Polarizing Beamsplitter Assembly for Multi-Waveband Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current polarized imaging systems face challenges in adding additional spectral bands without degrading polarimetry performance, leading to increased production time and costs due to the need for multiple dichroic cubes or reduced spatial resolution with patterned filters.
Innovation Solution
The use of a polarizing beamsplitter assembly with identical PBS cubes, each with a specific optical coating orientation, allows for the separation and imaging of multiple wavebands using a single production run, reducing costs and maintaining polarimetry performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple dichroic cubes are used to enable detection of different wavebands, then the imaging system can detect multiple spectral bands, but production time and costs increase due to multiple production runs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing a single dichroic cube with multiple dichroic coatings that can reflect multiple different wavebands (e.g., 355nm, 532nm, 1064nm) simultaneously. This allows one cube to perform the function of multiple separate cubes, enabling the imaging system to detect multiple spectral bands without requiring multiple production runs, thus resolving the contradiction between versatility and productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges multiple dichroic filtering functions into a single dichroic cube by integrating multiple dichroic coatings on different surfaces of the same cube. This consolidation reduces the number of separate components needed, streamlines production to a single manufacturing run, and maintains the capability to detect multiple wavebands, thereby solving the contradiction between functional versatility and production efficiency
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple dichroic cubes are used to detect different wavebands, then spectral band detection is enabled, but manufacturing costs increase due to multiple production runs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal dichroic cube that can handle multiple wavebands through multiple dichroic coatings, allowing a single production run to produce cubes capable of detecting multiple spectral bands. This eliminates the need for separate production runs for each waveband, reducing manufacturing costs while maintaining full spectral detection capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines multiple dichroic filtering functions into one integrated cube structure with multiple coatings. This merging reduces the total number of components that need to be manufactured and assembled, simplifies the production process to a single manufacturing run, and lowers overall manufacturing costs while preserving the ability to detect multiple wavebands
3Adaptability or versatility
If patterned filter arrays are used to add spectral bands, then additional wavebands can be detected, but spatial resolution is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the spectral filtering function from the spatial imaging function by using separate dichroic cubes for wavelength selection and a dedicated image sensor for high-resolution spatial detection. This segmentation allows full spatial resolution to be maintained in the image sensor while spectral filtering is performed optically by the dichroic cube, resolving the contradiction between spectral versatility and spatial precision
4Adaptability or versatility
If multiple optical receivers with spectral bandpass filters are used, then different wavebands can be detected, but costs increase due to multiple lenses and receivers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the single optical receiver universal by using a dichroic cube to direct multiple different wavebands to the same sensor. The dichroic cube acts as a multi-functional component that can route different spectral bands, allowing one optical receiver to perform the work of multiple receivers, thus reducing device complexity while maintaining spectral versatility
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges multiple optical reception paths into a single path by using the dichroic cube to reflect different wavebands toward one image sensor. This consolidation reduces the number of optical components needed, simplifies the overall system architecture, and lowers costs while preserving the capability to detect multiple wavebands
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 approach enables the imaging system to capture multiple wavebands with improved sensitivity and reduced costs by using identical PBS cubes, allowing for efficient detection of signals across different spectral bands without degrading polarimetry performance.
Implementation Method 1
PBS cubes are used to split a laser beam into two orthogonally polarized components; P polarization is transmitted straight through while S polarization is reflected at 90°
Implementation Method 2
S polarization is reflected at 90°
Implementation Method 3
P polarization is transmitted straight through
Implementation Method 4
all external surfaces are antireflection coated for the wavelength specified. The antireflection coating may be R≤0.25% per surface
Data Source
AI summary
An optical assembly includes a plurality of polarizing beamsplitters (PBS) including a first PBS and a second PBS. Each PBS includes a similar splitting optical coating. The splitting optical coating on the second PBS is oriented as rotated 90° relative to the splitting optical coating on the first PBS. There may be a third PBS offset to another side of the first PBS. The splitting optical coating on the third PBS, which is similar to the splitting optical coating on the first PBS and the second PBS, is oriented as rotated 90° relative to the splitting optical coating on the first PBS. The splitting optical coatings on the second PBS and the third PBS may be oriented in the same direction. A beamsplitting assembly may be formed from the optical assembly by coupling image sensors to major surfaces of the second PBS and the third PBS.