JPH06175072A - Light source device and polarizing component - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a polarization light source device with high efficiency and brightness and with unrequird small heating quantity by utilizing a linearly polarized lighte component on one side instead of throwing away when the light of a light source for random polarization is converted to linearly polarized light. CONSTITUTION:In a polarizing beam splitter 6, either side of the linearly polarized light component transmits the polarizing beam splitter 6, however, the other side of the linearly polarized light component is reflected, and furthermore, it is reflected in a paralell and an opposite direction by a reflecting means 7, and it passes the same route in the opposite direction, then, it returns to the light source 1 via condenser lenses 2a, 2b. In such a case, a part of light rays are shielded by the filament of the light source 1, however, the remainder of the light arrives at and reflected on a polarizing rotary reflecting means 8. Such reflected light is made incident on the polarizing beam splitter 8 again via the same route, however, a polarized plane is rotating by the polarizing rotary reflecting means 8, therefore, the light transmits the polarizing beam splitter 6 this time, then, it is added to initial transmission light.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus for efficiently obtaining linearly polarized illumination light which can be used in a liquid crystal projector or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a light source of a liquid crystal projector, a light source having a random polarization characteristic (for example, a halogen lamp, a xenon lamp, a metal halide lamp, etc.) has been conventionally used, but in a light valve of a TN liquid crystal or an STN liquid crystal, one straight line is used. Since only the polarized component is used, a loss of light of 50% or more occurs here, which causes a decrease in brightness. Further, this lost light causes heat generation of the light valve, so that there is also a disadvantage that it is necessary to take sufficient heat dissipation measures to protect the liquid crystal light valve which is weak to high temperature.

Further, the light source optical system of the projector includes
Conventionally, there are those that use a relay condenser lens and those that use a condenser mirror (concave mirror).

[0004]

However, while an optical system using a relay condenser lens can obtain uniform and high quality illumination light, it is more expensive and inferior in efficiency than a condenser mirror.

On the other hand, the one using a condensing mirror is a simple device and has high efficiency, but it is difficult to obtain uniform illumination light, and the brightness distribution in the center is bright and the periphery is dark, or a ring having a local minimum value. It is common to show the brightness distribution of the shape.

As described above, the relay condenser lens and the condenser mirror have advantages and disadvantages, and their selection depends on whether uniformity or efficiency is prioritized.

The present invention has been made on the basis of the above background, and an object thereof is to add a function of efficiently obtaining linearly polarized light to a light source device of a liquid crystal projector using a relay condenser lens. By doing so, it is possible to improve the brightness and reduce the heat generated by the polarizing filter.

[0008]

A polarized light source device according to a first aspect of the present invention is a light source device having a light source, a condenser lens, at least one polarization beam splitter, a reflection means, and a polarization rotation reflection means. Light is converted into a light beam by a condenser lens, and this light beam is divided into a p-polarized component and an s-polarized component by passing through a polarization beam splitter. It is characterized in that linearly polarized light is efficiently obtained by reflecting with rotation of the polarization plane by the polarization rotation reflecting means placed on the opposite side and merging with the other component divided by the polarization beam splitter. It is a thing.

Further, in the polarized light source device according to the present invention as defined in claim 2, the above-mentioned combination of the polarized beam splitter and the reflection means is replaced with a pair of polarized beam splitters whose polarizing film planes are orthogonal to each other.

Further, in the polarizing component according to the third aspect, the function of the pair of polarizing beam splitters in which the polarizing film surfaces are orthogonal to each other is realized by a large number of minute polarizing prisms, and the two surfaces sandwiching the apex angle of the rectangular prism. Is a transparent plate-shaped member in which at least one is arranged on a flat surface, and a transparent plate-shaped member having a shape complementary to this is formed by optically adhering each prism surface with a polarizing film sandwiched between them. is there.

A polarizing component according to a fourth aspect is a polarized light source device using the polarizing component according to the third aspect.

Further, the polarizing component according to claim 5 is not limited to a polarized light source, and is intended to improve the efficiency of a general light source system using a relay condenser lens, which comprises a light source, two sets of condenser lenses, a reflection means, A light source device having a transparent member having a prism array on one surface, wherein the light of the light source is made into two light beams by each condenser lens, and each light beam is deflected by a reflecting means so that both beams intersect. It is characterized in that the two beams are combined into one beam by the transparent member in which a prism is installed at a position where the two beams intersect so as to face the side where the light rays are emitted.

The polarization component according to claim 6 is also intended to improve a general light source system using a relay condenser lens as in the case of claim 5, and the prism of claim 5 faces the side where the light rays are emitted. In place of the transparent member installed in, the transparent member installed so that the prism faces the side where the light ray enters.

Further, claim 7 is a polarized light source device in which the method of claim 5 is applied to the polarized light source device of claims 1, 2 and 4, and in addition, claim 8 is the polarized light source device of claims 1, 2 and 4. A polarized light source device in which the method of claim 6 is applied to the light source device.

Further, claims 9, 10 and 11 are defined by claim 1,
The polarized light rotating / reflecting means, which is a component of the polarized light source device described in Nos.

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, in the polarized light source device, the polarized light rotating / reflecting means has a large number of reflecting mirror surfaces that are adjacent to each other on a plane or a spherical surface and are orthogonal to each other. Characterized in that the prism reflection surface is a prism reflection surface which is arranged so that the reflection mirror surface arrangement direction forms an angle of 45 ° with respect to the polarization plane of the incident light. Is.

A tenth aspect of the present invention is the polarized light source device according to the ninth aspect, wherein a phase plate is arranged in front of the reflecting means.

An eleventh aspect of the present invention is characterized in that the reflecting means is a ¼ wavelength plate and a plane mirror or a spherical mirror which are superposed on each other.

[0019]

The polarizing component of the present invention divides light from a light source into two linearly polarized light components by a polarizing beam splitter, rotates one polarization plane by 90 °, and then joins it into the other. A reflection means is used as a means for rotating the.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a conventional optical system for forming a parallel beam using a relay condenser lens. The light emitted from the light source 1 and incident on the condenser lenses 2a and 2b (here, the number of lenses is two, but it may be one or three or more).
It is made into a parallel beam at a and 2b. On the other hand, the light emitted to the side opposite to the lens is reflected by the spherical mirror 3 and returns to the position of the filament, part of which is blocked by the filament, but the rest passes through the condenser lenses 2a and 2b and is added to the preceding parallel beam.

Therefore, the output light is reflected by the spherical mirror 3 on the opposite side of the light directly incident on the condenser lens and becomes the sum of the components not blocked by the filament. By adjusting the position of the spherical mirror 3 so that the image of the filament by the spherical mirror 3 is slightly displaced from the actual filament, the output light can be twice as much as the light directly incident on the condenser lens.

FIG. 2 shows a light source device having an equivalent function, in which the spherical mirror of FIG. 1 is replaced with condenser lenses 4a and 4b and a plane mirror 5.

Next, FIG. 3 is a plan view of an embodiment according to claim 1 of the present invention. The operation of the present invention will be described using this.

The difference from the apparatus of FIG. 1 is that the spherical mirror 3
Is replaced with a reflection means 8 having a polarization rotation effect, and a polarization beam splitter 6 and a reflection means 7 are placed after the condenser lens.

The polarized light rotating / reflecting means 8 is, for example, a reflecting means shown in FIG. 13 which will be described later, and has a condensing action similar to that of the spherical mirror 3 except that the polarization plane is rotated. Therefore,
The part except the polarization beam splitter 6 and the reflection means 7 has the same operation as in FIG. 1, and the outgoing beam by this enters the polarization beam splitter 6.

In the polarization beam splitter 6, one of the linearly polarized light components passes through the polarization beam splitter, but the other linearly polarized light component is reflected and further reflected by the reflecting means 2 in parallel and reverse directions, and the same path is reversed. Light source 1 is reached through.

Here, a part of the light beam is blocked by the filament, but the rest reaches the polarization rotation reflection means 8 and is reflected. This reflected light enters the polarization beam splitter 6 through the same path again, but since the polarization plane is rotated by the polarization rotating / reflecting means 8, this time it is transmitted through the polarization beam splitter 6 and added to the first transmitted light. .

As described above, according to the present invention, when the light of the randomly polarized light source is converted into the linearly polarized light, one of the linearly polarized light components can be used without being discarded, so that it is efficient, bright, and generates less unnecessary heat. A polarized light source device can be realized.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of an embodiment in which the polarized light source device of the present invention is constructed based on the optical system of FIG.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view thereof. Here, the plane mirror 5 is replaced with a flat plate-shaped polarized light rotating / reflecting means 9, which is functionally the same as in FIG.

The device according to claim 2 of the present invention is the device according to claim 1.
The function performed by the combination of the polarization beam splitter and the reflection means in (1), which takes out one linearly polarized light component, reverses the traveling direction of the other and returns it to the light source side,
This is achieved by a pair of polarization beam splitters placed so as to face each other so that the polarization film surfaces form 90 °.

Further, the apparatus according to claim 3 of the present invention is a polarizing component in which the pair of polarizing beam splitters are replaced with a large number of pairs of minute polarizing film surfaces, thereby enabling a significant reduction in size and weight. It itself has a function similar to that of a polarizing filter.

The advantage over the ordinary polarizing filter is that it generates a large amount of heat because it absorbs the polarized component that is not transmitted by the ordinary polarizing filter.
The polarized component does not reflect and absorb this component and therefore generates little heat, and the fact that the reflected light from the polarizing component is parallel and opposite to the incident light enables the reflected light to be effectively utilized.

That is, the apparatus according to claim 4 of the present invention is
The polarizing component is applied to a device similar to the first and second aspects.

Next, the operation of the light source device according to claims 5 and 6 of the present invention will be described.

In the light source using the relay condenser lens as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the light used is only the component reflected directly by the spherical mirror on the opposite side to the light directly incident on the condenser lens, and the total light flux is at most 10 Only a percentage. Therefore, two sets of relay condenser lenses are installed in one light source, and the output of each can be combined to increase the light ray utilization rate.

In this case, what is important is that the two sets of output light are combined into one so that the uniformity, which is an advantage of the relay condenser lens system, is not impaired.

In order to meet this requirement, the light source device according to the fifth and sixth aspects uses a transparent member having a prism array on one surface to combine output lights.

FIG. 22 is a plan view of the embodiment of claim 5. Each output light changes its direction by the reflecting member 31, is guided to the transparent member 30 having a prism array, and is combined into one light beam.

FIG. 24 is a partial plan view of the transparent member 30. The light ray passes through the path indicated by the arrow to become the combined light, and the other incident light passes through the path in which the left and right are reversed to become the combined light.
Here, the relationship between the incident angle and the apex angle of the prism may satisfy the following two equations.

N * sinα = sinβ n * cos (α + θ) = cosθ where n is the refractive index of the transparent member.

As described above, since the two sets of beams are combined so as to overlap each other on the transparent member, they have the same uniformity as the original beams. However, at this time, the beam width is 1 / cos β
It is necessary to note that it is enlarged, but it is not so inconvenient as a light source for a projector with a rectangular screen.

FIG. 30 is a plan view of an embodiment according to claim 6. Each output light changes its direction by the reflecting member 31, is guided to the transparent member 33 having a prism array, and is combined into one light beam.

FIG. 28 is a partial plan view of the transparent member 33. The light ray passes through the path indicated by the arrow to become the combined light, and the other incident light passes through the path in which the left and right are reversed to become the combined light.
It is preferable that the apex angle of the prism is 60 ° and the incident angle is also 60 °. Under this condition, the incident light is incident perpendicularly on one surface of the prism and the opposite surface is the opposite surface of the transparent member. Is emitted vertically from. Under this condition, the width of the combined beam is twice the original beam width. Therefore, this method is suitable for a projector having a large aspect ratio screen.

The apex angle of the prism formed on the transparent member = 2
If φ is set and the incident angle of the beam is set to δ, the relationship of n * sin (90−3φ) = sin (2φ−δ) holds from FIG.

Here, when 2φ <60 °, as shown in FIG. 29, a part of the light is lost because it is not reflected on the surface of the prism. Therefore, it is preferable that 2φ ≧ 60 °, but as described above, the beam width expansion rate is 1 / cosδ, and the larger φ is, the larger the beam width is. Therefore, in order to suppress the beam width expansion, 2φ = 60. It is preferable that the angle is °.

Also in this case, since the two sets of beams are combined so as to overlap on the transparent member as in the fifth aspect, they have the same uniformity as the original beams.

The apparatus according to claims 7 and 8 is a polarized light source apparatus according to claims 1, 2 and 4 in which the method according to claims 5 and 6 is applied to provide a more efficient and bright polarized light source apparatus.

Next, the polarization rotating / reflecting means described in claims 1, 2 and 4 of the present invention will be described.

FIG. 11 is a principle diagram showing how a component obtained by rotating the polarization plane by 90 ° is obtained by reflection on the prism reflection surface according to claim 9.

The linearly polarized light 15 incident on the surface 17 is divided into a component Fs of the electric field vector parallel to the ridgeline of the prism and a component Fp perpendicular to the prism, but if the surfaces 17 and 18 are reflection surfaces of perfect conductors. The component F of the light 16 reflected by 17 and 18
The direction of p ′ is inverted, and as a result, 16 is light whose polarization plane is rotated by 90 ° with respect to 15.

However, in reality, there is no perfect conductor reflecting surface, a phase difference Δ is generally generated between Fs ′ and Fp ′, and the amplitudes of both are different, and the reflected light 16 becomes elliptically polarized light. Therefore, only the component of which the plane of polarization of this elliptically polarized light is orthogonal to that of the incident light is effective. Here, the smaller Δ is, the closer to the surface of the perfect conductor, and the higher the efficiency.

12 and 13 show examples of prism reflecting surfaces.

In FIG. 12, a large number of reflecting mirror surfaces are formed on one surface of the flat substrate 9, adjacent reflecting mirror surfaces are orthogonal to each other, and a large number are arranged in a direction orthogonal to the ridge line formed by the adjacent reflecting mirror surfaces. The reflecting mirror surfaces of are arranged. The reflecting mirror surface is, for example, 45 with respect to the radial direction u of the substrate surface.
Make a °. Here, the condition that the adjacent reflecting mirror surfaces are orthogonal to each other is a condition necessary for vertically incident light to be reflected vertically, and that the angle formed by the reflecting mirror surfaces with u is 45 °. Is most preferable.

The reflecting mirror surface can be obtained by forming a predetermined shape on one surface of the substrate 9 and then forming a metal layer by vapor deposition or plating, or by forming a dielectric multilayer film. If used, the flat surface side can be used as an incident surface and the prism surface can be used as a rear surface mirror.

Further, if the refractive index of the substrate 9 is larger than 2 ^1/2 , the prism surface may be used as the total reflection surface. On the reflecting mirror surface with a metal layer or a dielectric multilayer film, the above-mentioned phase difference Δ varies depending on the type of metal, the film thickness, and the design of the multilayer film, but if total reflection of the prism is used, it is calculated from the refractive index. If the refractive index is 1.49 (P
For MMA) Δ = 70 °. 90 degrees of polarization plane from now on
The component rotated by ° is 67%, but total reflection is close to 100%, so the efficiency at the reflecting surface is almost 67%.
%.

FIG. 13 shows an example of a polarization rotating reflection surface having a condensing function, in which a reflection surface similar to that of FIG. 12 is provided on a spherical substrate.

Next, a method of rotating the plane of polarization by 90 ° using the quarter-wave plate according to the eleventh aspect will be described.

FIG. 14 shows an example of a reflecting means using a quarter-wave plate, which is constructed by placing a quarter-wave plate 20 in front of the reflecting mirror 19. The incident light 23 is 1 / before and after being reflected by the reflecting mirror 19.
By passing through the four-wave plate 20, the polarization plane is rotated by 90 ° to become reflected light 24.

The reflecting mirror used here may be a metal mirror or one using a dielectric multilayer film. Further, a reflecting surface may be formed by forming a metal mirror or a dielectric multilayer film on one surface of the wave plate.

FIG. 16 shows a spherical mirror 3 used as a reflecting mirror for condensing light. In FIG. 16 (a), a spherical quarter-wave plate 25 is attached to the spherical mirror 3. And has a polarization rotation performance equivalent to that of FIG.
The difficulty is that molding of No. 5 is difficult. Therefore, FIG.
Although the method of using the flat quarter-wave plate 26 may be used as in (b), in this case, the polarization rotation performance is deteriorated in the peripheral portion.

Since a wave plate is used in these methods,
The efficiency of obtaining reflected light whose polarization plane is rotated by 90 ° has a strong wavelength dependency, which is not preferable when white light is used. In order to reduce this wavelength dependency, an achromatic wave plate made of a combination of birefringent materials having different wavelength dispersions may be used.

In the apparatus according to the tenth aspect, the polarization plane is rotated more efficiently by using the above two means in combination.

FIG. 15 shows the phase plate 22 and the prism reflection surface 2.
It is an example of the reflecting surface of claim 10 using 1. In the reflection by the prism reflecting surface, since the phase difference Δ between the respective components Fs ′ and Fp ′ of the reflected light is not 0, the reflected light becomes elliptically polarized light, but the phase plate 22 has a phase difference −Δ of the same magnitude but opposite sign. To produce a linearly polarized light whose polarization plane is rotated by 90 °. Since the phase plate 22 passes through before and after reflection, a phase plate having a retardation of −Δ / 2 may be used.

In this case, since the phase difference to be given by the phase plate can be made relatively small, the wavelength dependency as a whole is small, and it can be sufficiently applied to white light. As the prism reflection surface, any of the above-mentioned prisms can be used, but among them, the one using a total reflection prism having a high reflectance and easy calculation of Δ is most preferable. For example, when using the above-mentioned PMMA prism, Δ = 70 °, and therefore a very high efficiency can be easily obtained over the entire visible light range by using a phase plate that gives a retardation of 35 °.

[0065]

EXAMPLES The present invention will be specifically described below based on examples, but the present invention is not limited to the following examples as long as the gist thereof is not exceeded.

FIG. 18 is a plan view of another embodiment of the first aspect. In this embodiment, the position of the reflection means 7 of the embodiment of FIG. 5 is different, output light is obtained in the vertical direction, and the polarization plane is perpendicular to that of FIG.

The reflecting means 7 shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, 18 and the like may be any reflecting means in which the plane of polarization of linearly polarized light does not change due to reflection. For example, a metal film or a dielectric multilayer film may be provided on a flat surface. Although it is formed, total reflection of the prism may be used to easily obtain a high reflectance. FIG. 17 shows an example of such a reflection means, which is a transparent plate in which rows of right-angle prisms are formed. This reflecting member must be used so that the ridge of the prism is parallel or perpendicular to the plane of polarization of the incident light.

FIG. 19 is a partial view of an embodiment in which the weight of the combination of the polarization beam splitter 6 and the reflection means 7 of FIG. 18 is reduced. A reflection coat is applied to the prism array 29 of the polarization beam splitter of FIG. I am using one. Here, the reflection coat is a reflection means, for example, a metal film or a dielectric multilayer film is deposited.

The polarization beam splitter shown in FIG. 27 is obtained by replacing half of the prism type polarization beam splitter with a transparent plate having a rectangular prism array, and the function thereof is the same as that of the prism type polarization beam splitter.

If further weight reduction is desired, the polarizing beam splitter shown in FIG. 26 may be used. This is a polarizing multilayer film 1 between transparent plates on which a right-angled prism array is formed.
4 is formed, and the polarization multilayer film 14 is the same as that of the prism type polarization beam splitter. The surface of each prism formed on the transparent plate functions the same as the entrance and reflection surfaces of the prism type polarization beam splitter, resulting in the same function as the prism type polarization beam splitter.

These polarization beam splitters, when applied to coherent light such as laser light,
Although it disturbs the coherence and is not preferable, there is no problem in using it for an incoherent light source like this application.

Further, when the light source is monochromatic light, a mirror type polarization beam splitter may be used.

FIG. 7 is a partial view of the vicinity of a polarization beam splitter according to another embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention, in which a polarization beam splitter 11 in which two polarization beam splitters are bonded together and two reflecting means 7 are provided. I am using. By providing separate units for the left and right halves, the thickness (volume) of the polarization beam splitter can be halved, and the size and weight can be reduced.

Next, FIG. 6 is a partial view in the vicinity of the polarization beam splitter of the embodiment of claim 2, wherein a polarizing beam splitter 10 in which two polarization beam splitters are bonded together is used. I have omitted 7. This causes the optical path of the return light to move in parallel, but it does not change that the condenser lenses 2b and 2a condense the light in the vicinity of the filament. Therefore, this return light also passes through the same optical path after rotating the polarization plane and is added to the output light. .

In this case, the efficiency can be expected to be higher than that of claim 1 by a small amount because the reflection loss at the reflecting means 7 is eliminated.

FIG. 8 is a partial plan view of an embodiment of a polarized light source device in which the first and second aspects are combined.

FIG. 9 shows a polarizing component 13 of the third embodiment.
FIG. 10A is a partial perspective view of this embodiment, FIG. 10A is an overall perspective view of this embodiment, and FIG. 10B is a partially enlarged view of the polarization component 13.

The polarizing component 13 is a transparent member having therein the two polarizing films 14 of the polarizing beam splitter shown in FIG.
Similarly to, it has the function of reflecting one polarization component in parallel.

Further, it can be seen that the size and weight are being reduced as compared with FIGS. 6 to 8.

Next, FIG. 20 is a plan view of the embodiment of claim 7 and is constructed on the basis of the polarized light source device of claim 1 whose partial view is shown in FIG. 19. In this case, two outputs are provided. Since the beams intersect, the beams can be combined only by the transparent member 30.

Further, FIG. 21 shows a fourth embodiment shown in FIG.
However, in this case, it is necessary to add a reflecting means 31 so that both beams intersect. When such a configuration is performed using the polarized light source device of FIGS. 3 to 5, the device size becomes considerably large, which is not preferable.

The reflecting means 31 is a reflecting means in which the plane of polarization of the linearly polarized light does not change due to reflection. For example, there is one in which a metal film or a dielectric multilayer film is formed on the plane, but in the example of FIGS. Since the reflection angle is right, it is possible to use the total reflection of a right angle prism. In addition, for lightweight,
A transparent plate in which rows of small rectangular prisms as shown in FIG. 25 are formed may be used. This is similar in form to the reflecting member of FIG. 17, but the direction in which the light ray passes is different.

Furthermore, FIG. 23 is a plan view of the embodiment of claim 8 and is constructed based on the polarized light source device of claim 4 shown in FIG.

[0084]

As described above, the polarized light source device according to the present invention can efficiently obtain linearly polarized light in the light source device using the relay condenser lens. That is, the function of efficiently obtaining linearly polarized light is added, and by this, the improvement of brightness and the reduction of heat generation in the polarization filter can be realized.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a light source device using a relay condenser lens according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a light source device using a relay condenser lens according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the embodiment of claim 1 according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 5 according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the embodiment of claim 1 according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a partial plan view of the embodiment of claim 2 according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a partial plan view of the embodiment of claim 1 according to the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a partial plan view of an embodiment in which claims 1 and 2 according to the present invention are combined.

FIG. 9 is a partial plan view of the embodiment of claim 4 according to the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of an embodiment of claim 4 according to the present invention.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the principle of obtaining a component in which the polarization plane is rotated by 90 ° according to the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a schematic view of an example of a prism reflecting surface according to claim 9 according to the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a schematic view of an example of a prism reflecting surface according to claim 9 according to the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing an example of a reflecting surface formed by superimposing a quarter-wave plate and a plane mirror according to claim 11 of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view showing an example of a reflecting surface having a phase plate in front of the prism reflecting surface according to a tenth aspect of the present invention.

FIG. 16 is a sectional view showing an example of a reflecting surface formed by combining a quarter-wave plate and a spherical mirror according to the present invention.

FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the reflection means 7 of FIGS. 3 to 5, 7, 8, and 18 according to the present invention.

FIG. 18 is a plan view of the embodiment of claim 1 according to the present invention.

FIG. 19 is a partial plan view of the embodiment of claim 1 according to the present invention.

20 is a plan view of the embodiment of claim 7 according to the present invention. FIG.

FIG. 21 is a plan view of the embodiment of claim 7 according to the present invention.

FIG. 22 is a plan view of an embodiment of claim 5 according to the present invention.

FIG. 23 is a plan view of the embodiment of claim 8 according to the present invention.

FIG. 24 is an enlarged plan view of a prism formed on a transparent member 30 used in claims 5 and 7 according to the present invention.

FIG. 25 is a reflection means 2 of FIGS. 21 and 22 according to the present invention.
It is sectional drawing which shows an example of 1.

FIG. 26 is a schematic view showing an example of a polarization beam splitter useful for size reduction and weight reduction according to the present invention.

FIG. 27 is a schematic view showing an example of a polarization beam splitter useful for size reduction and weight reduction according to the present invention.

FIG. 28 is an enlarged plan view of a prism formed on the transparent member 33 used in claims 6 and 8 according to the present invention.

29 is an enlarged plan view of a prism formed on the transparent member 33. FIG.

FIG. 30 is a plan view of the embodiment of claim 6 according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Light source 2a, 2b Condenser lens 3 Spherical mirror 4a, 4b Condenser lens 5 Plane mirror 6 Polarization beam splitter 7 Reflecting means 8 Polarization rotation reflection means (prism reflection surface) 9 Polarization rotation reflection means (prism reflection surface) 10 Two polarization beam splitters Bonded together 11 bonded with two polarizing beam splitters 12 bonded with four polarizing beam splitters 13 polarizing component according to claim 3 14 polarizing film 15 incident light 16 reflected light 17 reflective surface 18 Reflecting surface 19 Planar mirror 20 Wavelength plate 21 Prism reflecting surface 22 Phase plate 23 Incident light 24 Reflected light 25 Wavelength plate 26 Wavelength plate 27 Reflecting means 28 Polarizing beam splitter 29 Reflective coat 30 Transparent member 31 according to claim 5 31 Reflecting means 32 Polarizing beam splitter 33 Transparent member according to claims 6 and 8 34 Polarization beam splitter

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[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] April 30, 1991

[Procedure Amendment 2]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Name of item to be amended] Title of invention

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

Title: Light source device and polarizing component

[Procedure 3]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Name of item to be corrected] Claim 5

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[Procedure amendment 4]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Name of item to be corrected] Claim 6

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[Procedure Amendment 5]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0011

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

A polarized light source device according to a fourth aspect is a polarized light source device using the polarizing component according to the third aspect.

[Procedure correction 6]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0012

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

Further, the light source device according to claim 5 is not limited to the polarized light source, and is intended to improve the efficiency of a general light source system using a relay condenser lens, which comprises a light source, two sets of condenser lenses, a reflection means, A light source device having a transparent member having a prism array on one surface, wherein the light of the light source is made into two light beams by each condenser lens, and each light beam is deflected by a reflecting means so that both beams intersect. It is characterized in that the two beams are combined into one beam by the transparent member in which a prism is installed at a position where the two beams intersect so as to face the side where the light rays are emitted.

[Procedure Amendment 7]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0013

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

The light source device according to claim 6 is also intended to improve a general light source system using a relay condenser lens as in the case of claim 5, so that the prism of claim 5 faces the side where the light rays are emitted. In place of the transparent member installed in, the transparent member installed so that the prism faces the side where the light ray enters.

[Procedure Amendment 8]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0019

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[0019]

The polarized light source device of the present invention divides the light from the light source into two linearly polarized light components by the polarization beam splitter, rotates one polarization plane by 90 °, and then joins it into the other. A reflection means is used as a means for rotating the surface.

[Procedure Amendment 9]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0044

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

The apex angle of the prism formed on the transparent member = 2
If φ is set and the incident angle of the beam is set to δ, the relationship of n * cos3φ = cos (δ + φ) holds from FIG.

[Procedure Amendment 10]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Name of item to be corrected] Figure 1

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a conventional light source device using a relay condenser lens.

[Procedure Amendment 11]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Name of item to be corrected] Figure 2

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a light source device using a relay condenser lens having the same function as in FIG.

Claims (11)

[Claims] 1. A light source device comprising a light source, a condenser lens, at least one polarization beam splitter, a reflection means, and a polarization rotation reflection means, wherein the light of the light source is converted into a light beam by the condenser lens, and the light beam is a polarized beam. A p-polarized light component and an s-polarized light component are separated by passing through a splitter, and one of them is inverted in the traveling direction by a reflection means, and the inverted light is rotated by a polarization rotation reflection means placed on the opposite side of the light source. A polarized light source device characterized in that, by reflecting the light along with it, the light is merged with the other component divided by the polarization beam splitter to efficiently obtain linearly polarized light. 2. A light source device having a light source, a condenser lens, a plurality of polarization beam splitters, and a polarization rotating / reflecting means, wherein the light of the light source is converted into a light beam by the condenser lens, and the light beam has a polarization film surface of 90 °. A pair of polarization beam splitters facing each other so that one of the linearly polarized light components is transmitted and the traveling direction of the orthogonally polarized light component is inverted by two reflections, and the inverted light is emitted from the opposite side of the light source. Polarized light which is efficiently obtained as a linearly polarized light by being combined with the other component separated by the polarization beam splitter by being reflected by the polarization rotation reflecting means placed on Light source device. 3. A transparent plate-shaped member having at least one two surfaces on a flat surface sandwiching the apex angle of a right-angled prism, and a transparent plate-shaped member having a shape complementary to the transparent plate-shaped member. A polarizing component that is optically bonded with a film in between. 4. A light source device comprising a light source, a condenser lens, the polarizing component according to claim 3, and a polarized light rotating / reflecting means, wherein the light of the light source is converted into a light beam by the condenser lens, and the light beam is emitted from the light beam. By the polarizing component described in 1 above, one of the linearly polarized light components is transmitted, the traveling direction of the orthogonally polarized light component is inverted by two reflections on the polarizing film surface, and the inverted light is placed on the opposite side of the light source. A polarized light source device characterized in that linearly polarized light is efficiently obtained by reflecting with rotation of a polarization plane by a polarized light rotating / reflecting means and joining with the other polarized light component transmitted through the polarizing component. 5. A light source device comprising a light source, two sets of condenser lenses, a reflection means, and a transparent member having a prism array on one surface, wherein the light of the light source is made into two light beams by each condenser lens. Each light beam is deflected by the reflecting means so that both beams intersect,
A polarized light source device characterized in that the two beams are combined into one beam by the transparent member in which a prism is installed at a position where the two beams intersect so as to face the side where the light beam is emitted. 6. A light source device comprising a light source, two sets of condenser lenses, a reflection means, and a transparent member having a prism array on one surface, wherein the light from the light source is made into two light beams by each condenser lens. The respective light beams are deflected by the reflecting means so as to intersect at an angle of 120 ° or more, and the prism is installed at a position where the both beams intersect so that the light beams are incident on the transparent member. A polarized light source device characterized by being combined into one beam. 7. A light source having two sets of polarized light source devices according to claim 1, wherein the light source is installed in common and installed in different directions, and a transparent member having a prism array on one surface. A device or a light source device to which a reflecting means is further added, in which the outgoing beams of the two sets of polarized light source devices intersect with each other, and those which do not intersect are deflected by introducing reflecting means so that both beams intersect. A polarized light source device characterized in that the two beams are combined into one beam by the transparent member in which a prism is installed at the position where the beams intersect so as to face the side where the light rays are emitted. 8. The two sets of polarized light source devices according to any one of claims 1, 2 and 4 in which light sources are installed in common and installed in different directions, a transparent member having a prism array on one surface, and a reflection means. In the polarizing device, the output beams of the two sets of polarized light source devices are deflected by the reflecting means so as to intersect at an angle of 120 ° or more, and the prism is directed to the side where the light rays are incident at the position where both beams intersect. A polarized light source device characterized in that both beams are combined into one beam by the installed transparent member. 9. The polarized light rotating / reflecting means has a large number of reflecting mirror surfaces arranged in a direction orthogonal to a ridge line formed by the adjacent reflecting mirror surfaces which are adjacent to each other on a plane or a spherical surface. 7. The prism reflection surface is a prism reflection surface which is arranged such that the reflection mirror surface arrangement direction forms an angle of 45 ° with respect to a polarization surface of incident light. Alternatively, the polarized light source device according to item 8. 10. The polarized light source device according to claim 9, wherein a phase plate is arranged in front of the reflecting means. 11. The polarized light source device according to claim 1, wherein the reflecting means is a ¼ wavelength plate and a plane mirror or a spherical mirror which are superposed on each other.