2195 results about "Linearly polarized light" patented technology

An illumination optical system for, when installed in an exposure system, realizing a suitable illumination condition by varying the polarized state of the illumination light according to the pattern characteristics of the mask while suppressing the loss of the intensity of the light. The illumination optical system has a light source unit for supplying a linearly polarized light for illuminating surfaces to be illuminated therewith, and a polarized state changing device for changing the polarized state of the illuminating light from a predetermined polarized state to a nonpolarized state and vice versa. The polarized state changing device is arranged in the optical path between the light source unit and the surfaces to be illuminated. The polarized state changing device can be removed from the illumination optical path and has a depolarizer for selectively depolarizing the incident linearly polarized light.

A device for displaying images positions a luminescent material between a light source and a liquid crystal display (LCD). The light source, which comprises one or more nonpolar or semipolar III-nitride based light emitting diodes (LEDs), emits a primary light having a specified polarization direction and comprising one or more first wavelengths. This primary light emitted by the light source is a linearly polarized light that eliminates any need for a polarizer. The luminescent material, which comprises one or more phosphors, is optically pumped by the primary light and emits a secondary light having the polarization direction of the primary light, wherein the secondary light is comprised one or more second wavelengths that are different from the first wavelength. This secondary light emitted by the luminescent material is a colored light that eliminates any need for a color filter. The LCD receives the secondary light and displays one or more images in response thereto.

A system and method for implementing a wireless data transmission scheme through the use of a display capable of displaying symbolic information, a data acquisition device capable of identifying and capturing said displayed information and a mitigation device adapted to allow the data acquisition device to capture the symbolic information. The symbolic information may be a barcode displayed on an LCD outputting linearly polarized light. The data acquisition device may be a laser scanner, and the mitigation device may be a quarter wave retarder located between the display and the scanner. A larger system may utilize this wireless system or a different front end in a more generalized backend information transfer system. The backend system may include a centralized data center adapted to be used with retail couponing, ticketing, digital receipts, or a plurality of other information systems in which data is used separately from its storage location.

There is provided a device capable of switching between a state that displays a high-quality image and a mirror status in which is obtained an easy-to-view reflection image suitable for a person to view his/her own face or figure. An image display portion 1000 that emits image light 3001, reflective polarization selection means 300 that transmits a first linear polarization component emitted from the image display portion 1000 and reflects a second linear polarization component, whose polarization axis is orthogonal to that of the first linear polarization component, a transmission polarization axis variable portion 400 capable of selecting between one of a state that changes the polarization axis of incident linearly polarized light and a state that does not change the polarization axis of incident linearly polarized light, and a polarization selection member 500 which, of the incident light, absorbs the first linear polarization component and transmits the second linear polarization component, whose polarization axis is orthogonal to that of the first linear polarization component, are disposed in this order. In this case, absorbing polarization selection means 208 is disposed at the image display portion 1000, and the first linear polarization is emitted as the image light.

A polarization-modulating optical element (1) consisting of an optically active crystal material has a thickness profile where the thickness, as measured in the direction of the optical axis, varies over the area of the optical element. The polarization-modulating optical element (1) has the effect that the plane of oscillation of a first linearly polarized light ray and the plane of oscillation of a second linearly polarized light ray are rotated, respectively, by a first angle of rotation and a second angle of rotation, with the first angle of rotation and the second angle of rotation being different from each other.

The present invention provides a transmission-type, partial-transmission-type or a semi-transmission-reflection-type lateral electric field driving liquid crystal display device which can obtain the favorable transmissivity even when a circulatory polarized light is incident on a liquid crystal layer from a back surface side. In a liquid crystal display device which includes a first substrate which has a pixel electrode and a counter electrode, a second substrate which is arranged to face the first substrate in an opposed manner, a liquid crystal layer which is sandwiched between the first substrate and the second substrate, an upper polarizer which is arranged at a front surface side than the liquid crystal layer, and a lower polarizer which is arranged at a back surface side than the liquid crystal layer, the liquid crystal display device further includes a lower phase difference film which is arranged between the liquid crystal layer and the lower polarizer and converts a linearly polarized light to a circularly polarized light and an upper phase difference film which is arranged between the liquid crystal layer and the upper polarizer, the liquid crystal layer is driven by an electric field which is generated between the pixel electrode of the first substrate and the counter electrode of the first substrate, and a twist angle of the liquid crystal layer is within a range of 50° to 120° to perform a black display when a voltage is not applied.

It is an object to provide a liquid crystal display which reduces unsatisfactory display caused by distorted initial alignment direction in a liquid crystal alignment layer for IPS type displays, realizes stable liquid crystal alignment, is high in mass-productivity, and produces high-quality images of increased contrast ratio. The liquid crystal display contains alignment layers 109 placed between a pair of substrates 101 and 102, at least one of which is transparent, liquid crystal layer 110′ sealed between the alignment layers, common electrode 103 and source electrode 105 for applying an electrical field to the liquid crystal layer, thin-film transistors connected to each of these electrodes, polarizer plate 114 provided on at least one of the substrates, wherein at least one of the alignment layers 109 is composed of a photo-reactive polyimide and/or polyamic acid which can be provided with a liquid crystal alignment capacity by being irradiated with essentially linearly polarized light.

In addition to having color, light waves have the attribute of polarization. An apparatus and method to convert circular polarized light into linearly polarized light over a wide range of wavelengths is provided by utilizing a first surface-relief grating functioning as a quarter-wave waveplate and a second surface-relief grating functioning as a half-wave waveplate. A plurality of such devices are arranged in a two-dimensional array and combined with an array of linear polarizers and an array of photodetectors to form a polarization imaging sensor. Such a sensor could have applications in automobiles to alert drivers of the presence of other vehicles, especially at night, in fog, or in rain. Military applications include the detection of vehicles placed among trees and shrubs. Another advantage of using circular polarization images is that the sign and magnitude of the circular polarization can potentially be used to reveal the spatial orientation, material, and surface roughness of the object's surface.

The present invention is directed to a heterodyne reflectometer system and method for obtaining highly accurate phase shift information from heterodyned optical signals, from which extremely accurate film depths can be calculated. A linearly polarized light comprised of two linearly polarized components that are orthogonal to each other, with split optical frequencies, is directed toward a film causing one of the optical polarization components to lag behind the other due to an increase in the optical path in the film for that component. A pair of detectors receives the beam reflected from the film layer and produces a measurement signal, and the beam prior to incidence on the film layer and generates a reference signal, respectively. The measurement signal and reference signal are analyzed by a phase detector for phase shift. The detected phase shift is then fed into a thickness calculator for film thickness results. A grating interferometer may be included with the heterodyne reflectometer system with a grating, which diffracts the reflected beam into zeroth- and first-order bands, which are then detected by separate detectors. A detector receives the zeroth-order beam and generates another measurement signal. Another detector receives the first-order beam and generates a grating signal. The measurement signal from the grating and reference signal may be analyzed by a phase detector for phase shift, which is related to the thickness of the film. Conversely, either measurement signal may be analyzed with the grating signal by a phase detector for detecting a grating phase shift. The refractive index for the film may be calculated from grating phase shift and the heterodyne phase shift. The updated refractive index is then used for calculating thickness.

An optical apparatus that measures a polarization dependent characteristic of a measured object includes a light source for emitting non-linearly polarized light in an extreme ultraviolet region or an X-ray region, and a rotary polarizer for reflecting the light emitted from the light source, the polarizer including a set of mirrors repeating three or more reflections and being arranged such that an optical axis of incident light and that of outgoing light are aligned with the same straight line.

An atomic magnetometer includes a cell containing an atomic group, a pump light source, a probe light source, a mirror, and a detector. The cell is disposed between the pump light source and the mirror and between the probe light source and the detector. A pump beam emitted from the pump light source is circularly polarized light. The pump beam passes through the cell and is reflected by the mirror and then passes through the cell again. The probe beam emitted from the probe light source is linearly polarized light. An optical path of the probe beam is parallel to a plane of incidence of the pump beam and is also parallel to a surface of the mirror. The optical path of the probe beam crosses an optical path of the pump beam in the cell. The probe beam which has passed through the cell enters the detector.

A differential interference contrast microscope including an illuminating light source, a polarizer for converting an illumination light ray into a linearly polarized light, a polarized light separating unit for dividing the linearly polarized light ray into two linearly polarized light rays having mutually orthogonal vibrating directions, an illuminating optical system, for projecting the two linearly polarized light rays onto an object under inspection, a polarized light combining unit for combining the two linearly polarized light rays on a same optical path via an inspecting optical system, an analyzer for forming a differential interference contrast image on an imaging plane. The polarized light separating unit is constructed such that an amount of wavefront shear between the two linearly polarized light rays on the object can be changed, and the polarized light combining unit is arranged between the object and the analyzer at such a position that the two linearly polarized light rays propagate in parallel with each other and is constructed such that the two linearly polarized light rays can be combined with each other in accordance with the shear amount of wavefront introduced by the polarized light separating unit.