OPTICAL RETARDER SEGMENTS

• Main Authors: Yun, Zhisheng, McDowell, Erin A, Kent, Susan L, Benoit, Gilles J, Etter, Jo A, Wong, Timothy L, Le, John D, Steiner, Michael L
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 13.04.2023
• Subjects: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS, OR APPARATUS; OPTICS; PHYSICS

An optical element includes an optical surface configured to receive light at a predetermined wavelength in a range from about 400 nm to about 1000 nm. The optical surface is defined by a vertical axis and a horizontal axis defining four Cartesian quadrants sequentially numbered in a counter-clockwise direction. A first longitudinal section of the optical surface is centered on the vertical axis and a second longitudinal section of the optical surface is centered on the horizontal axis. The first and second longitudinal section each extend across opposite edges of the optical surface and have a same substantially uniform retardance for substantially normally incident light. The optical element includes four discrete retarder sections. Each retarder section is disposed on a respective Cartesian quadrant of the optical surface and has a retardance difference from the substantially uniform retardance of the optical surface that is greater than zero.