| Patent application number | Description | Published |
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| 20080212034 | SPECKLE REDUCTION IN LASER-PROJECTOR IMAGES - A laser projector having a configurable spatial light modulator (SLM) adapted to display various spatial modulation patterns and redirect illumination from a laser to form an image on the viewing screen. The laser projector drives the SLM to change spatial modulation patterns at a rate that causes the corresponding sequence of projected images to fuse to mitigate appearance of speckle in the resulting fused image. The SLM can be designed to redirect the illumination using either diffraction or specular reflection of light from the displayed spatial modulation pattern. In one embodiment, the SLM is a MEMS device having an array of individually addressable mirrors supported over a substrate and adapted to move (e.g., translate and/or rotate) with respect to the substrate. | 09-04-2008 |
| 20080219579 | Methods and Apparatus for Compressed Imaging Using Modulation in Pupil Plane - Methods and apparatus are provided for compressed imaging by performing modulation in a pupil plane. Image information is acquired by modulating an incident light field using a waveplate having a pattern that modifies a phase or amplitude of the incident light field, wherein the waveplate is positioned substantially in a pupil plane of an optical system; optically computing a transform between the modulated incident light field at a plane of the waveplate and an image plane; and collecting image data at the image plane. The transform can be, for example, a Fourier transform or a fractional Fourier transform | 09-11-2008 |
| 20080316563 | STRUCTURE FOR PROTECTING FEATURES DURING THE REMOVAL OF SACRIFICIAL MATERIALS - The present invention provides an apparatus. The apparatus, may include an actuator located over a substrate, a movable feature located over and coupled to the actuator, and a layer of material located above the actuator and movable feature and not constituting part of a beam/spring associated with the movable feature, the layer of material configured as a reservoir having an interior capable of holding a liquid, the movable feature being exposed to the interior. | 12-25-2008 |
| 20090142016 | PLASMONIC OPTICS FOR PLASMONIC CIRCUITS - According to one embodiment, a circuit element for a plasmonic circuit is formed using a dielectric layer having two portions, each characterized by a different electric permittivity. The dielectric layer is adjacent to a metal layer, with the interface between the layers defining a conduit for propagation of surface plasmons. A dielectric boundary between the two portions of the dielectric layer is shaped to enable the circuit element to change one or more of propagation direction, cross-section, spectral composition, and intensity distribution for a beam of surface plasmons received by the circuit element. | 06-04-2009 |
| Patent application number | Description | Published |
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| 20080212040 | Holographic MEMS operated optical projectors - A method forms an image with a reconfigurable array of mirrors. The method includes configuring the array by translating some of the mirrors such that distances of the mirrors of the array from a reference plane have a non-uniform spatial distribution. The method includes illuminating the configured array with a coherent light beam such that part of the light beam is reflected off the array and is projected on a planar viewing screen. | 09-04-2008 |
| 20080315099 | DETECTOR OF INFRARED RADIATION HAVING A BI-MATERIAL TRANSDUCER - A representative embodiment of the invention provides an infrared (IR) detector having a movable plate supported at an offset distance from a substrate by a suspension arm. In response to a temperature difference between the plate and the substrate generated by the incident IR radiation, the suspension arm deforms and changes the offset distance for the plate. In one embodiment, the suspension arm has three rod-shaped bimorph transducers that lie within a plane that is parallel to the substrate. The transducers are also parallel to one another, with the transducer that is attached to an anchor of the suspension arm being located between the two transducers that are attached to the plate. | 12-25-2008 |
| 20090040008 | THERMAL ACTUATOR FOR A MEMS-BASED RELAY SWITCH - A representative embodiment of the invention provides a thermal actuator for a MEMS-based relay switch. The thermal actuator has an “active” arm that is movably mounted on a substrate. The “active” arm has (i) a thermal expansion layer and (ii) a resistive heater that is electrically isolated from the thermal expansion layer. The thermal expansion layer is adapted to expand in response to a temperature change induced by a control current flowing through the resistive heater, thereby bending the “active” arm and moving that arm with respect to the substrate. Due to the fact that mechanical and electrical characteristics of the “active” arm are primarily controlled by the thermal expansion layer and the resistive heater, respectively, those characteristics can be optimized independently to obtain better operating characteristics for MEMS-based relay switches of the invention compared to those attained in the prior art. | 02-12-2009 |
| 20090085699 | MEMS ACTUATOR - Apparatus including substrate, pusher assembly, and flexor assembly adjacent to pusher assembly. Pusher assembly includes hot and cold pusher arms. First ends of hot and cold pusher arms are anchored over substrate. Second ends of hot and cold pusher arms are coupled together and suspended for lateral displacement over substrate. Flexor assembly includes flexor arm, and conductor having actuator contact. First end of flexor arm is anchored over substrate. Pusher assembly is configured for causing lateral displacement of second end of flexor arm and of actuator contact over the substrate. Method includes providing apparatus and causing pusher assembly to laterally displace second end of flexor arm and actuator contact over substrate. | 04-02-2009 |
| 20090122386 | Surface plasmon polariton modulation - An apparatus includes a substrate having a metallic surface, a structure, and a dielectric object facing the metallic top surface. The structure is configured to optically produce surface plasmon polaritons that propagate on the metallic surface. The dielectric object is controllable to adjust values of the dielectric constant at an array of different positions along and near to the metallic surface. | 05-14-2009 |
| 20100025581 | INFRARED IMAGING APPARATUS - A representative embodiment of the invention provides an infrared (IR) imaging system adapted to (i) convert an IR image of an object into mechanical displacements of a plurality of movable plates, (ii) use the mechanical displacements to impart a corresponding spatial phase modulation pattern onto a beam of visible light, and (iii) apply spatial filtering to convert the spatial phase modulation pattern into a visible image of the object. | 02-04-2010 |
