Quartz Lens Light Source Device for Projector Efficiency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Light source devices using solid-state light sources face inefficiencies in blue light use efficiency due to increased power, leading to decreased intensity and overall use efficiency in projectors.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a light source device with a condensing optical system and a pickup optical system that utilize quartz lenses with low internal absorption and thermal expansion coefficients, minimizing self-heating and birefringence, and including a polarization separation element and phase difference element to maintain polarization state and enhance light use efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If power of the solid-state light source is increased, then the intensity of blue light reflected toward the illumination object decreases, but the use efficiency of blue light decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter of the lens from conventional glass to quartz, which has different optical properties including lower internal absorption and different thermal characteristics. This parameter change allows the system to maintain high blue light use efficiency even when the light source power is increased, as quartz lenses exhibit reduced thermal distortion and polarization state changes under high power conditions
Solution Approach 2:
The patent exploits the thermal expansion properties of quartz material, which has a low coefficient of thermal expansion. This property minimizes thermal distortion of the lens shape when heated by high-power blue light, thereby maintaining stable optical performance and preventing excessive polarization state changes that would lead to light loss
2Temperature
If conventional glass lenses are used in the condensing optical system, then self-heating by light absorption occurs, but birefringence due to thermal distortion increases excessively
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material composition parameter of the lens from conventional glass to quartz, which has fundamentally different thermal and optical properties. Quartz exhibits lower internal absorption and minimal thermal distortion, preventing the thermal birefringence that would otherwise occur and maintain stable polarization state
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs quartz material which combines specific properties: low internal absorption to minimize heating, low coefficient of thermal expansion to reduce thermal distortion, and optical properties that maintain polarization state. This composite material solution resolves the contradiction between thermal management and polarization stability
3Shape
If the condensing optical system is configured as a relatively thick lens, then spherical aberration occurs, but correcting it requires complex optical designs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter to quartz, which has different refractive index and dispersion characteristics compared to conventional glass. This parameter change enables the lens to be designed with thinner configuration while maintaining optical performance, as quartz material inherently exhibits reduced spherical aberration for the same geometric parameters
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs aspheric surface design with negative conic constant to correct spherical aberration. The aspheric curvature profile redistributes the refractive power across the lens surface, eliminating the need for thick lens configuration while maintaining effective correction of spherical aberration
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 achieves high light use efficiency by reducing loss through polarization separation and correcting spherical aberration, resulting in a brighter image projection in projectors.
Implementation Method 1
the first lens is formed of quartz with small internal absorption
Implementation Method 2
a small coefficient of thermal expansion
Implementation Method 3
a polarization separation element provided on a light path
Implementation Method 4
a phase difference element provided on a light path between the polarization separation element and the condensing optical system
Data Source
AI summary
A light source device includes: a light emission element; a condensing optical system on which a first component of light emitted from the light emission element is incident; an optical element on which the first component transmitted through the condensing optical system is incident; and a pickup optical system on which the first component having travelled via the optical element is incident. At least one of the condensing optical system and the pickup optical system includes a first lens formed of quartz.