Abstract:
A sensing apparatus for detecting light of first and second fluorescent wavelength bands has a light source to generate an excitation wavelength to a first collimator element. A dichroic multiplexer has a first coated surface oblique to the optical axis and treated to transmit the excitation wavelength and to reflect the second fluorescent wavelength band and a second coated surface treated to transmit the excitation wavelength and the second fluorescent wavelength band and to reflect the first fluorescent wavelength band. A focusing element focuses the excitation light toward a light guide and directs collimated light of the first and second fluorescent wavelength bands from the light guide to the dichroic multiplexer. A first detector element is in the path of reflected light of the first fluorescent wavelength band and a second detector element is in the path of reflected light of the second fluorescent wavelength band.
Abstract:
A light multiplexing system includes a color combining element and two or more first, second, and third color channels. Each color channel includes a light source that directs light of a corresponding first, second, or third wavelength band, respectively, toward the color combining element. The color combining element includes first and second. The first and second windows are made of a solid transparent material and include, collectively, three coated surfaces. The surfaces may be non-contiguous. A first coated surface receives light of the first, second and third wavelength bands. The first coated surface reflects the light of the first wavelength band and transmits the light of the second and third wavelength bands. A second coated surface receives light of the second and third wavelength bands transmitted by the first coated surface. The second coated surface reflects the light of second wavelength band and transmits the light of the third wavelength band. The third coated surface receives the light of the third wavelength band transmitted by the second coated surface and reflects it. The reflected first, second, and third wavelength bands exit the first surface of the color combining element as a coaxial beam.
Abstract:
A method for aligning multiple optical components in an optical system including placing a sphere at a first position that is at a center of curvature of a first optical component, and aligning a focus of a first reference signal with the sphere at the first position. Then, moving the sphere along an axis of optical symmetry to a second position that is at a center of curvature of a second optical component, and aligning a focus of a second reference signal with the sphere at the second position. The first optical component is aligned with the first reference signal and fixing the first optical component, and the second optical component is aligned with the second reference signal and fixing the second optical component.
Abstract:
An optical imaging system for cell culture monitoring is provided. The system includes an illumination segment having an illumination source and a collimating lens positioned between a first surface of a cell culture vessel and the illumination source. The illumination source and the collimating lens are arranged to transmit light through the first surface at an angle oblique to the first surface of the cell culture vessel. The system also includes a detection segment having a detector and a lens positioned between the first surface of the cell culture vessel and the detector. The lens focuses light to the detector through an aperture stop, and the detector receives light that exits the first surface of the cell culture vessel at an angle oblique to the first surface.
Abstract:
Light homogenizing elements are described. The light homogenizing elements include lens arrays with corrective features designed to improve the uniformity of light fields produced by optical sources. The corrective features include masks placed at selected positions of selected lenslets in a lens array. The corrective features block or reduce the transmission of light through the lens array at the selected position to correct for spatial or angular non-uniformities in a light field produced by an optical source. Illumination systems that include a corrected lens array coupled to a light source produce highly uniform light fields. Applications include microlithography.
Abstract:
The present technology relates to a vehicle projection system comprising a light source configured to provide an output beam. A light splitting device is coupled to the light source to receive the output beam. Two or more optical fibers are coupled to the light splitting device to receive a split output beam from the light splitting device. Two or more projector devices are coupled to the two or more optical fibers. The two or more projector devices are configured to provide one or more display images using light received from the split output beam on one or more display surfaces in a vehicle. A vehicle including the vehicle projection system and a method of providing display images at a plurality of locations in a vehicle are also disclosed.
Abstract:
Optical connectors for connecting optical fiber to a light source are disclosed. In one embodiment, an optical connector includes a housing with a first end having an open aperture and a second end having a blind aperture. A chamber is disposed in the housing such that the optical axis of the housing passes through the chamber. The chamber includes a first material. A light collecting region formed from a second material is disposed in the housing between the second end of the housing and the chamber. A blind aperture is positioned in the light collecting region such that a termination of the blind aperture is spaced apart from the chamber by at least a portion of the second material. A refracting surface is disposed in the housing between the open aperture and the light collecting region such that the optical axis of the housing passes through the refracting surface.
Abstract:
A grazing-incidence interferometer includes first and second spaced-apart diffractive optical elements with a generally planar object disposed therebetween. The first diffractive optical element forms sheared first-diffracted-order light beams that reflect from opposite first and second surfaces of the object at grazing-incidence angles, while a zero-diffracted-order light beam goes unreflected. The second diffractive optical element combines the unreflected zero-diffracted-order light beam and the sheared reflected beams to form a collimated, combined beam. A 1X double-telecentric relay system relays the combined beam to a folding optical system that forms first and second interference images on a diffusing screen located at an image plane. Digital images of the first and second interference images are obtained and processed to characterize the thickness variation of the object.