Claims
- 1. An optical element for transferring an optical signal from an entrance region, external to the optical unit, to an exit region, also external to the optical unit, comprising:
- a first transmitting surface;
- a second transmitting surface not coplanar with the first transmitting surface;
- a first surface substantially perpendicular to the first transmitting surface and connecting the first and second transmitting surfaces, a first portion of said first surface being substantially reflective, and a second portion of said first surface being selected from the group consisting of: substantially reflective and less-than-substantially reflective;
- a second surface substantially perpendicular to the first transmitting surface and connecting the first and second transmitting surfaces, a first portion of said second surface being substantially reflective, and a second portion of said second surface being selected from the group consisting of: substantially reflective and less-than-substantially reflective; and
- a shaped reflecting surface adjoining the first and second transmitting surfaces.
- 2. An optical element for transferring an optical signal from an entrance region, external to the optical unit, to an exit region, also external to the optical unit, comprising:
- a first transmitting surface;
- a second transmitting surface not coplanar with the first transmitting surface;
- a first surface region coupling the first transmitting surface and the second transmitting surfaces, a first portion of said first surface region being substantially reflective, and a second portion of said first surface region being selected from the group consisting of: substantially reflective and less-than-substantially reflective;
- a second surface region coupling the first transmitting surface and the second transmitting surfaces, a first portion of said second surface region being substantially reflective, and a second portion of said second surface region being selected from the group consisting of: substantially reflective and less-than-substantially reflective; and
- a shaped reflecting surface region between the first and second surface regions and adjoining the first and second transmitting surfaces.
Parent Case Info
This is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 08/783,629, filed Jan. 14, 1997, now abandoned which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 08/508,937, filed Jul. 28, 1995 now abandoned.
Government Interests
The invention was made with government support under Cooperative Agreement No. 7DNANB4H1521, awarded by the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology. The U.S. Government has certain rights in the invention.
US Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Name |
Date |
Kind |
5093879 |
Bregman et al. |
Mar 1992 |
|
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Country |
4008483 |
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DEX |
404277701A |
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Entry |
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Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
508937 |
Jul 1995 |
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Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
783629 |
Jan 1997 |
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