Polarized Dichroic Mirror Alignment Module for Uniform Illumination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional alignment modules for laser projectors struggle with achieving uniform illumination, leading to poor color uniformity in projected images due to difficulties in mixing illuminated and activated beams effectively.
Innovation Solution
The proposed alignment module incorporates a polarized dichroic mirror, a dichroic mirror, and a phase retarding component to manage the polarization states of RGB laser light sources, ensuring they are well-mixed and uniformly distributed, utilizing a tight structural design that can be adjusted for projector volume, height, and cost requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a conventional alignment module uses a dichroic mirror to reflect the illuminated beam and a collimator lens to direct beams toward the color wheel, then the structure is simple, but the illuminated beam and activated beam are difficult to uniformly mix, resulting in poor color uniformity
Solution Approach 1:
A quarter-wave plate is introduced as an intermediary optical component between the dichroic mirror and the color wheel. This wave plate transforms the polarization state of the reflected illuminated beam, enabling it to pass through the polarizing beam splitter and mix uniformly with the activated beam, thereby achieving excellent color uniformity while maintaining structural simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the polarization state parameter of the illuminated beam by introducing a quarter-wave plate. This parameter change allows the beam to interact differently with subsequent optical components, specifically enabling it to pass through the polarizing beam splitter and achieve uniform mixing with the activated beam for improved color uniformity
2Manufacturing precision
If the alignment module uses multiple light sources and optical components to achieve uniform illumination mixing, then color uniformity is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The polarizing beam splitter serves multiple functions: it reflects the illuminated beam from the first light source, transmits the activated beam from the color wheel, and enables uniform mixing of both beams. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate components, achieving excellent illumination uniformity without proportionally increasing device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The quarter-wave plate acts as a compact intermediary that transforms polarization states, enabling the illuminated beam to pass through the polarizing beam splitter and mix uniformly with the activated beam. This single compact component achieves uniform illumination mixing without requiring complex multi-component arrangements
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
This solution enables the alignment module to achieve preferred illumination uniformity, allowing for pure color indices and wider color gamuts, thereby improving the color uniformity of projected images while maintaining a compact and efficient projector design.
Implementation Method 1
The polarized dichroic mirror is adapted to reflect a first beam and a second beam with a first polarization state, and allow passing of the second beam with a second polarization state and a third beam
Implementation Method 2
The phase retarding component is disposed between the polarized dichroic mirror and the dichroic mirror, and a polarization state of the second beam is transformed by passing the phase retarding component
Implementation Method 3
The dichroic mirror is disposed on a side of the polarized dichroic mirror, and adapted to reflect the second beam and allow passing of the third beam
Data Source
AI summary
An alignment module includes a polarized dichroic mirror, a dichroic mirror, a phase retarding component and several light sources. The polarized dichroic mirror reflects specific beams and is passed by other beams. The dichroic mirror is disposed on a side of the polarized dichroic mirror, and reflects specific beams and is passed by other beams. The phase retarding component is disposed by the dichroic mirror and adapted to transform a polarization state of a beam passing the phase retarding component. The light sources are respectively disposed on different sides of the polarized dichroic mirror, and respectively output a beam toward the polarized dichroic mirror. The polarized dichroic mirror can transmit some beams toward a light pipe, and further transmit other beams toward the dichroic mirror and the phase retarding component for transforming the polarization state and then transmit the transformed beams toward the light pipe.