DEPOLARIZATION ELEMENT AND OPTICAL INSTRUMENT WITH THE SAME

• Main Authors: NARITA HIROKAZU, UMEKI KAZUHIRO
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 16.01.2014
• Subjects: BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; ELECTRIC SOLID STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ELECTRICITY; OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS, OR APPARATUS; OPTICS; PHYSICS; SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a depolarizer able to eliminate speckle at a low cost and in a saved space.SOLUTION: A depolarization element 1 comprises: an optical polarizer 3 having a light transmission area 3a; an elastic body 5 connected to the optical polarizer 3 for translational vibration of the optical polarizer 3; a support 7 supporting the optical polarizer 3 via the elastic body 5; an oscillator 9 for translational vibration of the optical polarizer 3; and a seat 11 for fixing the support 7 and oscillator 9 in position. The optical polarizer 3, elastic body 5, and support 7 are formed by processing one silicon substrate 13. The light transmission area 3a of the optical polarizer 3 is formed from silicon dioxide 15 formed by thermal oxidization of part of the silicon substrate 13. One surface of the light transmission area 3a has an optical polarization element 3b formed from a sub-wavelength structure formed from silicon dioxide 15, having grooves repeatedly arranged in a period shorter than that of the wavelength of light to be used, and exhibiting structural birefringent.