Beam Splitter Optical Layout With Damper Surface for Flare Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing optical devices suffer from flare generation due to unnecessary light transmitted through beam splitters, which is not effectively suppressed by existing methods, leading to contamination and illumination unevenness, especially in compact designs.
Innovation Solution
The optical device incorporates an image forming lens, beam splitter, and coaxial epi-illumination system with an optical damper having a damper surface that absorbs and scatters unnecessary light, aligning optical axes to minimize flare and illumination unevenness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If flocked fabric is used to absorb unnecessary light transmitted through the beam splitter, then flare suppression is achieved, but contamination occurs and illumination uniformity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the harmful reflected light from the optical path by positioning the optical damper to intercept light reflected at approximately 45 degrees from the beam splitter, preventing it from re-entering the optical system and causing flare while avoiding contamination issues
Solution Approach 2:
The optical damper acts as an intermediary element that selectively absorbs only the harmful reflected light component without interfering with the main illumination path, using a specific angular configuration to distinguish between useful and harmful light
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a half mirror is used to reflect unnecessary light in parallel or perpendicular direction, then flare suppression is attempted, but illumination uniformity deteriorates and new flare is generated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs asymmetric light path management by directing reflected light at a specific 45-degree angle toward the optical damper, creating an asymmetric configuration that selectively removes harmful light while preserving illumination uniformity in the main optical path
3Volume of moving object
If lenses with large refractive power are densely arranged to decrease device size, then system size is reduced, but flare becomes more noticeable due to light condensing action
Solution Approach 1:
The optical damper extracts harmful reflected light before it can be condensed and amplified by the densely arranged lenses, removing the flare source at its origin point and preventing the condensing action from exacerbating the problem
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively inhibits flare and illumination unevenness, allowing for a compact and efficient optical system design with reduced size and weight, while maintaining uniform illumination.
Implementation Method 1
an optical damper configured to absorb a part of unnecessary light transmitted through the beam splitter from the coaxial epi-illumination optical system
Implementation Method 2
the reflected light enters an inside of a surface including an optical axis of an image forming system and becomes new flare light
Data Source
AI summary
An optical device comprises: an image forming lens; an objective lens; an imaging device; a beam splitter; a coaxial epi-illumination optical system; and an optical damper having a damper surface. The beam splitter, the image forming lens, and the imaging device are arranged along an optical axis of the objective lens. An optical axis of the coaxial epi-illumination optical system is perpendicular to the optical axis of the objective lens. The beam splitter and the optical damper are arranged along the optical axis of the coaxial epi-illumination optical system. A normal direction of the damper surface is perpendicular to the optical axis of the objective lens and inclines with respect to the optical axis of the coaxial epi-illumination optical system without being perpendicular to the optical axis of the coaxial epi-illumination optical system.