US5581408A — Method and apparatus for deflecting an optical be…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 209 words

A micro-optic multiplet (MOM) optical system for deflecting radiation transiting substantially parallel to a radiation optic axis, said system comprising: a first lenslet array for receiving the radiation including a plurality of first lenslets each having a focal length, a pitch, a lens diameter and a lenslet optic axis substantially parallel to said radiation optic axis; a second lenslet array including a plurality of second lenslets each having a focal length, a pitch, a lens diameter and a lenslet optic axis substantially parallel to said radiation optic axis, each of said output lenslets having a corresponding input lenslet, each of said second lenslets providing output radiation received from said corresponding input lenslet in collimation and a translation means for providing displacement of said second lenslet array relative to said first lenslet array from a first position wherein said second and corresponding first lenslet optic axes are in registration and said radiation transits through the optical system propagating substantially along said radiation optic axis to a second position wherein said second and corresponding first axes are misregistered and the radiation is deflected from said radiation optic axis to propagate along an output axis forming an angle thereto with magnitude proportional to said displacement while maintaining said output radiation in collimation.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 209 words

A micro-optic multiplet (MOM) optical system for deflecting radiation transiting substantially parallel to a radiation optic axis, said system comprising: a first lenslet array for receiving the radiation including a plurality of first lenslets each having a focal length, a pitch, a lens diameter and a lenslet optic axis substantially parallel to said radiation optic axis; a second lenslet array including a plurality of second lenslets each having a focal length, a pitch, a lens diameter and a lenslet optic axis substantially parallel to said radiation optic axis, each of said output lenslets having a corresponding input lenslet, each of said second lenslets providing output radiation received from said corresponding input lenslet in collimation and a translation means for providing displacement of said second lenslet array relative to said first lenslet array from a first position wherein said second and corresponding first lenslet optic axes are in registration and said radiation transits through the optical system propagating substantially along said radiation optic axis to a second position wherein said second and corresponding first axes are misregistered and the radiation is deflected from said radiation optic axis to propagate along an output axis forming an angle thereto with magnitude proportional to said displacement while maintaining said output radiation in collimation.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 19 words

The optical system of claim 1 wherein said first and second lenslet arrays each comprise a micro-lens module (MLM).

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 20 words

The optical system of claim 1 wherein said input lenslet pitch does not equal said output lenslet pitch in magnitude.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 30 words

The system according to claim 2 wherein said MLM's form an array of Keplerian telescopes wherein said first lenslets form a real image in a first lenslet array image plane.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 54 words

The optical system of claim 3 in which said second lenslet pitch is smaller than said first lenslet pitch and said first and second lenslet arrays are separated by a distance greater than the sum of the respective focal lengths, whereby said incident optical radiation is brought to a focus on said optic axis.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 32 words

The optical system of claim 2 further comprising a field lens positioned along said optic axis between said first and second MLM's in an intermediate image plane transverse to said optic axis.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 83 words

The optical system according to claim 1 further including a field lenslet array having a field focal length, field pitch and field lens diameter, disposed between said first and second lenslet arrays, said first and second lenslet arrays being disposed along said optic axis with respect to said field lenslet array such that said field lenslet array forms an image of said first lenslet array in the plane of said second lenslet array, said first and second lenslet arrays further configured as confocal.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 33 words

The optical system according to claim 1, in which said first and second lenslet arrays are separated by an axial distance substantially equal to the sum of said first and second focal lengths.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 28 words

The system according to claim 2 wherein said MLM's form an array of Galilean telescopes wherein said first and second array lenslets are, respectively, optically diverging and converging.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 71 words

The optical system of claim 2 further comprising third and fourth MLM's respectively having lenslets with a third and fourth foci, pitch and lens diameter, said first and second MLM's and said third and fourth MLM's respectively forming pairs of Galilean telescopes to propagate said radiation therethrough, said second and third MLM's adapted to be displaced relative to said first and fourth MLM's without relative displacement with respect to each other.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 19 words

The optical system of claim 10 wherein said first and fourth MLM's are stationary with respect to one another.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 26 words

The optical system of claim 10 wherein said first and second MLM's have a first pitch and said third and fourth MLM's have a second pitch.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 88 words

The optical system of claim 2 further comprising first and second MOM's, with said first MOM having a first MOM output lenslet optic axis at a reference position registered with a first MOM input lenslet optic axis and second MOM having a second MOM output optic axis translated a fixed distance from said reference position and wherein said translation means further comprises means for relatively moving said input beam from said first MOM to said second MOM whereby the radiation undergoes a deflection of a corresponding selected magnitude.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 55 words

The optical system of claim 13 further comprising a cylindrical MOM assembly having first and second MOM's configured on a surface of a cylinder adapted to receive said radiation from a mirror positioned along a rotational axis and wherein said translating means further comprises a means for rotating said MOM assembly about said rotational axis.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 50 words

The optical system of claim 13 further comprising an annular MOM assembly having first and second MOM's configured in adjacent sectors of a substantially planar annulus and wherein said translating means further comprises a means for rotating said MOM assembly about a rotational axis substantially parallel to said radiation axis.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 81 words

The optical system of claim 15 further comprising first and second annular MOM assemblies with the radiation configured to sequentially transit therethrough, said first MOM assembly comprising MLMs wherein said output lenslet optic axis is positioned to displace the radiation along a first direction and said second MOM assembly comprising MLM's wherein said output lenslet optic axis is positioned to displace the radiation along a second direction, thereby scanning the radiation over an area as said MOM assemblies are relatively translated.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 39 words

The optical system of claim 16 wherein said translation means further comprises means for rotating said first MOM assembly at a higher speed as compared with said second MOM assembly so as to raster said radiation over said area.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 32 words

The optical system of claim 2 further comprising an optically transparent substrate for receiving said first MLM on a first outer surface and said second MLM on an opposed second outer surface.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 24 words

The optical system of claim 2 further comprising a relay lens disposed between said first and second MLM's configured to transmit said radiation therebetween.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 39 words

The optical system of claim 2 further comprising a relay lens array disposed between said first and second MLM's, with each of said relay lenses configured to transmit a portion of said radiation between corresponding input and output lenslets.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 23 words

The optical system of claim 20 further wherein said relay lens array further comprises a field stop array, thereby eliminating deflection angle aliasing.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 30 words

The optical system of claim 20 further comprising a collimating lens array adapted to receive said radiation from said second MLM for collimating said radiation output from the optical system.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 23 words

The optical system of claim 13 wherein said first and second MOM's are deposited on opposed surfaces of respective first and second substrates.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 22 words

The optical system of claim 18 wherein said substrates have a thickness chosen in dependence on the desired optical system focal length.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 46 words

The optical system of claim 13 further comprising a rectilinear MOM assembly comprised of a plurality of MOM's with each of said MOM's translating said output optic axes a fixed distance, respectively, said translating means further including means for rastering said radiation over said MOM assembly.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 18 words

The optical system of claim 13 wherein said MOM's translate said radiation radially as compared to an origin.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 18 words

The optical system of claim 13 wherein said MOM's translate said radiation angularly as compared to an origin.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 78 words

The optical system of claim 14 further comprising a second cylindrical MOM assembly coaxial with said first cylindrical MOM assembly, said first MOM assembly comprising MLMs wherein said output lenslet optic axis is positioned to displace the radiation along a first direction, and said second MOM assembly comprising MLM's wherein said output lenslet optic axis is positioned to displace the radiation along a second direction, thereby scanning the radiation over an area as said MOM assemblies are rotated.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 33 words

The optical system of claim 28 wherein said translation means further comprises a means for rotating said first cylindrical MOM assembly at a higher rate of speed than said second cylindrical MOM assembly.

Claim 31

Independent Claim 206 words

A method for deflecting radiation transiting substantially parallel to a radiation optic axis in a microptic multiplet (MOM) optical system, said method comprising the steps of: receiving the radiation at a first lenslet array that includes a plurality of first lenslets each having a focal length, a pitch, a lens diameter and a lenslet optic axis substantially parallel to said radiation optic axis; outputting the radiation in collimation through a second lenslet array that includes a plurality of second lenslets each having a focal length, a pitch, a lens diameter and a lenslet optic axis substantially parallel to said radiation optic axis, each of said second lenslets having a corresponding first lenslet; and displacing said second lenslet array relative to said first lenslet array from a first position wherein said second and corresponding first lenslet optic axes are in registration and said radiation transits through the optical system propagating substantially along said radiation optic axis to a second position wherein said second and corresponding first axes are misregistered and the radiation is deflected from said radiation optic axis to propagate along an output axis parallel thereto by an amount proportional to the separation between said first and second positions while maintaining said output radiation in collimation.

Claim 32

Independent Claim 206 words

A method for deflecting radiation transiting substantially parallel to a radiation optic axis in a microptic multiplet (MOM) optical system, said method comprising the steps of: receiving the radiation at a first lenslet array that includes a plurality of first lenslets each having a focal length, a pitch, a lens diameter and a lenslet optic axis substantially parallel to said radiation optic axis; outputting the radiation in collimation through a second lenslet array that includes a plurality of second lenslets each having a focal length, a pitch, a lens diameter and a lenslet optic axis substantially parallel to said radiation optic axis, each of said second lenslets having a corresponding first lenslet; and displacing said second lenslet array relative to said first lenslet array from a first position wherein said second and corresponding first lenslet optic axes are in registration and said radiation transits through the optical system propagating substantially along said radiation optic axis to a second position wherein said second and corresponding first axes are misregistered and the radiation is deflected from said radiation optic axis to propagate along an output axis parallel thereto by an amount proportional to the separation between said first and second positions while maintaining said output radiation in collimation.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 49 words

The method of claim 30 further comprising the steps of: providing a MOM assembly including plurality of MOM's each having first and second MLM's; fixing each of said second MLM's at a position selected to provide a predetermined radiation deflection; and moving said radiation relative to said MOM assembly.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 28 words

The optical system of claim 1 wherein said translation means further includes a means for moving said second lenslet array from said first position to said second position.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1999-12-03	2000-06-03	2000-12-03	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2003-12-03	2004-06-03	2004-12-03	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2007-12-03	2008-06-03	2008-12-03	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Method and apparatus for deflecting an optical beam

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