 1 wherein said transparent substrate is in plate form and positioned in air having a refractive index N O of 1.0, and said low refractive index film layer and said high refractive index film layer are alternately stacked on said transparent substrate in such a manner that the lowermost film layer and the uppermost film layer of the stack are the low refractive index film layers.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 38 words
A beam splitter as defined in claim 6 wherein said refractive index N S satisfies the condition of 1.3<N.sub.S <4, and said refractive indices N H and N L satisfy the conditions of 1.8<N.sub.H <5, and 1.4<N.sub.L <3.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 29 words
A beam splitter as defined in claim 6 or 7 wherein the optical film thickness of each film layer is substantially λ/4, where λ 0 is the design wavelength.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 83 words
A beam splitter as defined in claim 1 wherein said transparent substrate is in plate form and positioned in air having a refractive index N O of 1.0, and said low refractive index film layer and said high refractive index film layer are alternately stacked on said transparent substrate in such a manner that the lowermost film layer of the stack is the high refractive index film layer and the uppermost film layer of the stack is the low refractive index film layer.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 38 words
A beam splitter as defined in claim 9 wherein said refractive index N S satisfies the condition of 1.3<N.sub.S <4, and said refractive indices N H and N L satisfy the conditons of 1.8<N.sub.H <6, and 1.4<N.sub.L <3.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 31 words
A beam splitter as defined in claim 9 or 10 wherein the optical film thickness of each film layer is substantially λ 0 /4, where λ 0 is the design wavelength.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 130 words
A beam splitter for splitting a light beam that consists principally of a single wavelength consisting essentially of a transparent substrate having a refractive index N S and a plurality of film layers one atop the next each having a refractive index higher than the refractive index N S , including at least one low refractive index film layer having a refractive index N L higher than said refractive index N S , and at least one high refractive index film layer having a refractive index N H higher than said refractive index N L , said low refractive index film layer and said high refractive index film layer being stacked on said substrate such that the uppermost film layer of the stack is the low refractive index film layer.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 130 words
A beam splitter for splitting a light beam that consists principally of a single wavelength consisting essentially of a transparent substrate having a refractive index N S and a plurality of film layers one atop the next each having a refractive index higher than the refractive index N S , including at least one low refractive index film layer having a refractive index N L higher than said refractive index N S , and at least one high refractive index film layer having a refractive index N H higher than said refractive index N L , said low refractive index film layer and said high refractive index film layer being stacked on said substrate such that the uppermost film layer of the stack is the low refractive index film layer.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 29 words
A beam splitter as defined in claim 12, wherein the optical film thickness of each film layer is substantially λ 0 /4, where λ 0 is the design wavelength.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4415233A Cited
US4431258A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1989-12-08 1990-06-09 1990-12-09 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1993-12-08 1994-06-09 1994-12-09 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1997-12-08 1998-06-09 1998-12-09 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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