Background technology
The market of optical device is flourish in recent years, the function of various optical device progresses greatly day by day, wherein for its applied light ray coupling device such as light-combining prism (X-cube), cross beam split lens set (X-plate) etc., relevant improvement and new the application are all constantly arranged, each tame manufacturer is for the improvement of this type of light ray coupling device at present, the research purpose that it is common is the better light coupling mass of pursuit.
With LCD projector (LCD) is example, the light that goes out by light emitted, must carry out the beam split program of red, green, blue by spectroscope, this has been gone the primary colors of beam split by light coupled system (being generally light-combining prism (X-cube)) again, so that light is effectively assembled, send into imaging system at last again, and combine and send image with picture signal.Fig. 1 _ (a) closes the light illustrative to what Fig. 1 _ (d) listed several known light coupled systems.
Fig. 1 _ (a) is the light coupling synoptic diagram of known light-combining prism (X-cube), and it is combined by four prisms.As shown in the figure, incident light source by beam split after, be divided into ruddiness (R) 101, green glow (G) 102 and blue light (B) 103, be coupled into white light (W) 104 by light-combining prism 10 again.First composition surface 105 and scribble different types of beam split coating (dichroiccoating) above second composition surface 106 respectively wherein.Beam split coating on first composition surface 105 is to make ruddiness (R) 101 reflection and coating that green glow (G) 102 penetrates.Beam split coating on second composition surface 106 is to make blue light (B) 103 reflection and coating that green glow (G) 102 penetrates.By this design, the white light (W) 104 after then can obtaining synthesizing.On using, light source still must pass through beam split (promptly being divided into R, G and B three primary colors) earlier to light-combining prism, and the light after beam split at present, and its incident direction need be fixed as shown in Fig. 1 _ (a).If with different angle incident, then its coupling process will be failed, perhaps the white light effect after the coupling can be given a discount.
Fig. 1 _ (b) is the light coupling synoptic diagram of known cross beam split lens set (X-plate), compare with light-combining prism 10, cross beam split lens set is made up of two spectroscopes, because identical with light-combining prism 10 principles of Fig. 1 _ (a), thus Fig. 1 _ (b) reach Fig. 1 of mentioning after a while _ (c) will with label declaration that Fig. 1 _ (a) common sparing is identical it.Shown in Fig. 1 (b), incident light source by beam split after, be divided into ruddiness (R) 101, green glow (G) 102 and blue light (B) 103, become white lights (W) 104 by cross beam split lens set 20 coupling (coupling) again.First composition surface 105 and scribble different types of beam split coating above second composition surface 106 respectively wherein.Beam split coating on first composition surface 105 is to make ruddiness (R) 101 reflection and coating that green glow (G) 102 penetrates.Beam split coating on second composition surface 106 is to make blue light (B) 103 reflection and coating that green glow (G) 102 penetrates.By this design, the white light (W) 104 after then can obtaining synthesizing.Cross beam split lens set is the design of simplifying of light-combining prism, but it has light source need pass through prior beam split too, and the restriction that can not change flexibly of incident angle.
Fig. 1 _ (c) is the light coupling synoptic diagram of known color separation lens set (dichroic mirrors), compares with light prism 10 and cross beam split lens set 20, and the color separation lens set is made up of two spectroscopes and eyeglass.Shown in Fig. 1 _ (c), incident light source by beam split after, be divided into ruddiness (R) 101, green glow (G) 102 and blue light (B) 103, be coupled into white light (W) 104 by color separation lens set 30 again.Wherein, scribble the beam split coating on first spectroscope 107, make ruddiness (R) 101 reflection and green glow (G) 102 and blue light (B) 103 all can penetrate.Scribble another kind of beam split coating on second spectroscope 108, make green glow (G) 102 reflection and blue light (B) can penetrate.109 on eyeglass can reflect blue (B) 103.This kind design equally also has light source need pass through prior beam split, and the restriction that can not change flexibly of incident angle.
More than three kinds of known design, except that having above-mentioned restriction,, the difficulty in the coupling is arranged promptly if come synthesize white light with the incident light source that surpasses after the three road beam split.In more detail, above-mentioned every prior art is only applicable to carry out the coupling of white light with the light source after the three road beam split.
Other has a kind of well known device, is a kind of eyeglass combination 40, shown in Fig. 1 _ (d).The engaged at end angulation 111 of two eyeglasses 110, twice incident light source 112 is coupled into white light one by eyeglass 110 reflections.Overcome the restriction that light source needs process beam split in advance though this kind installs, provide the coupling work of twice incident light source 112 also, on the coupling technique of light, also nonelastic.
Therefore, the real industry for this reason of the various restriction that how to provide a kind of coupling technique effectively the to solve known technology problem demanding urgently improving.
Description of drawings
Fig. 1 _ (a) is the synoptic diagram of known light-combining prism;
Fig. 1 _ (b) is the synoptic diagram of known cross beam split lens set;
Fig. 1 _ (c) is the synoptic diagram of known color separation lens set;
Fig. 1 _ (d) is the synoptic diagram of known lens set;
Fig. 2 is the synoptic diagram of first embodiment of the invention;
Fig. 3 is the synoptic diagram of the another kind of form of first embodiment of the invention;
Fig. 4 is the synoptic diagram of second embodiment of the invention;
Fig. 5 is the synoptic diagram of the another kind of form of second embodiment of the invention; And
Fig. 6 is the synoptic diagram of third embodiment of the invention.
The main element description of symbols
20 light ray coupling devices, 201 first media
202 second medium 2031-2 interfaces
204 first light sources, 205 first incident raies
206 secondary light sources, 207 second incident raies
301 the 3rd medium 3022-3 interfaces
40 light ray coupling devices, 401 first media
402 second medium 4031-2 interfaces
4041-2 borderline region 405 first light sources
406 first incident raies, 407 secondary light sources
408 second incident raies 501 the 3rd light source
502 the 3rd incident raies 503 the 3rd medium
5042-3 interface 5052-3 borderline region
601,603 the 4th light sources 602,604 the 4th incident ray
6060-1 interface 6070-3 interface
Embodiment
The present invention mainly uses the total reflection principle of snell law (Snell ' s Law).Promptly when light when optically denser medium goes into to inject optically thinner medium, wherein since the refractive index of this optically denser medium greater than the refractive index of optically thinner medium, if when incident angle (being the folded angle of boundary normal of light incident direction and second medium) during greater than certain critical angle, then incident ray will all reflect, and not have any refraction effect.These those skilled in the art are when understanding easily, should be about carrying out the design of total reflection after certain the incident angle incident greater than critical angle, angle between its incident angle and reflection angle must be for not shown among the figure, about slightly situations of 90 degree, any incident and reflection angle that meets total reflection can be set up.
First embodiment of the invention as shown in Figure 2, is a kind of light ray coupling device 200 that is used for optical device, shows to be coupled in order to the different incident raies with two Different Light.Light ray coupling device 200 comprises: first medium 201 has first refractive index n 1; Second medium 202 has second refractive index n 2, and wherein n1 is greater than n2, and second medium 202 and 201 in first medium form 1-2 interface 203, and n1 is the situation that above-mentioned total reflection principle can give establishment greater than the medium density situation of n2.204 of first light sources provide first incident ray 205, by first medium 201, carry out total reflection with certain the incident angle incident 1-2 interface 203 greater than critical angle, and total reflection light then penetrates from light ray coupling device 200 along the coupling direction; Secondary light source 206 provides second incident ray 207, in second medium 202, enters first medium 201 from 203 refractions of 1-2 interface, and penetrates from light ray coupling device 200 along the coupling direction that sets.
Wherein, above-mentioned second medium 202 can be air, then n2=1.Again, second medium can be a surface coating also, is coated on the 1-2 interface 203.Both are two kinds of different embodiments in the present embodiment these.The former mode wherein, if light source 206 is placed air dielectric, then incident ray will directly reflect and enter in this first medium 201, penetrate with the coupling direction of this setting; And the latter's mode, if light source 206 is placed air dielectric, after then incident ray will reflect in advance and enter this second medium 202, refraction entered in this first medium 201 again, with the coupling direction ejaculation of this setting.First light source 205 and the secondary light source 206 of two kinds of modes that disclose previously can have different ornaments positions and angle according to the actual demand in the design.
Below introduce the another kind of form of first embodiment, it is to increase the subelement medium in first embodiment again, and the element medium that is increased please refer to Fig. 3, has part to quote the element numbers of Fig. 2 among Fig. 3, with convenient explanation.Light ray coupling device 200 as described above also can comprise the 3rd medium 301, has third reflect rate n3, and second medium 202 and 301 formation of the 3rd medium 2-3 interface 302; Second incident ray 207 is by the 3rd medium 301, refract to second medium 202 by 2-3 interface 302, and refract to this first medium 201 by 1-2 interface 203, and penetrate from light ray coupling device 300 along the coupling direction that sets with this first incident ray 205.
Second medium 202 of present embodiment also can be an air, at this moment n2=1; Perhaps can be the surface coating of refractive index, be coated on 1-2 interface 203 or the 2-3 interface 302, make this blanket clip be located between first medium and the 3rd medium or other similar fashion less than n1.Again, it is identical that the third reflect rate of present embodiment and first refractive index can be made as, i.e. n3=n1.
The course of first incident ray 205 of first light source 204, and identical in the total reflection situation of 1-2 interface with situation shown in Figure 2, do not repeat them here.Second incident ray 207 that secondary light source 206 is provided, after entering the 3rd medium 301, promptly enter second medium 202 from 302 refractions of 2-3 interface, and from 1-2 interface 203, refraction enters first medium 201, and last and this first incident ray 205 penetrates from light ray coupling device 300 along required coupling direction.
If collocation is proper, for reaching designed light coupling purpose, n3 is less than or equal to or is feasible variation greater than n2.
The second embodiment of the present invention, as shown in Figure 4, for a kind of light ray coupling device 400 that is used for optical device, in order to different incident raies with a plurality of Different Light, be coupled into the light of single direction in fact and penetrate, second embodiment also uses aforementioned total reflection principle.Light ray coupling device 400 comprises: first medium 401 has first refractive index n 1; Second medium 402 has second refractive index n 2, and wherein n1 is greater than n2, and second medium 402 and 401 in first medium form 1-2 interface 403, and 1-2 interface 403 comprises 1-2 borderline region 404; First light source 405 provides first incident ray 406, in first medium 401, carries out total reflection with certain the incident angle incident 1-2 interface 403 greater than critical angle, penetrates from first medium 401 along the coupling direction; Secondary light source 407 provides second incident ray 408, in second medium 402, from the 1-2 of 1-2 interface 403 borderline region 404, penetrates from light ray coupling device 400 along the coupling direction that sets with this first incident ray 406.Because light is that regionality is advanced, and in fact is not to penetrate out by 1-2 borderline region 404 as shown in Figure 4, part second incident ray 408, actual can the refraction by 1-2 interface 403, the last ejaculation again carried out the coupling of light.
This second embodiment, as the variation example shown in first embodiment, its second medium 402 can be air, wherein n2=1.
Below introduce the another kind of form of second embodiment, be in second embodiment, to increase the subelement medium again, the element medium that is increased (i.e. the 3rd medium 503) please refer to Fig. 5, Fig. 5 partly quotes the symbol of Fig. 4 with convenient explanation, the course of first incident ray 406 of first light source 405, and in the total reflection situation of 1-2 interface, and second incident ray 408 of secondary light source 407 situation that penetrates and reflect by 1-2 interface 403 from borderline region 404, identical with situation shown in Figure 4, also will not give unnecessary details at this.Light ray coupling device 500 also comprises: the 3rd light source 501 provides the 3rd incident ray 502; The 3rd medium 503 has third reflect rate n3, and wherein n3 is greater than n2, and second medium 402 and 503 in the 3rd medium form 2-3 interface 504, the 2-3 interfaces 504 and comprise 2-3 borderline region 505; The 3rd incident ray 502 carries out total reflection by in the 3rd medium 503 with certain the incident angle incident 2-3 interface 504 greater than critical angle, penetrates from light ray coupling device 500 along the coupling direction that sets with this first incident ray 406 and second incident ray 408.Aforesaid n3 equals n1, also is a kind of design of giving acceptance.
The second above-mentioned medium 402 can be by two layers of surface coating replacement at least, and in detail, this surface coating is coated on respectively on 1-2 interface 403 and the 2-3 interface 504.And 1-2 borderline region 404 and 2-3 borderline region 505 also can overlap each other in fact, and meaning is that this two zone comes down to same area, and can have a common boundary with first medium 401 and the 3rd medium 503 simultaneously.Moreover, light ray coupling device 500 also can comprise two kinds of extra media (for example two layers of surface coating), be coated on 402 in this first medium 401 and this second medium respectively, reach 503 in this second medium 402 and the 3rd medium, promptly become refraction pattern same as shown in Figure 3, also can reach identical coupling effect.
The third embodiment of the present invention as shown in Figure 6, is the suitable example of an applied in any combination first embodiment and second embodiment.Fig. 6 quotes Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 part symbol with convenient explanation.Light ray coupling device 600 except that with Fig. 5 light source 405,407 and 501 and the identical part of light path repeats no more, it also comprises at least one the 4th light source 601, at least one 4th incident raies 602 are provided, in first medium 401, after carrying out total reflection with the interfacial plane (0-1 interface 606) of air, carry out total reflection from 1-2 interface 403 again, the predefined coupling direction in last edge penetrates in first medium 401.The position of the 4th light source for convenience of description is so the position that indicates two the 4th light sources 601 among Fig. 6 altogether for your guidance.
As the explanation of leading portion, also can push away the another kind of form of the 3rd embodiment.Light ray coupling device 600 also comprises at least one the 4th light source 603, at least one 4th incident raies 604 are provided, after carrying out total reflection with the interfacial plane (0-3 interface 607) of air, again by in the 3rd medium 503, carry out total reflection from 2-3 interface 504, the coupling direction that last edge sets penetrates in the 3rd medium 503.The position of the 4th light source for convenience of description is so the position that indicates two the 4th light sources 603 among Fig. 6 altogether for your guidance.
Can further deduce again by Fig. 6 and to learn, the 3rd embodiment also can comprise a plurality of the 4th light source (not shown), a plurality of the 4th incident ray (not shown) are provided, respectively by in first medium 401 and the 3rd medium 503, carry out total reflection from 1-2 interface 403 and 2-3 interface 504, and penetrate from light ray coupling device 600 along this coupling direction in the lump.Light ray coupling device 600 also can additionally comprise the two layers of surface coating identical with light ray coupling device 500, carries out refraction pattern same as shown in Figure 3, also can reach identical coupling effect.
Mode is very complicated because actual light source, ray cast and light path are advanced, and is difficult for describing or drawing in detail with accompanying drawing; Present light coupling technique of the present invention for knowing, the item that the foregoing description narration and following accompanying drawing content and claim are advocated, the description of relevant " light ", all be to represent light with main (principle), advancing of overall light done explanation, so that technology is known explanation; The person of ordinary skill in the field works as can be cheer and bright, the complex situations that actual light presents, and for example common disperses or converging beam, can advance in the defined zone of positive and negative 30 degree angles usually, to produce needed light configuration.So narration is about penetrating from light ray coupling device along required coupling direction, in fact might be along single coupling direction, also can be after penetrate on the direction that is different in essence, other variations such as line focusing are more all reached the purpose that light is coupled equally.
Similarly, more than three kinds of embodiment, the person of ordinary skill in the field can learn easily that the present invention can be in advance with the light beam split of light source and utilize under the situation of total reflection, with the incident ray coupling of a plurality of Different Light.And the present invention does not limit the form of light source, and light source can be the combination of high-pressure discharge lamp (HID), LASER Light Source (Laser), light emitting diode (LED) light source and/or other form light sources; And the geometric configuration of first medium, second medium and the 3rd medium should not be restricted yet.Therefore, the above embodiments only are used for exemplifying embodiments of the present invention, and set forth technical characterictic of the present invention, are not to be used for limiting category of the present invention.The person of ordinary skill in the field can unlabored change or the arrangement of the isotropism scope that all belongs to the present invention and advocated, and the scope of the present invention should be decided as claim.