Birefringent polarization prism with a large angular aperture

Details Birefringent polarization prism with a large angular aperture Birefringent polarization prism with a large angular aperture

1975-08-20

1976-12-21

Corbin, John K.

350152, G02B 2728, G02B 530

Patent

active

039985245

ABSTRACT:
An apparatus for polarizing natural light incident on a polarizer with an intermediate layer of one birefringent or biaxial material mounted between a pair of prism substrates of a second birefringent or biaxial material with a liquid or other index matching medium between the prism substrates and the intermediate layer to provide optical coupling between the three above-mentioned constituent parts of the prism. The materials of the prism substrates and of the intermediate layer being selected to be substantially transparent and to have orthogonal indices of refraction (n.sub.o and n.sub.e for birefringent materials and any two of n.sub.a, n.sub.b and n.sub.c for biaxial materials) which are considerably different for each individual material over the spectral region of the desired polarization. Further, the material of the intermediate layer is selected such that its greatest index of refraction curve is substantially equal to the lowest index of refraction curve of the material of the prism substrates over the spectral region of the desired polarization, and the optic axes of these materials are oriented in the assembled prism so that one constituent electric field component of the incident light experiences these matched indices of refraction. In addition, the liquid or other index matching medium is selected to have an index of refraction which is also substantially equal to the two matched indices of the prism materials. The single intermediate layer may be replaced with a sandwich of a plurality of intermediate layers. The composition of the plurality of intermediate layers alternates between the first and second birefringent or biaxial material with the outer layers being constructed from the second birefringent or biaxial material. In addition, the liquid or other index matching medium is used between each of this plurality of intermediate layers to provide optical coupling between each layer and the prism substrates. This prism configuration with a single or plurality of intermediate layers and the technique for choosing the prism materials provides the large angular aperture and, with the proper choice of materials, is operable substantially over the infrared, visible and ultraviolet spectrums.

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