Claims
- 1. A system for performing digital lithography on a subject, the system comprising:
a point array for generating a digital pattern, the point array having a plurality of array elements operable to direct a plurality of lights representing the digital pattern towards a telecentric lens system; and the telecentric lens system, the lens system operable to receive the plurality of lights from the point array and direct the digital pattern towards the subject, the lens system including:
a first lens operable to direct the received light towards a second lens, the first lens operable to perform transformations on the received light; and a second lens for receiving light from the first lens and redirecting the light towards the subject without distortion.
- 2. The system of claim 1 further including a microlens array positioned between the first and second lenses.
- 3. The system of claim 2 wherein the second lens is a field lens.
- 4. The system of claim 2 wherein the second lens is a Fresnel lens.
- 5. The system of claim 4 wherein the Fresnel lens and the microlens array are combined to form a diffraction optical element.
- 6. The system of claim 1 wherein the point array is a pixel panel.
- 7. The system of claim 1 wherein the point array is a diode array.
- 8. The system of claim 1 further including a diffraction optical element positioned between the point array and the telecentric lens system, the diffraction optical element operable to direct the plurality of lights representing the digital pattern towards the telecentric lens system.
- 9. The system of claim 1 further including a third and fourth lens positioned between the telecentric lens system and the subject, wherein the third and fourth lenses are operable to alter a projected size of the digital pattern on the subject.
- 10. A system for performing digital lithography on a subject, the system comprising:
a point array for generating a digital pattern, the point array having a plurality of array elements operable to direct a plurality of lights representing the digital pattern towards a telecentric lens system; and the telecentric lens system, the lens system operable to receive the plurality of lights from the point array and direct the digital pattern towards the subject, the lens system including:
an image lens operable to receive the plurality of lights from the point array and to perform transformations on the received light; a microlens array operable to receive the plurality of lights from the image lens and to focus the lights; and a field lens operable to receive the focused plurality of lights from the microlens array and to direct the light towards the subject without perspective distortion.
- 11. A method for performing digital lithography on a subject using a telecentric lens system, the method comprising:
directing a plurality of individual light elements representing a digital pattern towards the telecentric lens system; altering a property of the digital pattern using a first lens of the telecentric lens system; and redirecting the digital pattern without distortion towards the subject using a second lens of the telecentric lens system, so that the digital pattern is projected onto the subject without perspective distortion.
- 12. The method of claim 11 further including:
projecting light from a light source towards a pixel panel, wherein the pixel panel comprises a plurality of array elements; and generating the digital pattern using the pixel panel by altering specific array elements to reflect or not reflect the projected light.
- 13. The method of claim 12 further including focusing the plurality of individual light elements using a microlens array, wherein at least one array element of the point array corresponds to at least one microlens of the microlens array.
- 14. The method of claim 11 further including projecting the plurality of individual light elements using a diode array.
- 15. An optical diffraction element comprising:
a translucent substrate; and a plurality of translucent concentric circles formed on the substrate, wherein each concentric circle comprises:
a first edge comprising a plurality of steps, wherein the steps ascend relative to the substrate at a first angle; a second edge, wherein the second edge ascends relative to the substrate at a second angle that is greater than the first angle; and a plateau portion forming an upper side of the circle relative to the substrate and connecting the first and second edges.
- 16. The element of claim 15 wherein the second edge comprises a plurality of ascending steps.
- 17. The optical diffraction element of claim 15 wherein a plurality of center points provide centers for a plurality of sets of concentric circles.
- 18. The optical diffraction element of claim 15 wherein each step includes an approximately square corner.
- 19. The optical diffraction element of claim 15 wherein each circle further comprises at least a first and second layer, and wherein the first layer includes a plurality of microlenses and the second layer includes a Fresnal lens, so that the first and second layers produce the first and second edges and the plateau portion when combined.
- 20. A method for making an optical diffraction element, the method comprising:
forming a translucent base; applying a first concentric circle onto the base; and applying at least a second concentric circle onto the first concentric circle, wherein a width of the second concentric circle is less than a width of the first concentric circle, so that a stepped slope is formed up at least one side of the optical diffraction element.
- 21. The method of claim 20 further including merging the first and second concentric circles to form the optical diffraction element, wherein one of the first and second concentric circles comprises a plurality of microlenses and the other of the first and second concentric circles comprises a Fresnal lens.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/287,666, filed on Apr. 30, 2001.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60287666 |
Apr 2001 |
US |