The present disclosure relates to a light source system, a method of manufacturing a diffractive optical element, a ranging system, and a diffractive optical element.
In recent years, a solid-state imaging apparatus and a biometric authentication apparatus that perform biometric authentication such as facial recognition using a ranging function have been prevailing to prevent spoofing and fraud in electronic payment processing or the like using a mobile terminal apparatus with a built-in camera, a banking-service system, etc. As a method of achieving reduction in size and thickness, as well as enhanced performance in such apparatuses, a method has been commonly used that performs ranging and biometric authentication on the basis of diffracted light generated by a diffractive optical element (DOE) irradiated with infrared light serving as collimated light. For example, a method has been typically utilized that performs the ranging and the biometric authentication in such a manner that reflected light from an object irradiated with diffracted light is imaged, and the reflected light is analyzed after converting such imaged reflected light into image data.
PTL 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2013-190394
PTL 2: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2015-115527
PTL 3: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2015-132546
In the above-described apparatuses, when the diffracted light is generated with use of the diffractive optical element, zero-order light and multi-order light are generated; however, the zero-order light and the multi-order light are different in light intensity. This hinders a zero-order light component from being accurately analyzed when the reflected light is imaged, possibly resulting in deterioration in accuracy of the ranging and the biometric authentication.
It is desirable to provide a light source system, a ranging system, and a diffractive optical element that allow for reduction in intensity of the zero-order light. Further, it is desirable to provide a method of manufacturing a diffractive optical element that makes it possible to manufacture the diffractive optical element that reduces the intensity of the zero-order light.
A light source system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a light source that emits light; and a diffractive optical element that includes a diffraction grating section that is formed on one surface, has an opening in a predetermined pattern, the light from the light source entering the opening, and generates diffracted light on the basis of the entering light, and a zero-order light correcting section that is formed in at least part of region on another surface opposite to the one surface, the at least part of region corresponding to the opening as viewed from an entering direction of light from the light source, and reduces zero-order light generated in the diffraction grating section.
A method of manufacturing a diffractive optical element according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes: forming a light-blocking member in a predetermined pattern on one surface of a substrate; bringing liquid UV curable resin into contact with another surface opposite to the one surface of the substrate; irradiating the substrate with UV light from side of the one surface; and cleaning the other surface of the substrate.
A ranging system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a light source that emits light; a diffractive optical element that includes a diffraction grating section that is formed on one surface, has an opening in a predetermined pattern, the light from the light source entering the opening, and generates diffracted light on the basis of the entering light, and a zero-order light correcting section that is formed in at least part of region on another surface opposite to the one surface, the at least part of region corresponding to the opening as viewed from an entering direction of the light from the light source, and reduces zero-order light generated in the diffraction grating section; an imaging section that images reflected light of the diffracted light outputted from the diffractive optical element and emitted to an object, and generates image data; and a distance calculation section that calculates a distance to the object on the basis of the image data.
A diffractive optical element according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a substrate; a diffraction grating section that is formed on one surface of the substrate, has an opening in a predetermined pattern which light enters, and generates diffracted light on the basis of the entering light; and a zero-order light correcting section that is formed in at least part of region on another surface of the substrate opposite to the one surface, the at least part of region corresponding to the opening as viewed from an entering direction of the light, and reduces zero-order light generated in the diffraction grating section.
In the light source system, the ranging system, or the diffractive optical element according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, diffracted light is generated by the diffraction grating section. The zero-order light correcting section reduces zero-order light generated in the diffraction grating section.
In the method of manufacturing a diffractive optical element according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the diffractive optical element that makes it possible to reduce zero-order light is manufactured.
Hereinafter, some embodiments of the present disclosure are described in detail with reference to the drawings. It is to be noted that descriptions are given in the following order.
1.0 Comparative Examples (
1.1 Configuration and Operation of Light Source System and Ranging System According to First Embodiment (
1.2 Method of Manufacturing Diffractive Optical Element According to First Embodiment (
1.3 Modification Examples of Diffractive Optical Element According to First Embodiment (
1.4 Effects
The technology of the present disclosure relates to a ranging system that includes, for example, a chip size package (CSP) solid-state imaging device, such as a charge-coupled device (CCD) sensor and a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor; and a light source system that emits diffracted light for measuring a distance to an object. The light source system and the ranging system of the present disclosure are applicable to, for example, digital cameras such as a digital video camera and a digital still camera, image input cameras such as a surveillance camera and a vehicle-mounted camera, and electronic information apparatuses such as a scanner, a facsimile machine, a television phone, and a mobile terminal apparatus with a built-in camera. Further, the light source system and the ranging system of the present disclosure are also applicable to a biometric authentication apparatus and an inspection instrument.
PTL 2 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2015-115527) and PTL 3 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2015-132546) disclose working examples for making a commonly used distance measurement; however, such patent literature fail to describe any technology that solves an issue with light intensity resulting from a zero-order light component described above. In the technology described in PTL 1 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2013-190394), two solid-state imaging apparatuses are provided to avoid the issue with the light intensity resulting from the zero-order light component; however, such a technology raises an issue with increased cost due to having the two solid-state imaging apparatuses. Further, the technology of PTL 1 involving emission of light of a random pattern causes an issue that it takes much time to perform analysis for measuring a distance from image data after reflected light is imaged by the two solid-state imaging apparatuses, resulting in loss of instantaneousness necessary for biometric authentication.
PTL 1 describes a technology that avoids deterioration in ranging performance that is caused by zero-order light by disposing a pattern illuminator so that pattern light to be emitted to a measuring object contains no zero-order light generated by a diffractive optical element. However, the technology described in PTL 1 has raised the issue with increased cost because such a technology necessitates the use of two cameras (a stereo camera) that image a random pattern for ranging purpose. Further, as described in
The technology described in PTL 2 represents an example of a solid-state imaging apparatus that achieves both of acquisition of color signals and ranging using a single camera; however, such patent literature fails to describe any means to avoid deterioration in the ranging performance caused by the zero-order light. Therefore, the deterioration in the ranging performance caused by the zero-order light generated by the diffractive optical element is unavoidable.
The technology described in PTL 3 intends to improve ranging accuracy by changing output light from the diffractive optical element into light of two different directions with use of an astigmatic lens. Such a technology necessitates the astigmatic lens along with the diffractive optical element, leading to increased cost. Further, PTL 3 also fails to describe any countermeasure against the zero-order light.
The ranging system according to the first comparative example includes a light source system including a light source 1 and a diffractive optical element 200, and an imaging camera 3.
The light source 1 irradiates the diffractive optical element 200 with collimated light including infrared light, for example. In the diffractive optical element 200, a predetermined pattern is formed that generates diffracted light Ld. The diffractive optical element 200 generates the diffracted light Ld from light emitted out from the light source 1. An object 10 is irradiated with the diffracted light Ld outputted from the diffractive optical element 200. Reflected light emitted to the light emitted to the object 10 is imaged by the imaging camera 3. The imaging camera 3 includes, for example, a solid-state imaging device. The imaging camera 3 stores and analyzes imaging data of the diffracted light Ld. It is a common practice to measure a distance to the object 10, a concavo-convex shape of the object 10, or the like by analyzing the diffracted light Ld inside the imaging camera 3.
However, the diffractive optical element 200 outputs not only the diffracted light Ld, but also light (zero-order light L0) that is not diffracted by the diffractive optical element 200, and the object 10 is irradiated with the zero-order light L0. Therefore, a pickup image acquired by the imaging camera 3 includes the diffracted light Ld and the zero-order light L0, as schematically illustrated in
As a method of analyzing a distance measurement by the ranging system according to the first comparative example in
The light source system according to the second comparative example additionally includes a zero-order light correcting element 5 for a countermeasure against the zero-order light, as compared with the ranging system according to the second comparative example in
The ranging system according to the first embodiment includes a light source system including a light source 1 and a diffractive optical element 2, an imaging camera 3, a distance calculation section 31, a shape recognition section 32, and a biometric authentication section 33, as illustrated in
The imaging camera 3 images reflected light of the diffracted light Ld that is outputted from the diffractive optical element 2 and emitted to the object 10, and generates image data. The distance calculation section 31 calculates a distance to the object 10 on the basis of the image data. The shape recognition section 32 determines a concavo-convex shape of a face or the like of the object 10 on the basis of distance data calculated by the distance calculation section 31 to perform shape recognition of the object 10. The biometric authentication section 33 performs biometric authentication such as facial recognition on the basis of a result of recognition performed by the shape recognition section 32.
The diffractive optical element 2 includes a glass substrate 20, a diffraction grating section 6, and a zero-order light correcting section 24, as illustrated in
The diffraction grating section 6 is formed on one surface 21 of the glass substrate 20. The diffraction grating section 6 includes openings that are formed in a predetermined pattern and that light from the light source 1 enters, and a light-blocking section 25 serving as a light-blocking member that blocks light. The diffraction grating section 6 generates the diffracted light Ld on the basis of entering light. In an example of
The zero-order light correcting section 24 is formed on another surface 22 of the glass substrate 20 opposite to the one surface 21. The zero-order light correcting section 24 includes, for example, UV curable resin 41, as illustrated in
In
First, as illustrated in (A) of
Next, the zero-order light correcting section 24 is formed on the other surface 22 of the glass substrate 20. In such a case, a pattern of the zero-order light correcting section 24 is preferably formed at a precise position facing the opening formed on the one surface 21. Therefore, subsequently, the liquid UV curable resin 41 is brought into contact with the other surface 22 opposite to the one surface 21 of the glass substrate 20, as illustrated in (B) of
Thereafter, as illustrated in (C) of
Finally, to deal with this, the other surface 22 of the glass substrate 20 is separated from the liquid UV curable resin 41 and cleaned, as illustrated in (D) and (E) of
In the manufacturing method described above, when the zero-order light correcting section 24 is formed, hybrid curable resin containing thermosetting resin may be used instead of the UV curable resin 41.
Further, in the manufacturing method described above, the zero-order light correcting section 24 may be formed by performing cleaning after temporary fixing with use of the UV curable resin 41, and thereafter performing permanent fixing with use of the thermosetting resin. As an alternative, the zero-order light correcting section 24 may be formed by performing permanent fixing with use of the thermosetting resin after temporary fixing with use of the UV curable resin 41, and thereafter performing cleaning.
For example, as seen in the diffractive optical element 2A according to the first modification example as illustrated in
Further, for example, as seen in the diffractive optical element 2B according to the second modification example as illustrated in
As described thus far, according to the light source system and the ranging system of the first embodiment, the diffractive optical element having the zero-order light correcting section is provided, which makes it possible to reduce intensity of zero-order light generated in the diffraction grating section. This allows for high-accuracy ranging by effectively adjusting the intensity of the zero-order light. This makes it possible to perform high-accuracy biometric authentication, for example.
It is to be noted that the effects described in the present specification are merely exemplified and non-limiting, and effects of the disclosure may be other effects, or may further include other effects. The same is applied to effects of other subsequent embodiments.
Next, description is provided of a light source system and a ranging system according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. It is to be noted that, hereinafter, any components substantially the same as those in the light source system and the ranging system according to the above-described first embodiment are denoted with the same reference numerals, and the related descriptions are omitted as appropriate.
The light source system and the ranging system according to the second embodiment further includes a correcting lens 4 as well as the light source system and the ranging system according to the first embodiment. The correcting lens 4 is disposed between the light source 1 and the diffractive optical element 2 to correct light from the light source 1 into parallel light.
Typical ranging and biometric authentication use infrared light. The diffractive optical element 2 is preferably irradiated with the infrared light serving as collimated light. It is commonly known that a certain distance is necessary between the light source 1 and the diffractive optical element 2 to emit the high-accuracy collimated light from the light source 1. By disposing the correcting lens 4 between the light source 1 and the diffractive optical element 2, it is possible to reduce a distance between the light source 1 and the diffractive optical element 2.
Any other configuration, operation and effects may be substantially similar to those of the light source system and the ranging system according to the above-described first embodiment.
The technology according to the present disclosure is not limited to the descriptions of the above respective embodiments, but various modifications may be made.
In the above respective embodiments, an example case is described in which distance data calculated by the distance calculation section 31 is used for the biometric authentication; however, the distance data may be used for any application other than the biometric authentication.
Further, for example, the present technology may be configured as follows.
According to the technology configured in the following manner, it is possible to reduce intensity of zero-order light. Further, the technology allows for manufacturing a diffractive optical element that reduces the intensity of the zero-order light.
This application claims the priority on the basis of Japanese Patent Application No. 2018-050773 filed on Mar. 19, 2018 and Japanese Patent Application No. 2018-203709 filed on Oct. 30, 2018 with Japan Patent Office, the entire contents of which are incorporated in this application by reference.
(1) A light source system including:
a light source that emits light; and
a diffractive optical element that includes
forming a light-blocking member in a predetermined pattern on one surface of a substrate;
bringing liquid UV curable resin into contact with another surface opposite to the one surface of the substrate;
irradiating the substrate with UV light from side of the one surface; and
cleaning the other surface of the substrate.
(8) The method of manufacturing a diffractive optical element according to (7), in which
the irradiating with the UV light includes hardening the liquid UV resin in contact with the other surface.
(9) A ranging system including:
a light source that emits light;
a diffractive optical element that includes
an imaging section that images reflected light of the diffracted light outputted from the diffractive optical element and emitted to an object, and generates image data; and
a distance calculation section that calculates a distance to the object on a basis of the image data.
(10) A diffractive optical element including:
a substrate;
a diffraction grating section that is formed on one surface of the substrate, has an opening in a predetermined pattern which light enters, and generates diffracted light on a basis of the entering light; and
a zero-order light correcting section that is formed in at least part of region on another surface of the substrate opposite to the one surface, the at least part of region corresponding to the opening as viewed from an entering direction of the light, and reduces zero-order light generated in the diffraction grating section.
It should be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications, combinations, sub-combinations, and alterations may occur depending on design requirements and other factors insofar as they are within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2018-050773 | Mar 2018 | JP | national |
2018-203709 | Oct 2018 | JP | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/JP2019/008353 | 3/4/2019 | WO | 00 |