Light valve and device provided with light valve

• Main Author: D.J. BROER,C.A. VAN DEN HEUVEL,G.G.P. VAN GORKOM
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 19.04.2006
• Subjects: ADVERTISING; BLASTING; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS, THE OPTICAL OPERATION OF WHICH ISMODIFIED BY CHANGING THE OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF THE MEDIUM OF THEDEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONTROL OF THE INTENSITY,COLOUR, PHASE, POLARISATION OR DIRECTION OF LIGHT, e.g.SWITCHING, GATING, MODULATING OR DEMODULATING; DISPLAY; DISPLAYING; EDUCATION; FREQUENCY-CHANGING; FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMSTHEREOF; HEATING; LABELS OR NAME-PLATES; LIGHTING; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; NON-LINEAR OPTICS; OPTICAL ANALOGUE/DIGITAL CONVERTERS; OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS, OR APPARATUS; OPTICAL LOGIC ELEMENTS; OPTICS; PHYSICS; SEALS; SIGNS; STRUCTURAL COMBINATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES WITH OTHERARTICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; TECHNIQUES OR PROCEDURES FOR THE OPERATION THEREOF; WEAPONS

A light valve for controlled transmission of light comprises first and second elements at least one of which is controllably movable into optical contact with the other element. Means are provided for projecting light on the first of the two elements on the side remote from the second of the two elements. Each facing side of the elements is provided with an interference filter layer, which interference filter layers, when being in optical contact with each other, have a transmission for light projected onto the light valve in a wavelength range determined by the interference filter layers. This transmission differs from the transmission that would occur in the case where the interference filter layers are not in optical contact with each other.