KR20070023656A - Apparatus, method, and computer program product for substrated/componentized waveguided goggle system - Google Patents

Abstract

Apparatus and methods for substrate-supported goggle systems and componentized goggle systems are presented. The electronic goggles device herein includes one or more semiconductor substrates, each substrate supporting a plurality of unitary waveguide structures. Each waveguide structure includes one guide channel and one or more boundary regions to propagate the radiation signal from the input to the output. Each substrate also supports an influencer system, which is connected to the waveguide structure in accordance with a control signal to independently control the amplitude of the radiation signal at the output. The display system supported by this substrate arranges the output of multiple waveguide structures in a presentation matrix. The substrate-supported head-mounted eyeglass structure also arranges the presentation matrix in the user's field of view. The method of operation comprises the steps of: a) propagating a radiation signal through a plurality of waveguide structures, supported on one or more substrates, and arranged in a presentation matrix, wherein each waveguide structure carries a radiation signal from an input to an output. Providing a guide channel and at least one boundary region for propagation, b) independently controlling the amplitude of each radiation signal at the output of the corresponding waveguide structure, c) controlling the amplitude of the radiation signal for the plurality of waveguide structures And collectively form a display system from this series of amplitude control radiated signals, and d) placing the display system within the field of view of the user.

Description

Apparatus and method for a substrate / component waveguide goggle system {APPARATUS, METHOD, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR SUBSTRATED / COMPONENTIZED WAVEGUIDED GOGGLE SYSTEM}

The present invention relates to a transport for propagating radiation, and more particularly, to a waveguide having a waveguide channel comprising optically active components that improve the responsiveness of the waveguide's radiation-affecting properties to external influences. Invention.

The Faraday effect corresponds to the phenomenon that the plane of polarization of linearly polarized light (linearly polarized light) rotates when light propagates parallel to the magnetic field through a transmissive medium located within the magnetic flux. The magnitude of the polarization rotation varies with the strength of the magnetic field, the inherent Verdet constant, and the optical path length. The experimental rotation angle is given by

β = VBD (Equation 1)

In this case, V is called a Verdet constant, B is a magnetic field, and d is a propagation distance belonging to the magnetic field. In quantum mechanics, Faraday rotation is known to occur because the supply of a magnetic field changes the energy level. Faraday rotators used as optical separators, or discontinuous materials (eg, iron-containing garnets) with high Verdet constants for magnetic field measurements (such as induced by current in one way to assess current strength). ) Is known. The optical separator includes a Faraday rotator that rotates the plane of polarization by 45 degrees, a magnet for magnetic field supply, a polarizer, and an analyzer. Conventional optical separators are bulk separators in which no waveguides (eg, optical fibers) are used.

In conventional optics, magneto-optic modulators have been fabricated with discontinuous crystals containing paramagnetic and ferromagnetic materials such as garnets (eg, yttrium / iron garnets). Such devices require significant magnetic field control. Magneto-optical effects are also used in thin film technology. In particular, magneto-optical effects are used to fabricate non-reciprocal devices such as non-reciprocal juncitons. Such devices are based on mode conversion by the Faraday effect or by the Curtain-Moutton Effect.

Another disadvantage of using paramagnetic and ferromagnetic materials in magneto-optical devices is that these materials can adversely affect radiation properties other than the polarization angle. For example, it can affect amplitude, phase, frequency, and so on.

The prior art uses discrete magneto-optical bulk elements (eg, crystals) to collectively form the display device. Such known displays have several disadvantages. For example, there is a high cost per pixel, a high operating cost to control individual pixels, an increase in control complexity that does not apply well to a relatively large display device.

Conventional imaging systems can be broadly classified into two categories. That is, it can be classified into a flat panel display (FPD) and a projection system (including a cathode ray tube (CRT)). In general, the dominant techniques for both kinds of systems are not the same. But there are exceptions. These two categories face different requirements in terms of projection technology, and existing technologies cannot meet these requirements.

One major requirement in traditional flat panel displays is cost. In other words, it is expensive compared to CRT displays.

To implement a set of imaging standards such as resolution, brightness and contrast, FPD technology is three to four times more expensive than CRT technology. However, CRT technology also has its drawbacks. In particular, the larger the display area of the CRT, the larger the disadvantages. In other words, the CRT is a large volume and weight disadvantage. By pursuing thin displays, a number of technologies are being developed in the FPD domain.

The high cost of FPDs is due to the use of precise device materials for liquid crystal diode technology and gas plasma technology. Due to the irregularities of the nematic materials used in LCDs, the defect rate is high. An array of LCD elements having defects in individual cells is a factor in excluding the entire display, or there is a problem of replacing defective elements at high cost.

In the case of LCD and gas plasma technologies, the inherent difficulty in controlling liquids or gases when manufacturing such displays is a very fundamental limitation in terms of technology and cost.

An additional source of high cost is that in the prior art each light valve / emitting element requires a relatively high switching voltage. In order to rotate the nematic material of the LCD display, accordingly, when the polarization of the light passing through the liquid cell changes, or to excite the gas cell of the gas plasma display, a relatively high voltage is required to obtain a fast switching speed in the imaging element. Required. In the case of LCDs, an "active matrix" in which individual transistor elements are assigned to each imaging position is a high cost solution.

As image quality standards rise, such as high-definition (HD) TVs, conventional FPD technology cannot derive image quality at a competitive price compared to CRT. Implementing 35mm film-level resolutions that are currently technically feasible is costly for consumers, regardless of their TV or computer display.

In the case of projection systems, there are two subclasses. That is, there is a television (or computer) display and a theater movie projection system. Relative cost is a major concern when compared to 35mm movie projection equipment. However, in the case of HD TVs, projection systems are inexpensive solutions in the light of conventional CRT, LCD FPD, or gas plasma FPD.

Current projection system technology faces another requirement. HDTV projection systems face the challenge of minimizing display depth while maintaining uniform image quality within relatively short distance constraints to the display surface. This balance setting leads to a less satisfactory trade-off at the expense of a relatively low cost.

The technically challenging lead in projection systems is in the field of movie theaters. Motion picture screen equipment is an application area that has emerged for projection systems, in which the problems of uniform image quality versus console depth do not generally apply. Instead, it should be comparable to the quality of a conventional 35mm movie projector, and the cost should be competitive. Existing techniques, including direct drive image optical amplifiers (D-ILA), digital light processing (DLP), and grating-light-valve (GLV) based systems, are based on the quality of conventional film projection equipment, but There is a significant cost difference compared to movie projectors.

The direct drive image optical amplifier is a reflective liquid crystal light valve device developed by JVC Projector. The drive integrated circuit (IC) writes the image directly to the CMOS based light valve. Liquid crystals change the reflectance in proportion to a single level. These vertically aligned crystals achieve very fast response times with rise + fall times less than 16 milliseconds. Light from a xenon or ultra high performance (UHP) metal halide lamp passes through a polarizing beam splitter, is reflected off a D-ILD element and projected onto a screen.

At the heart of the DLP projection system was the Dr. There is an optical semiconductor known as a digital micromirror device (or DMD chip) developed by Larry Hornbeck. This DMD chip is a sophisticated optical switch. The chip contains a rectangular array of up to 1.3 million hinge-mounted micromirrors, each measuring a distance shorter than one fifth of the hair's width, corresponding to one pixel of the projected image. When a DMD chip is matched with a digital video or graphic signal, a light source, and a projection lens, the mirrors reflect all digital images on the screen or other surface. DMDs and sophisticated electronic devices surrounding them are called digital light processing technologies.

A process called GLV (Grating Light Valve) is being developed. Prototype devices based on this technology achieve a contrast ratio of 3000: 1 (contrast ratios of typical high-end displays are only 1000: 1). The device uses three lasers selected for specific wavelengths for color realization. The three lasers are red (642 nm), green (532 nm), and blue (457 nm) lasers. The process uses MicroElectroMechanical (MEMS) technology and consists of a microribbon array with 1,080 pixels in a line. Each pixel consists of six ribbons, three of which are fixed, and three of which move up and down. When electrical energy is supplied, three movable ribbons form a diffraction grating to filter the light.

The cost mismatch problem is due to the inherent difficulty faced by these technologies in achieving some key image quality at low cost. In the case of micromirror DLP, it is not easy to implement a contrast related to the "black" quality. GLV does not face this difficulty, but instead faces the difficulty of effectively implementing film-like intermittent images using line-array scan sources.

Existing technologies based on LCD or MEMS are also constrained by the economics of producing devices with a 1K x 1K array of devices (eg, micromirrors, liquid crystals on silicon (LCoS), etc.). The defect rate is high in chip-based systems when including the number of such devices operating at the required technical standard.

It is well known to use stepped refractive indices with Faraday effects for various communication applications. Applications in the field of telecommunications are well known. However, there is a fundamental problem in applying the Faraday effect to the optical fiber. This is because the communication properties of existing optical fibers related to dispersion and other performance are not optimized for the Faraday effect, and in some cases are degraded by the optimization for the Faraday effect. In some existing optical fibers, a 90-degree polarization rotation is achieved by applying a magnetic field of 100 Ersteds for a path length of 54 meters. The desired magnetic field can be obtained by arranging the optical fiber inside the solenoid and generating a desired magnetic field by applying a current to the solenoid. For communication purposes, a 54 meter path length is acceptable given that it is designed for use in systems with a total path length measured in kilometers.

Another existing use for the Faraday effect in the field of fiber optics is a system that places low-speed data transmissions over existing high-speed data transmissions over fiber optics. The Faraday effect is used to slowly modulate high-speed data to provide out-of-band signaling or control. This use is also implemented for communication purposes as a dominant consideration.

In these existing applications, the optical fiber is designed for communication purposes, and any modifications to the optical fiber properties that participate in the Faraday effect are not allowed to prevent communication property degradation. The aforementioned communication properties generally include attenuation and performance performance indicators, for example, for fiber channel lengths in kilometer units.

When performance indicators of optical fibers are implemented at acceptable levels for communication, optical fiber fabrication techniques are developed and refined to efficiently and inexpensively produce very long, optically pure and uniform optical fibers. High-level overview of the fiber fabrication process includes preform glass cylinder fabrication, fiber drawing from preform, and fiber test. Typically a preform blank is produced. Preform blanks are fabricated using a modified chemical vapor deposition (MCVD) method that bubbles oxygen through a silicon solution with the necessary chemical composition to obtain the desired properties of the final fiber (eg refractive index, coefficient of expansion, melting point, etc.). do. Gas vapors are delivered into synthetic silica or quartz tubes in certain shelves. This shelf rotates and the torch moves along the outside of the tube. By heat from the torch, species of the gas react with the coral to form silicon dioxide and germanium dioxide. These dioxides are deposited inside the tube and combine together to form glass. This process results in the formation of blank preforms.

After the blank preform has been formed, cooled and tested, the preform is placed inside a fiber drawing tower with the preform on top near the graphite furnace. This furnace melts the tip of the preform, creating a melting "glob" that begins to descend due to gravity. When this drop falls, it cools to form a thin glass. This thin glass is threaded through a series of processing steps. In this case, a series of processing steps are steps of applying the desired coating, curing the coating, and attaching it to the tracker, which pulls the thin glass at a computer controlled speed, The glass will have the desired thickness. The fibers are drawn at a speed of 33 to 66 feet per second, and the drawn glass is wound into a spool. Often these failures have fibers longer than 1.4 miles.

The finished optical fiber is tested. Such tests include testing of property indicators. The performance indicators, the tensile strength (100,000 paundeu / in ² or more), the refractive index profile (the screen and the aperture for the optical defect), the optical fiber structure (core diameter, cladding size, the coating diameter) for a communications grade optical fiber, attenuation (the distance Light degradation of various wavelengths), bandwidth, monochromatic dispersion, operating temperature range, temperature dependence on attenuation, and the ability to transmit light in water.

In 1996, a variant of the above described optical fibers called photon-type crystalline fiber (PCF) was introduced. PCF is an optical fiber / waveguide structure that utilizes a low refractive index microstructured array material in a high refractive index background material. The background material is undoped silica, and low refractive index regions are typically provided by air holes extending along the optical fiber length. PCF can be divided into two categories. That is, it can be divided into a high refractive index waveguide fiber and a low refractive index waveguide fiber.

As with the conventional optical fibers described above, high-index waveguide fibers propagate light within the solid core by means of Crystal Total Reflection (MTIR). Total reflection is caused by the low refractive index of the microstructured air-filled region.

Low-index waveguide optical fibers use photon bandgap (PBG) effects to guide light. As the PBG effect disables propagation in the microstructure cladding region, light is confined to the low refractive index core.

The term “existing waveguide structure” is used to encompass a wide range of waveguide structures and methods, the scope of which structures may be modified as described herein to implement embodiments of the present invention. The properties of the different fiber type auxiliaries are adapted to the different applications in which they are used. Proper operation of a fiber optic system depends on knowing what kind of fiber is used and why.

Conventional systems include single-mode, multimode, and PCF waveguides, and also include various sub-variants thereof. For example, multimode fibers include stepped refractive fibers and progressive refractive fibers, and single-mode fibers include stepped refractive index, coincident cladding, concave cladding, and other novel structures. Multi-mode fibers are designed for short transmission distances and are suitable for use in LAN systems and video surveillance. Single mode fibers are designed for long transmission distances and are suitable for long distance and multichannel television broadcasting systems. Air-clad or instant-connected waveguides include optical wires and optical nano-wires.

A stepped refractive index means that a sharp change in the refractive index with respect to the waveguide is provided. The refractive index of the core is greater than the refractive index of the cladding. Progressive refractive index refers to a structure having a refractive index that decreases away from the core center (eg, the core has a parabolic structure). Single mode fibers have developed several different profiles tailored for specific applications (non-dispersion-shift fiber (NDSF), dispersion-shift fiber (DSF), non-zero dispersion-shift fiber (NZ-DSF) And radiation frequency). An important variant of single mode fiber called polarization-maintenance (PM) fiber has been developed. All other single mode fibers mentioned so far could have randomly polarized light. PM fibers are designed to propagate only one polarization of incident light. PM fibers have features that are invisible to other fiber types. In addition to the core, there are additional longitudinal regions called stress rods. As the name suggests, these stress bars create stresses in the fiber core so that only transmission in one polarization plane is preferred.

As noted above, existing magneto-optical systems, especially Faraday rotors and separators, include magneto-optical materials including rare earth doped garnet crystals and other proprietary materials (eg, yttrium iron garnet (YIG) or bismuth substituted YIG, etc.). Are using them. YIG single crystals are grown using the Floating Zone (FZ) method. In this method, Y ₂ O ₃ and Fe ₂ O ₃ are mixed to form a chemical composition of YIG, after which the mixture is sintered. The resulting sinter is set with one shaft mother stick in FZ furnace, and YIG seed crystals are set on the other shaft. The sintered material is located in the central region between the mother stick and the seed crystals to form the fluid needed to promote the deposition of the YIG single crystal. Light from the halogen lamps is focused in the center region and both shafts rotate. The central region forms a melting zone when heated in an oxygen atmosphere. Under this condition, the mother stick and the seed move at a constant speed, and consequently, the melting zone is moved along the mother stick to grow single crystals from the YIG sintered material.

Since the FZ method grows crystals from the mother stick contained in air, contamination can be eliminated and high purity crystals can be obtained. The FZ method produces ingots measuring 012 x 120 mm.

Bi-substituted iron garnet films are grown by liquid epitaxy (LPE) including LPE furnaces. The crystalline material and PbO-B ₂ O ₃ flux are heated to melt in a platinum crucible. Single crystal wafers (eg, (GdCa) ₂ , (GaMgZr) ₅ O ₁₂ ) are soaked at the molten surface as they rotate, resulting in a Bi-substituted iron garnet film growing on the wafer. Films up to 3 inches in diameter can be grown.

To obtain a 45 degree Faraday rotor, these films are ground to a predetermined thickness, applied with an antireflective coating, then cut into 1-2 mm squares to fit the separator. Because of the large Faraday rotational capacity compared to YIG single crystals, Bi-substituted iron garnet films must be thinned down to the 100 micron level, thus requiring high precision processing.

The new systems provide the fabrication and synthesis of Bi-substituted yttrium-iron-garnet (Bi-YIG) materials, thin films, and nanopowders, and thin film coatings from nGimat Co., Peachtree Industrial Boulevard 5313, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. A combustion chemical vapor deposition (CCVD) system is used for fabrication. In the CCVD process, precursors, metal-containing species used for object coating, are dissolved in a solution that is a combustible fuel. This solution is atomized to form microscopic drops using special furnaces. The droplets carry an oxygen stream to the flame, where combustion occurs. The substrate is coated by simply drawing in front of the flame. The heat from the flame provides the energy needed to vaporize the droplets and react the precursors to deposit on the substrate.

In addition, epitaxial liftoff has been used to implement heterogeneous integration of various III-V and elementary semiconductor systems. However, it is difficult to integrate elements of various other important material systems using certain processors. A representative example of this problem is the system required for on-chip thin film optical separators, incorporating single crystal transition metals on semiconductor platforms. It has been reported to implement epitaxial liftoff in own garnets. Deep ion implamentation is used to create buried sacrificial layers in monocrystalline yttrium iron garnet (YIG) and bismuth-substituted (Bi_YIG) epitaxial layers growing on gadolinium gallium garnet (GGG). Damage caused by implantation leads to large etch selectivity between the sacrificial layer and the rest of the garnet. Phosphoric acid etching leaves the 10 micron thick films away from the original GGG base. Millimeter-sized pieces are transferred to silicon and gallium arsenide substrates.

Furthermore, a multi-layered structure has been reported, called magneto-optic photon crystals, which display a Faraday rotation 140% larger at 748 nm than monolayer bismuth iron garnet films of the same thickness. Current Faraday rotors are typically single crystal or epitaxial films. However, these single crystal devices are relatively large and are difficult to use in fields such as integrated optics. Alternative material systems are also desirable, as the films also display thicknesses on the order of 500 microns. The use of laminated films such as iron garnets, in particular bismuth and yttrium iron garnets, has been studied. The stack consists of four heteroepitaxial layers of 81 nm thick yttrium iron garnet (YIG) over a 70 nm thick bismuth iron garnet (BIG), a BIG center layer 279 nm thick, and four BIG layers over YIG. To fabricate the stack, pulsed laser deposition using an LPX305i 248-nm KrF excimer laser was used.

As noted above, known techniques utilize special magneto-optical materials in most magneto-optical systems. However, it is also known to use the Faraday effect with other magneto-optical materials such as non-PCF fibers by generating the required magnetic field strength (unless communication indicators are compromised). In some cases, later fabrication methods can be used in conjunction with the fabricated optical fiber to provide a special coating for use in certain magneto-optical applications. The above description also applies to special magneto-optical crystals and other bulk implementations, in that post fabrication of prefabricated materials is required to achieve various desired results. This additional work increases the final cost of a particular fiber and additional situations also arise where the fiber does not meet the desired specifications. Since several magneto-optical equipment includes a few magneto-optical components, one can afford a relatively high cost per unit. However, as the number of desired magneto-optical components increases, the final cost (and time) increases significantly, and in devices using hundreds or thousands of such components, the unit cost must be greatly reduced.

Thus, an alternative waveguide that offers advantages over the known art, which can improve the responsiveness of the waveguide's radiation-affecting properties to external influences to increase processability, reproducibility, uniformity and reliability while reducing unit cost. Skill is needed.

Apparatus and methods for substrate-supported goggle systems and componentized goggle systems are presented. The electronic goggles device of the present invention comprises: a) one or more semiconductor substrates supporting a plurality of integrated waveguide structures, each waveguide structure having one guide channel and one or more boundaries for propagating radiation signals from input to output; Said at least one semiconductor substrate characterized by a region, b) an influencer system connected to said waveguide structure in accordance with a control signal to independently control the amplitude of said radiation signal at said output, c) of said plurality of waveguide structures A display system for arranging the output in the presentation matrix, and d) a head-mounted eyeglass structure for placing the presentation matrix in the user's field of view. The method of operation comprises the steps of: a) propagating a radiation signal through a plurality of waveguide structures, supported on one or more substrates, and arranged in a presentation matrix, wherein each waveguide structure carries a radiation signal from an input to an output. Providing a guide channel and at least one boundary region for propagation, b) independently controlling the amplitude of each radiation signal at the output of the corresponding waveguide structure, c) controlling the amplitude of the radiation signal for the plurality of waveguide structures And collectively form a display system from this series of amplitude control radiated signals, and d) placing the display system within the field of view of the user.

A method of fabricating a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises the steps of: a) disposing a plurality of waveguides on one or more substrates, wherein each waveguide structure comprises one guide channel and one or more boundary regions for transmitting a radiation signal from the input. Propagating to an output, b) placing an influencer system adjacent to the waveguide structure in accordance with the control signal, independently controlling the amplitude of the radiation signal at the output, c) presenting the output of the plurality of waveguide structures Arranging in a matrix, and d) placing the presentation matrix in the field of view of the user.

The apparatus, method, computer program, and propagation signals of the present invention provide the advantage of using a modified waveguide fabrication process. In a preferred embodiment, the waveguide is an optical transport, corresponding to an optical fiber or waveguide channel. Specifically, it corresponds to an optical fiber or waveguide channel configured to improve the properties affecting the short range properties of the influencer by including optically active components while preserving the desired properties of the radiation. In a preferred embodiment, the radiation properties to be affected include the polarization state of the radiation, and the influencer uses Faraday to control the polarization rotation angle using a controllable variable magnetic field propagating parallel to the transmission axis of the optical transport. Use the effect. The optical transport is configured to quickly control polarization using small magnetic field intensities for very short optical lengths. The radiation is initially controlled to produce a wave component with one particular polarization. The polarization of the wave component is affected such that the second polarization filter modulates the amplitude of the emitted radiation in accordance with the effect. In a preferred embodiment, such modulation includes the step of quenching the emitted radiation. The present application and related applications provide Faraday structured waveguides, Faraday structured waveguide modulators, displays, and other waveguide structures and methods cooperatively with the present invention.

According to the optical fiber waveguide fabrication technology presented in the present invention for producing inexpensive, uniform and efficient magneto-optical system elements, the waveguides against external influences can have excellent processability, reproducibility, uniformity and reliability while reducing unit cost. An alternative waveguide technique is provided that provides superior advantages over the known art, which improves the reactivity of the radiative impact property of.

1 is a schematic diagram of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a detailed view of a particular implementation of the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 1.

3 is an end view of the final embodiment shown in FIG.

4 is a schematic block diagram of a preferred embodiment for a display assembly.

5 is an illustration of the output ports of the front panel shown in FIG.

6 is a schematic diagram of a preferred embodiment of a portion of the waveguide shown in FIG.

7 is a block diagram of an exemplary waveguide fabrication system for constructing a preferred embodiment of the waveguide preform of the present invention.

8 is a schematic representation of an exemplary fiber drawing system for constructing a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

9 is a schematic diagram of a transverse integral modulator switch / junction element in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

10 is a schematic diagram of a series of fabrication steps of the transverse integral modulator switch / junction shown in FIG.

11 is a schematic diagram of a vertical display system.

12 is a detailed view of a portion of one strip shown in FIG.

FIG. 13 illustrates an alternative preferred embodiment of a display system using a semiconductor waveguide display / projector as a vertical solution using vertical waveguide channels in a semiconductor structure.

14 shows two layers (first layer and second layer) which in turn constitute a "coilform" pattern.

FIG. 15 illustrates an alternative preferred embodiment of a display system for implementing a semiconductor waveguide display / projector with a planar solution using planar waveguide channels in a semiconductor structure.

16 illustrates a transport / influencer system 1600 integrated into a semiconductor structure for propagating radiation signals, in combination with a deflection mechanism that redirects light acting by the waveguide / influencer from a horizontal plane to a vertical plane. Section.

FIG. 17 is a schematic diagram of the display system shown in FIG. 15 showing three subpixel channels producing a single pixel. FIG.

18 illustrates a preferred embodiment for additional implementation of waveguide path structure in a system.

19 is a front perspective view of a preferred embodiment of an electronic goggle system using a substrate waveguide display system.

20 is a side view of the electronic goggles system shown in FIG. 19.

1 is a schematic diagram of a preferred embodiment of the present invention for a Faraday structure waveguide modulator 100. The modulator 100 includes an optical transport 105, a property influencer 110 connected to the optical transport 105, a first property element 120, and a second property element 125.

The transport 105 may be implemented based on optical waveguide structures well known in the art. For example, the transport 105 may be a dedicated optical fiber (typical optical fiber or PCF) having a guide channel comprising one guide region and one or more boundary regions (core and one or more cladding layers). Alternatively, the transport 105 may be a waveguide channel of a bulk device or substrate having one or more such guide channels. The conventional waveguide structure is modified based on the properties of the influencer 110 and the type of radiation properties to be affected.

The influencer 110 is a structure that expresses a property effect on the radiation transmitted to or from the transport 105. Many different kinds of radiation properties can be affected, and in many cases, the specific structure used to affect any given property can vary from implementation to implementation. In a preferred embodiment, the properties that can be used to control the output amplitude of the rotation correspond to the desired influence properties. For example, the radiation polarization angle is one property that can be affected and one that can be used to control the pass amplitude of radiation. The use of another device, such as a fixed polarizer, will control the radiation amplitude based on the polarization angle of the radiation with respect to the propagation axis of the polarizer. The polarization angle control in this example changes the propagation radiation.

However, other kinds of properties can of course be affected and used to control the output amplitude. In general, other elements are used in conjunction with the modulator 100 to control the output amplitude based on the nature of this property and the type and extent of effect on this property. In some embodiments, other properties of radiation other than the output amplitude may be preferably controlled. According to this, radiation properties different from the identified properties need to be controlled, and properties need to be controlled differently in order to implement desired control over the desired properties.

The Faraday effect is just one example of one method of implementing polarization control within the transport 105. A preferred embodiment of the influencer 110 for the Faraday polarization rotational effect utilizes a combination of variable and fixed magnetic fields that appear adjacent to or integrally with the transport 105. This magnetic field is preferably generated as follows. That is, the controlled magnetic field is oriented parallel to the direction of propagation of the radiation transmitted through the transport 105. By appropriately controlling the direction and magnitude of the magnetic field with respect to the transport, the desired level of influence on the radiation polarization angle can be obtained.

In this particular example, it is preferred that the transport 105 is configured to improve and maximize the ability of the properties selected by the influencer 110. In the case of polarization rotational properties using the Faraday effect, the transport 105 is doped, formed, and processed to increase / maximize the Verdt constant. The greater the Verdet constant, the easier it is for the influencer 110 to affect the polarization rotation angle at a given field length and transport length. In a preferred embodiment, the work on the Berdett constant is the main work, and other properties / properties / characteristics on the waveguide of the transport 105 correspond to the auxiliary work. In a preferred embodiment, the influencer 110 is integrally constructed or "strongly" correlated with the transport 105 via a waveguide fabrication process (eg, preform fabrication or drawing process).

Devices 120 and 125 are property devices for the selection / filtering / operation of the desired radiation property to be affected by the influencer 110. Element 120 may be a filter used as a gating element to pass wave components of input radiation having a desired state for proper properties. Alternatively, it may be a processing element that adapts one or more wave components of incident radiation to a desired state for proper properties. Wave components gated / processed from the device 120 are provided to the optical transport 105 and affect the wave component to which the influencer 110 moves.

Element 125 has a cooperative structure for element 120 and operates on the affected wave component. The element 125 is a structure that passes the WAVE_OUT and controls the amplitude of the WAVE_OUT based on the property state of the wave component. The nature and specificities of this control relate to the details of how the affected properties, the property state from the device 120, and how the initial state was affected by the influencer 110.

For example, when the affected property is the polarization property / polarization rotation angle of the wave component, device 120 and device 125 may be polarization filters. Element 120 selects a particular kind of polarization for the wave component, such as right circular polarization. The influencer 110 controls the polarization rotation angle of the radiation as it passes through the transport 105. The device 125 filters the affected wave components based on the final polarization rotation angle relative to the transmission angle of the device 125. In other words, when the polarization rotation angle of the affected wave component coincides with the transmission angle of element 125, WAVE_OUT has a high amplitude. WAVE_OUT has a low amplitude when the polarization rotation angle of the affected wave component intersects the transmission angle of element 125. As used herein, "crossing" means a rotational angle misaligned by 90 degrees with respect to the transmission axis for a conventional polarizing filter.

In addition, it is possible to establish a relative azimuth between the device 120 and the device 125 so that the maximum amplitude of WAVE_OUT, the minimum amplitude of WAVE_OUT, or a predetermined value therebetween can be obtained in the default condition. The default condition means the magnitude of the output amplitude unaffected by the influencer 110. For example, by setting the transmission axis of element 125 in a 90 degree relationship to the transmission axis of element 120, the default condition will be the minimum amplitude of the preferred embodiment.

Device 120 and device 125 may be separate components, or one or more of the two structures may be integral to transport 105. In some cases, the elements may be located locally at the input and output of the transport 105 as in the preferred embodiment, while in other embodiments these elements may be distributed over a particular area of the transport 105 or the transport 105 may be located. It may be distributed throughout.

In operation, radiation WAVE_IN is incident on element 120, and appropriate properties (eg, right circularly polarized light (RCP) rotating components) are gated and processed to deliver RCP wave components to transport 105. The transport 105 allows the RCP wave component to pass through to interact with the device 125, resulting in the wave component WAVE_OUT being output. Incident WAVE_IN has several perpendicular states to the polarization properties (eg right circularly polarized light (RCP) and left circularly polarized light (LCP)). The device 120 creates a specific state for the polarization rotational properties (eg only one state passes through one of the vertical states and blocks the others). The influencer 110 influences the specific polarization rotation of the passing wave component, depending on the control signal, and can change it as specified by the control signal. Influencer 110 may affect polarization rotational properties by a 90 degree range. The element 125 then interacts with the wave component such that the wave component polarization rotation is modulated from the maximum when the wave component polarization coincides with the transmission axis of the element 125 and from the minimum value when the wave component polarization intersects the transmission axis. Implement radiation amplitude. By using element 120, the amplitude of WAVE_OUT can vary from the maximum level to the extinction level.

FIG. 2 is a detailed view of a particular implementation of the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 1. This implementation is intended to simplify the description and should not be limited to this example. The waveguide modulator 100 of the Faraday structure shown in FIG. 1 is a Faraday optical modulator 200 shown in FIG. 2.

The modulator 200 includes a core 205, a first cladding layer 210, a second cladding layer 215, a coil or coil form 220, an input element 235, and an output element 240. Coil 220 has a first control node 225 and a second control node 230. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 2 taken between device 235 and device 240.

Core 205 may have one or more of the following dopants added by standard fiber fabrication techniques. For example, a modification to the vacuum deposition method may be a) a color dye dopant (effectively filtering the modulator 200 from a light source system), and b) YIG / Bi-YIG or Optically active dopants such as Tb, or TGG or other dopants (increasing the Verdet constant of core 205 to achieve efficient Faraday rotation in the presence of a magnetic field). Heating or stressing the fibers during fabrication adds holes or irregularities to the core 205 to further increase the Verdet constant or to implement nonlinear effects.

Many silica fibers are fabricated with higher levels of dopants compared to silica percentages (even 50% dopants are possible). Current dopant concentrations of silica structures in other types of fibers produce Faraday rotations of 90 degrees at tens of microns. Conventional fiber manufacturers continue to implement improvements in increasing dopant concentrations (eg, fibers commercialized by JDS Uniphase) and dopant profile control (eg, fibers commercialized by Corning Incorporated). Core 205 obtains sufficiently high and controlled concentrations of optically active dopants to provide rapid rotation at low power at micron scale distances, and this power / distance value continues to decrease.

The first cladding layer 210 is doped with ferromagnetic daryl molecular magnets, which are permanently magnetized when exposed to strong magnetic fields. Magnetization of the first cladding layer 210 may be implemented before it is added to the core 205 or preform or before the modulator 200 is drawn. During this process, preforms or drawn fibers pass through a strong permanent magnet magnetic field 90 degrees away from the transmission axis of the core 205. In a preferred embodiment, this magnetization is implemented by electro-magnetic elements arranged in one element of the fiber drawing device. A first cladding layer 210 (with permanent magnet properties) is provided that saturates the magnetic domain of the optically active core 205, but the cladding layer 210 provides a rotation angle of the radiation passing through the fiber 200. Does not change. This is because the direction of the magnetic field from the layer 210 is perpendicular to the propagation direction. The related application proposes a method for optimizing the azimuth of the doped ferromagnetic cladding by milling non-optimized nuclei in the crystalline structure.

Since single molecule magnets (SMMs) have been found that can be magnetized at relatively high temperatures, it is desirable to use SMMs as dopants. By using SMM, excellent doping concentration and dopant profile control can be realized. Examples of commercially available single molecule magnets and methods thereof are described by ZettaCore, Inc., Denver, Colorado. The technology commercialized by the company can be mentioned.

The second cladding layer 215 is doped with a ferri / ferromagnetic material and has an appropriate hysteresis curve. Preferred embodiments use short, broad and flat curves when generating the necessary magnetic fields. When the second cladding layer 215 is saturated by a magnetic field generated by an adjacent field generating element (e.g., coil 220) (the field generating element is a signal from a controller, such as a switching matrix drive circuit (not shown)). (Eg driven by a control pulse), the second cladding layer 215 quickly reaches a magnetization level suitable for the degree of rotation desired for the modulator 200. Furthermore, the second cladding layer 215 may be used until subsequent pulses increase the magnetization level (same direction current), refresh (no current or +/- holding current), or decrease the magnetization level (counter current). Maintain magnetization near that level. This residual flux of the doped second cladding layer 215 maintains an appropriate level of rotation over time without a constant supply of magnetic field by the influencer 110.

Proper modification / optimization of the doped ferri / ferromagnetic material may be further affected by ion bombardment of the cladding in the appropriate process step. See US Patent 6,103,010, "Method of Depositing a Ferromagnetic Film on a Waveguide And a Magneto-Optic Component Comprising a Thin Ferromagnetic Film Deposited by the Method," by Alcatel, Paris, France. In this document, a ferromagnetic thin film deposited by a vapor deposition method on a waveguide collides with an ion beam at an angle of incidence that breaks up unaligned nuclei in a preferred crystalline structure. Modification of the crystalline structure is well known in the art and can be used for doped silica cladding in the form of fabrics or doped preform materials. The '010 patent is incorporated herein by reference.

Similar to the first cladding layer 210, a suitable single molecule magnet (SMM) that can be magnetized at relatively high temperatures is preferred as a dopant for the second cladding layer 215 (can provide a good doping concentration).

The coil 220 of the preferred embodiment is fabricated integrally with the fiber 200 to generate an initial magnetic field. This magnetic field from the coil 220 rotates the polarization angle of the radiation passing through the core 205 and magnetizes the ferry / ferromagnetic dopant in the second cladding layer 215. The combination of these magnetic fields maintains the desired rotation angle for the desired period (the time of the video frame when the matrix of fibers collectively forms the display). For the purposes of the present description, a "coilform" is defined similar to the structure of a coil in that it is disposed perpendicular to the fiber axis of the plurality of conductive segments and parallel to each other. As the material performance improves, that is, as the effective Verdet constant of the doped core is increased using a dopant with a high Verdet constant, the need for coils or coilforms surrounding the fiber element is reduced or eliminated, Simpler single band or Gaussian cylinder structures would be practical. These structures are included in the definition of the coilform when performing the function of the coilform.

Given the variables of the equation that specify the Faraday effect (magnetic field strength, distance supplied by the magnetic field, and Verdet's constant of the rotating medium), structures, components, and devices that use the modulator 200 are materials that produce a non-strong magnetic field. It can compensate for the formed coil or coil form. Compensation can be implemented by lengthening the modulator 200, or by further increasing the effective Verdet constant. For example, in some implementations, coil 220 utilizes a conductive material that is a conductive polymer that is less efficient than metal wires. In another embodiment, the coil 220 uses a wider width, fewer windings, instead of being used as a more efficient material. In another case, if the coil 220 is produced by a convenient process but produces a coil 220 with less efficient operation, other parameters may compensate as needed to obtain adequate overall operating performance. have.

There is a trade-off between design parameters such as fiber length, core verst constant, and peak magnetic field output and efficiency of the magnetic field generating device. In view of such a compromise, four preferred embodiments appear in the integrally formed coilform. That is, 1) twisted fiber for coil / coil foam implementation, 2) thin film printed with conductive pattern for multi-layer winding implementation, fiber surrounded by epitaxy method, 3) dip-pen on fiber for coil / coil foam fabrication Print implementation by nanolithography, 4) coated / doped glass fibers, conductive polymers coated or uncoated with metal, or coils / coilforms wound with metal wires fall into four examples.

Nodes 225 and 230 receive signals to induce the generation of the necessary magnetic fields in the core 205, the cladding layer 215, and the coil 220. This signal, in a simple embodiment, is a DC signal with an appropriate magnitude and time interval, which is a DC signal for generating a desired magnetic field to rotate the polarization angle of the WAVE_IN radiation propagating through the modulator 200. A controller (not shown) can provide this control signal when modulator 200 is used.

Input element 235 and output element 240 are provided in a preferred embodiment as a polarizing filter, as separate components, or integrally with core 205. The input element 235 as a polarizer can be implemented in a variety of ways. Various polarization mechanisms may be used to pass light of a single polarization type (circular or linear) to the core 205. The preferred embodiment uses a thin film deposited epitaxially at the input of the core 205. An alternative preferred embodiment utilizes nanoscale microstructure formation techniques used in waveguide 200 to implement polarization filtering for silica in core 205 or cladding layers. In some implementations for the efficient input of light from one or more light sources, the preferred illumination system can include a cavity to repeatedly reflect light of "wrong" initial polarization. Thus, all light eventually has a licensed or "correct" polarization. Additionally, depending on the distance from the illumination source to the modulator 200, polarization maintaining waveguides may be used.

The output element 240 of the preferred embodiment is a "polarization filter" element 90 degrees away from the azimuth of the input element 235 with respect to the default "off" modulator 200. In some embodiments, the default can be made "on" by aligning the axes of the input and output elements. Likewise, other defaults, such as 50% amplitude, can be implemented by proper control from the influencer and proper relationship of input and output elements. The device 240 is preferably a thin film deposited epitaxially at the output terminal of the core 205. The input element 235 and the output element 240 may be configured differently from the configurations introduced herein using other polarization filter / control systems. When the radiation properties to be affected include properties different from the radiation polarization angle (eg, phase or frequency), appropriate gating / processing / filtering of the desired properties as described above to modulate the amplitude of WAVE_OUT according to the influencer. Other input and output functions are used.

4 is a schematic diagram of a preferred embodiment of the display assembly 400. Assembly 400 includes a collection of multiple pixels, each generated by waveguide modulator 200ij, as shown in FIG. Control signals for controlling each influencer of the modulator 200ij are provided by the controller 200ij. The radiation source 410 provides radiation for input / control by the modulator 200ij, and the front panel can be used to arrange the modulator 200ij in a desired pattern or to provide post-output processing of one or more pixels. .

The radiation source 410 may be a single white light source or may be a separate RGB / CMY tuning light source. The radiation source 410 may be spaced apart from the input terminal of the modulator 200ij, may be disposed adjacent to the input terminal, or may be integrally formed with the modulator 200ij. In some embodiments a single radiation source is used, while in other embodiments multiple radiation sources may be used (in some cases one radiation source per modulator 200ij).

As mentioned above, a preferred embodiment of the optical transport of the modulator 200ij includes optical channels in the form of dedicated optical fibers. However, semiconductor waveguides, waveguides, or other optical waveguide channels (eg, channels or regions deeply formed through the material) are included within the scope of the present invention. These waveguides are the basic imaging structure of the display and incorporate an amplitude modulation mechanism and a color selection mechanism. In a preferred embodiment of the FPD implementation, the length of each optical channel is preferably on the order of tens of microns. But it could be another length.

According to one feature of the preferred embodiment, the length of the optical transport is short and can continue to be shortened as the effective verdant value increases or the magnetic field strength increases. The actual depth of the display will be a function of the channel length, but since the optical transport is a waveguide, the path from the source to the output need not be linear. In other words, the actual path can be bent, providing a much shallower effective depth. Path length is a function of Verdet's constant and magnetic field strength, with preferred embodiments providing very short path lengths on the order of millimeters or less. However, longer distances may be used. The length required to obtain the desired level of influence / control on the input radiation is determined by the influencer. In a preferred embodiment of polarized radiation, this control can achieve a 90 degree rotation. In some examples, when the extinction level is high (eg, bright), smaller rotations may be used to shorten the required path length. Thus, the path length is also affected by the degree of desired impact on the wave component.

The controller 405 includes a number of alternatives for the construction and assembly of a suitable switching system. The preferred implementation not only includes a point-to-point controller, but also a 'matrix' that electronically addresses each pixel by structurally combining and holding the modulator 200ij. In the case of optical fibers, the possibility for proper addressing of all-fibers, fabric structures, and fiber elements is inherent in the properties of the fiber components. Flexible meshes or solid matrices are alternative structures.

According to one feature of the preferred embodiment, one or more output stages of the modulators 200ij can be processed to improve their application. For example, the output ends of the waveguide structure, especially when implemented with optical fibers, are heat treated and drawn to form slender ends, otherwise worn, twisted, or shaped to improve light scattering at the output ends. Thus, the viewing angle at the display surface can be improved. Some or all of the modulator output stages may be processed in a similar manner, or otherwise, collectively to produce the desired output structure that yields the desired result. For example, various focal points, attenuations, colors, or other attributes of WAVE_OUT can be controlled from one or more pixels, or they can be affected by the processing of panel positions corresponding to one or more outputs / outputs.

Front panel 415 may be a sheet of optical glass facing the polarizing component or a sheet of other transmissive optical material. It may also include additional functional / structural features. For example, the panel 415 may include a guide or other structure for arranging the output terminals of the modulators 200ij at the desired azimuth angle with the adjacent modulators 200ij. FIG. 5 is a diagram of one arrangement for the output port 500xy of panel 415 shown in FIG. Other arrangements are also possible, depending on the desired display (eg round, oval, and other regular / irregular geometries). If the device requires, the active display area does not have to have adjacent pixels. This allows a ring or donut type display. In another implementation, the output port may focus, distribute, filter, or perform other kinds of post-output processing for one or more pixels.

The optical structure of the display or projector surface may be varied such that the waveguide ends terminate at the desired three-dimensional surface (eg, curved surface). Accordingly, additional focusing capacities may be realized in order with additional optical elements and lenses. These may be included as part of the panel 415. Some applications may require multiple convex, flat or concave surface areas. Each region has different curvatures and azimuths, providing a suitable output form. In some applications, the specific geometry does not need to be fixed and can be dynamically changed to change shape / azimuth / size as desired. Implementations of the invention may create various types of tactile display systems.

In a projection system implementation, the radiation source 410, the switching assembly with the controller connected to the modulator 200ij, and the front panel 415 may be benefited from being spaced apart from each other and housed in separate modules or units. In the case of radiation source 410, in some embodiments, it is desirable to separate the illumination source from the switching assembly because of the heat generated by the types of high amplitude light that are typically required to illuminate a large theater screen. Even when multiple illumination sources are used to dissipate the heat output, the heat output is still large enough to be spaced apart from the switching assembly and the display element. This illumination source is housed in an insulated case with a heat sink and a cooling element. The fibers carry light from the spaced or single illumination source to the switching assembly. The screen may include some features of the front panel 415, or may be used before the panel 415 illuminates a suitable surface.

It may be advantageous to space the switching assembly away from the projection / display surface. By placing the lighting and switching assembly in the projection system base, the depth of the projection TV cabinet can be reduced. Alternatively, in a front projection system using a reflective textile screen, the projection surface may be included in a small ball suspended from the ceiling, or in a small ball placed over a thin ramp pole.

In cinematic projection, the possibility of carrying images by the switching assembly using waveguide structures from units on the floor to small optical units in the projection window area is, among other potential advantages and configurations, the new projector of the preferred embodiment in the same projection space. It suggests a space utilization strategy to accommodate both and conventional film projectors.

The monolithic structures of waveguide strips, which are arranged side by side or bonded together, have thousands of waveguides in each strip, which can produce high-quality imaging. However, the bulk fiber optical component structure can achieve a small projection surface area that is essential in preferred embodiments. Single mode fibers have a diameter small enough to have a cross sectional area of the fiber and to be suitable for display pixels or subpixels.

Additionally, integrated optical device fabrication techniques are expected to implement the attenuator array of the present invention in the fabrication of a single semiconductor substrate or chip.

At the molten fiber projection surface, the molten fiber surface may be milled to obtain curvature for use in focusing the image into the optical array. Alternatively, the fiber ends joined with the adhesive may have a molded tip and may be arranged at their ends in the formed matrix for curved surface implementation.

In projection TVs or other non-theater projection equipment, the option of separating the lighting and switching modules from the projector surface leads to a novel way of implementing a bulky projection TV cabinet structure.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a preferred embodiment of the present invention for a portion 600 of the structural waveguide 205 shown in FIG. 2. Portion 600 is a radiation propagation channel of waveguide 205, typically a guiding channel (eg, a core for fiber waveguide), but may also include one or more boundary regions (eg, cladding for fiber waveguide). Different waveguide structures have different specific mechanisms for improving the waveguide process of radiation propagating along the transmission axis of the channel region of the waveguide. The waveguide comprises a photonic crystal fiber, a dedicated thin film stack of structural materials and other materials. Although the specific mechanism of waveguide varies from waveguide to tube, the present invention can be adapted for use in many different structures.

For the purposes of the present invention, the terms guide region, guide channel, and boundary region mean a cooperative structure for improving radiation propagation along the transmission axis of the channel. These structures differ from waveguide buffers or coatings or post-production processes. In principle, the boundary regions can propagate wave components propagating through the guide region, while the rest of the waveguides do not. For example, in a multimode fiber waveguide, significant energy of higher order moduli propagates through the boundary region. One difference is that the guide area / boundary area is substantially transparent to propagation radiation and the other support structures are substantially impermeable.

As discussed above, the influencer 110 cooperates with the waveguide 205 to affect the nature of the wave component propagating as it is transmitted along the transmission axis. The portion 600 is said to have an influencer response attribute, which in a preferred embodiment is configured to improve the property response of the propagation wave to the influencer 110. Portion 600 includes a number of components. For example, rare earth dopants 605, holes 610, irregular structures 615, microbubbles 620, and other devices 625. They may be placed in the guide area or one or more border areas to satisfy a particular implementation. In a preferred embodiment, portion 600 has a very short length and is typically shorter than 25 millimeters. It may be much shorter than this. Influencer response properties improved by these components are optimized for short length waveguides. An example is shorter lengths compared to telecommunications fibers optimized for very long lengths above the kilometer, including attenuation and wavelength dispersion. The components of portion 600 are optimized for different applications, which can greatly degrade the communication utilization of the waveguide. The presence of components is not intended to degrade communication use, and the focus of the preferred embodiment on improving the response attribute of the influencer for the communication attribute enables the occurrence of such degradation, but is not a disadvantage of the preferred embodiment.

The present invention contemplates that there are several different wave properties that can be affected by different configurations of the influencer 110. The preferred embodiment targets the Faraday effect related nature of the portion 600. As described above, the Faraday effect causes a change in polarization rotation in accordance with a magnetic field parallel to the direction of propagation. In a preferred embodiment, the influencer 110 generates a magnetic field parallel to the transmission axis, and in portion 600, the magnitude of rotation is determined by the strength of the magnetic field, the length of the portion 600, and the verdent of the portion 600. Depends on the constant. These components increase the responsiveness of part 600 to the magnetic field. For example, by increasing the effective Verdet constant of the portion 600, it increases the responsiveness.

One important aspect of the technique change in waveguide fabrication and properties according to the present invention is that modifications of the fabrication techniques used to fabricate optically pure communication grade waveguides in kilometer lengths are not optically pure at low kilometer lengths. It makes it possible to fabricate influenza-responsive waveguides that are not (but optically active). As mentioned above, some implementations of the preferred embodiment may use a myriad of very short length waveguides. Forming these aggregates into short length waveguides created from long fabricated waveguides can provide cost savings and other efficiency / benefits. These cost savings and other efficiencies and advantages utilize mature fabrication techniques and equipment that can overcome many of the disadvantages of magneto-optical systems that individually use conventionally produced magneto-optic crystals as system elements. For example, these defects include high production costs, lack of uniformity for many magneto-optical crystals, and relatively large individual components. This limits the size of the collection of individual components.

Preferred embodiments include modifications to the fiber waveguide and the method of fabricating the fiber waveguide. The optical fiber is a filament of a transparent dielectric material (eg, glass or plastic), and generally has a circular cross section for guiding light. In early optical fibers, the cylindrical core was surrounded by a cladding of similar structure. The optical fibers guided the light by providing a core with a refractive index slightly greater than the refractive index of the cladding layer. Other fiber types provide another guiding mechanism. One object of interest herein is that the optical fiber comprises photon crystalline fiber (PCF) as described above.

Silica (silicon dioxide (SiO2) is the basic material for making the most common communication grade optical fibers. Silica can exist in crystalline or amorphous state and exists in nature in an impure form, such as quartz and sand. This is an optical constant that represents the strength of the Faraday effect: For most materials, such as silica, the Verdet's constant is very small and depends on the wavelength, which is very large for materials containing paramagnetic ions such as terbium (Tb). ) Or high Verdett constants are found in terbium-doped dense lighter stones, which have excellent transmission properties and do not cause laser damage.The Faraday effect is not monochromatic (i.e. wavelength). Verdet's number is a function of wavelength, at a wavelength of 632.8 nm, The Verdet constant was reported as -134 radT-1 and decreased to -40 radT-1 at the 1064 nm wavelength, indicating that a device built at a given rotational dynamic at one wavelength will exhibit smaller rotations at longer wavelengths. it means.

The components may, in some embodiments, include an optically active dopant, such as YIG / Bi-YIG, or Tb, or TGG, or other optimal function dopant. This increases the waveguide Verdet constant to obtain efficient Faraday rotation in the presence of a magnetic field. Heating or stress during the fabrication process can further increase the Verdet constant by adding additional components (eg, holes or non-uniformities) to the portion 600. Rare earth materials used in conventional waveguides are used for passive improvement of transmission property devices and are not used in optically active applications.

Dopants are found because silica optical fibers are made of high content of dopants relative to silica percentages (eg 50% dopant), and because the required dopant concentrations achieve 90 degrees of rotation at tens of microns or less in other types of silica structures. Given the improvements in concentration increase (eg fibers from JDS Uniphase) and dopant profile control (eg fibers from Corning Incorporated), control is high enough and easily enough to induce rotation at low power at micron scale distances. The concentration of the photoactively active dopant can be obtained.

7 schematically illustrates an exemplary waveguide fabrication system 700 for implementing a preferred embodiment of the waveguide preform of the present invention. System 700 represents a modified chemical vapor deposition (MCVD) process for fabricating a glass rod called 'preform'. Preforms from conventional processes are solid rods of very pure glass, accurately replicating the optical properties of the desired fiber, and their linear size is more than doubled. However, system 700 creates a preform that does not emphasize optical purity, while optimizing for short length optimization of the influencer response. Preforms are generally manufactured using one of the following chemical vapor deposition methods. 1. Modified Chemical Vapor Deposition (MCVD), 2. Plasma Modified Chemical Vapor Deposition (PMCVD), 3. Plasma Chemical Vapor Deposition (PCVD), 4. External Vapor Deposition (OVD), 5. Vapor Axial Deposition (AVD) ). All these methods are based on high temperature chemical vapor reactions that form oxides, which are deposited into a layer of glass particles called "soot" inside a glass tube or outside a rotating rod. The same chemical reaction occurs in this method.

Various liquids (eg, starting materials are SiCl ₄ , GeCl ₄ , POCl ₃ , and solutions of gaseous BCl ₃ ) providing a source of Si and dopants are heated in an oxygen gas atmosphere, each liquid being heated bubbler Located in 705, gas is supplied from a source 710. These liquids are vaporized in an oxygen stream controlled by a mass-flow meter 715 and, using this gas, silica and other from the combustion of the glass producing halides on the silica-shelf 720. Other oxides are formed. A chemical reaction called oxidation occurs in the vapor phase: GeCl ₄ + O ₂ => GeO ₂ + 2Cl ₂ SiCl ₄ + O ₂ => SiO ₂ + 2Cl ₂ 4POCl ₃ + 3O ₂ => 2P ₂ O ₅ + 6Cl _{2 4} BCl ₃ + ₃ O ₂ => 2B ₂ O ₃ + 6Cl ₂

Germanium dioxide and phosphorus pentoxide increase the refractive index of the glass, and boron oxide reduces it. These oxides are known as dopants. Other bubblers 705 including appropriate components for improving the influencer response properties of the preform can be used in addition to the components shown.

By changing the composition of the mix during the process, the component profile and refractive index profile of the preform can be affected. The flow of coral is controlled by the mixing valves 715 and the reactive vapor 725 enters the silica pipe 730 including the heating tube 735 where oxidation occurs. Although chlorine gas 740 exits the tube 735, oxide compounds are deposited in the tube in the form of a flexible 745. The concentration of iron and copper impurities decreases from 10 ppb in the stock solution to less than 1 ppb in the cast 745.

Tube 735 is heated using transverse H ₂ O ₂ burner 750 and continues to rotate to vitrify cast 745 into glass 755. By adjusting the relative flow of the various vapors 725, several layers with different refractive indices can be obtained, for example, with a variable core refractive index profile for GI fibers, or with a cladding versus core configuration and refractive index difference. After the layering is complete, the tube 735 is heated and the tube collapses into a rod form with a round solid cross section (called a "preform rod"). At this stage, the essence is to fill the material tightly without leaving the center of the rod empty. The preform rods are placed in the furnace for drawing, which will be described with reference to FIG. 8.

The main advantage of MCVD is that reactions and depositions occur in closed spaces, making it difficult for unnecessary impurities to enter. The refractive index profile of the fiber is easy to control, and the precision required for the SM fiber can be implemented relatively easily. The equipment is simple to configure and control. A potentially important limitation of this method is that the size of the tube substantially limits the rod size. Therefore, this technique typically forms fibers of 35 km in length, at most only 20-40 km. In addition, impurities in silica tubes such as H ₂ and OH- tend to diffuse into the fibers. In addition, the process of melting the deposit to remove the hollows of the preform rods causes a decrease in the refractive index of the core, which makes the fibers unsuitable for communication. However, this is not a concern of the present invention. In terms of cost, a key disadvantage of this method is that the deposition rate is slow because indirect heating is used. In other words, the tube 735 does not directly heat steam, but initiates an oxidation reaction to liberate pliability. The deposition rate usually corresponds to 0.5-2 g / min.

Changes in the process described above produce rare earth doped fibers. To produce the rare earth doped fibers, the process begins with a preform doped with rare earths. Typically produced using a solution doping process. First, an optical cladding composed mainly of fused silica is deposited inside the substrate tube. Core materials, which may also include germanium, are deposited at low temperatures to form diffusion and transmission layers known as "frits." After frit deposition, this partially completed preform is sealed at one end and removed from the shelf, for example, supplied with a solution with the appropriate salt of the desired rare earth dopant, such as neodymium, erbium, iterium, and the like. After a specified time period, this solution penetrates frit. After removing the excess solution, the preform is returned to the shelf to dry and consolidate. During consolidation, the gaps in the frit collapse and surround the rare earth. Finally, a controlled collapse at high temperatures occurs in the preform, forming a solid rod of glass. That is, rare earths are incorporated into the core. Inclusion of rare earths in fiber cables is not optical activity. That is, it does not react to electricity or magnetic or other perturbations to affect the properties of the light propagating through the doped medium. Conventional systems are a result of what is currently sought to increase the content of rare earth dopants to improve the passive transmission characteristics of waveguides, including communication properties. However, increasing the content of the waveguide in the waveguide core / boundary is preferred in affecting the optical activity of the compound medium / structure in the preferred embodiment. As mentioned above, in a preferred embodiment, the silica to dopant content is at least 50%.

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary fiber drawing system 800 for constructing a preferred embodiment of the present invention from a preform 805, such as a preform made from the system 700 shown in FIG. System 800 converts preform 805 into filaments that are as thin as hair. This is usually done by a drawing process. The preform 805 is mounted to a supply mechanism 810 attached near above the tower 815. The mechanism 810 lowers the preform 805 until the tip enters the high purity graphite furnace 820. Pure gases are injected into the furnace to provide a conductive atmosphere. In the furnace 820, a tightly controlled temperature approaching 1900 degrees Celsius softens the tip of the preform 805. When the softening point of the preform tip is reached, gravity causes the molten mass to freely descend and elongate into thin strands.

The operator stitches this fiber strand through a laser micrometer 825 and a series of processing stations 830x, creating a transport 835 which is threaded by the tractor 840, and then the drawing process begins. . This fiber is drawn by a tractor 840 disposed under the drawing tower 815 and then wound on a winding drum. During drawing, the preform 805 is heated to an optimum temperature to obtain the ideal drawing tension. Drawing speeds of 10 to 20 meters / second are frequently used in the art.

The fibers drawn during the drawing process are controlled to 125 microns within a tolerance of only 1 micron. Laser-based diameter gauge 825 monitors the diameter of the fiber. Gauge 825 samples the diameter of the fiber at a rate of over 750 times per second. The actual value of this diameter is compared to a 125 micron target. Small deviation from the target results in a change in the drawing speed and is fed to the tractor 840 for calibration.

Processing station 830x typically includes dies for feeding the fiber with a soft inner coating and a hard outer coating. These two part protective jackets provide mechanical protection against manipulation, while maintaining the original surface of the fiber from harsh environments. These coatings are cured by an ultraviolet lamp and consist of a portion of the same or other processing stations 830x. Other stations 830x may provide an apparatus / system for increasing the influencer response attribute of the transport 835 when passing through this station. For example, various mechanical stressors (stress providers), ion bombardment, or other mechanisms can be provided to supply influencer response property improvement components in the drawing phase.

After being bound to the spool, the drawn fiber is tested for appropriate optical and geometric parameters. In the case of transmission fibers, the tensile strength is tested to ensure the minimum tensile strength for the fibers. After the first test, several other tests are carried out, in the case of the fiber for transmission, a test for the transmission properties. This test includes attenuation (reduced signal strength over distance), bandwidth (information carrying capacity, important measurements for multimode fibers), numerical aperture (measurement of the optical acceptance angle of the fiber), and cutoff wavelength (above this wavelength in single mode fibers). Propagation in single mode only), mode field diameter (radial width of optical pulses in fiber in single mode fiber, important for interconnection), and monochromatic dispersion (with different wavelengths propagating at different speeds through the core) Diffusion of light pulses due to light rays, in single mode fibers, which is a limiting factor for information carrying capacity).

As presented herein, a preferred embodiment of the invention employs optical fiber as a transport and implements amplitude control using a linear Faraday effect. The Faraday effect is a linear effect. That is, the change in the polarization rotation angle of the propagating radiation is directly proportional to the magnitude of the magnetic field supplied in the propagation direction and the Verdet constant of the material to which the radiation propagates. However, the material used for the transport may not have a linear response to the induced magnetic field from the influencer or the like in establishing the desired magnetic field strength. In this regard, the actual output amplitude of the propagating radiation can be nonlinear, depending on the supply signal from the controller, the influencer magnetic field or polarization, the WAVE_IN, or any other property or characteristic of the modulator. For this discussion, the characteristics of a modulator in terms of one or more system variables are called the modulator's property profile.

Textile fabrication processes continue to evolve. In particular, advances have been made in improving doping concentrations and dopant profiles, manipulation of periodic doping of fibers, and the like. US Patent 6,532,774, "Method of Providing a High Level of Rare Earth Concentrations in Glass Fiber Preforms," discloses an improved process for simultaneous doping of multiple dopants. By succeeding in increasing the concentration of dopants, it is possible to improve the linear verdet constant of the doped core and the performance of the doped core to promote nonlinear effects.

Any given attribute profile can be tailored to suit a particular embodiment. For example, it can be customized by controlling the composition, azimuth, alignment state of the modulator, and the like. For example, by changing the materials that make up a transport, you can change the extent to which the influencer affects a particular propagation wave component or change the ability of the transport to affect it. However, this is only one example of the composition attenuation profile. The modulator of the preferred embodiment can implement attenuation smoothing such that different waveguide channels have different attenuation profiles. In some implementations with an attenuation profile dependent on the polarization side, for example, the modulator has left polarization with an attenuation profile different from that used for the complementary waveguide channel of the second transport for the right polarization wave components. You can provide wave components to the transport.

In addition to the above, which provides different material compositions for the transport, there are additional mechanisms for adjusting the attenuation profile. In some embodiments, wave component generation / modification may not be a strict “commutative” manner, depending on the order of modulator 4100 elements across which propagation radiation traverses from WAVE_IN to WAVE_OUT. In this case, the attenuation profile can be changed by providing different ordering of the non-switched devices. However, this is just one example of a constituent attenuation profile. In other embodiments, different attenuation profiles can be generated by building different rotational biases for each waveguide channel. As mentioned above, some transports are configured with a specified azimuth angle between the input polarizer and the output polarizer / analyzer. For example, this angle may be 0 degrees (“normal on” channel) or 90 degrees (“normal off” channel). Any given channel can have different responses in various angular displacement regions. Different channels are biased into different displacement regions, and the influencer affects the wave component propagating about this biased rotation. This is just one example of the attenuation profile. Reasons for having multiple waveguide channels and tailoring / matching / supplementing attenuation profiles for these channels include power savings, efficiency and uniformity of WAVE_OUT.

When obscured by opposite polarization (selector) elements, a variable Faraday rotor or Faraday attenuator generates a variable field in the direction of the optical path, causing the device to rotate the polarization vector (eg, 0 degrees to 90 degrees). ). Accordingly, the enhancement portion of the incident light transmitted through the first polarizer passes through the second polarizer. When no field is supplied, light passing through the first polarizer is completely blocked by the second polarizer. When the appropriate "maximum" field is supplied, 100% of the light rotates at the proper rotation angle and 100% of light passes through the second polarizing element.

The preferred embodiments of the present invention disclosed above provide a very thin and compact, yet flexible or rigid structure using this system, components of the system, manufacturing and assembly methods, and preferred modes of operation, and low cost of manufacture. And has excellent viewing angle, resolution, brightness, and contrast. Generally speaking, it has excellent performance characteristics. The methods and structures described herein do not limit the scope of the embodiments of the present invention, but are necessary to fabricate components of optical fiber based magneto-optical displays, including integral Faraday attenuation and color selection, in fiber optic devices. Accordingly includes all variants relating to the fabrication of the three-dimensional woven switching matrix.

In order to expand upon the previous observations made on the importance of the integral optical fiber optoelectronic component devices disclosed herein, it is of great importance that the three-dimensional fabric assembly of such an integral configuration presents an alternative technique for integral optoelectronic operation. It can be applied directly as a switching matrix for wave division multiplexing (WDM) systems, and more broadly, as an alternative IC technique for LSI and VLSI scaling that optimally combines photon and semiconductor electronic components.

As such, the device of the preferred embodiment of the present application and its fabrication method have a wide range of applications. In addition, the present preferred embodiment can be written in another way. The fabric optical fiber matrix is also formed of a three-dimensional optical fiber fabric structure integrated circuit device configured to form a display output surface array. An application of the preferred embodiment of the present invention outside the rigid field of the display would be a fabric fiber matrix constructed such as a field programmable gate array or the like. The combined advantages of the three-dimensional fabric structure for integrating the elements optimally combine photon-type devices and electronic devices, and each device is implemented according to its strength. IC fibers can be used as high tensile strength self substrates for semiconductor devices and photon devices, and there are multilayer claddings and coatings that implement monolithic structures along depth and perimeter to form a continuous surface around the photon core. The efficiency of both, the cost advantages of fabric weaving in forming optoelectronic fabric blocks, and the cost advantages of fabricating large bundles of fibers offer an important alternative to planar semiconductor wafer techniques.

According to the novel technique presented by the preferred optical fiber embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to combine filaments with optical fibers and other conductive IC structural fibers in a three-dimensional microfabric matrix. Large diameter fibers may have inter-cladding and intra-cladding finished microprocessor devices fabricated integrally. As photon crystalline fibers and other optical fiber structures, especially single mode fibers, approach nano-scale diameters, individual fibers can incorporate only two to four IC features / elements along the cylindrical length. Thus, a composite microfabric matrix is woven into optical fibers of varying diameter and combined with other filaments (including nanofibers). These filaments can be conductive and they can be fabricated with inter-cladding or intra-cladding of periodic IC devices. The fibers can be elements of a large photon-type circulator structure and can be combined or twisted into a microoptical network.

The fibers of this micro fabric matrix can be made from cores and claddings with the same refractive index. For example, it can be fabricated with a transmissive IC structure including coil form / magnetic field generating elements, electrodes, transistors, capacitors and the like. Thus, the woven fabric structure merges with the sol so that when the sol is cured by ultraviolet light, it has the required differential refractive index, so that the inter-fiber / inter-filament sol replaces the individual claddings.

This process can be further developed by saturating the micro fabric structure with a solution of electrostatic self-assembly of nanoparticles. The luming process for the individual filament segments can facilitate the patterning of the fibers and filaments when weaved. However, it will be more flexible to pattern before weaving or when the fibers or filaments are in a semi-parallel combination. The possibility of controlling the structure of the inter-fiber sol through these and other methods well known in the art so that light tapping and photon bandgap switching between fiber junctions is greatly facilitated (see US Pat. No. 6,278,105). Can be said to be clear. An integrated Faraday attenuator optical fiber implemented as a memory element in such an IC structure may be implemented in a cache manner in the structures of LSI and VLSI scale. Field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) provide a wide range of implementations for these IC architecture techniques.

As the maximum bend angle is improved without breaking the waveguide of the optical fibers, the available complexity of the micro fabric structure woven with the optical fiber and other microfilaments will increase. Recent reports on the properties of thin capillary fibers grown by deep sea organics show optical guide structures that can be twisted and bent to the point of doubling back. Three-dimensional weave of the class of microfabric IC systems presented herein will include non-linear weave. For example, a three-dimensional weave that forms a curved surface with a compound, as shown in composite weave turbine structures well known in the art, is exemplified. In general, microfabric device classes and methods of fabrication cover the full range of three-dimensional precision weaving forms known in the art and later developed.

It is expected that microfabrication techniques will further develop into small diameter fibers and filaments using commercially available nanoassembly methods (by Zyvex Corporation and Arryx). Zyvex's nano-manipulator technology can be implemented as a "nanoloom" system, and Arryx's nano-scale optical tweezers are suitable for micro-fabrication processes and additionally Zyvex nano in an efficient mechanical / optical luming technique. Used in combination with manipulators. The operation can be patterned at micro or nano scale for the methods and equipment presented by Albany International Techniweave.

 The well known 1000: 1 speed difference between electrons in conductive media and light in optically transmissive media suggests differences in degrees of freedom in constructing electronic and photon-type devices, and is a semiconductor feature (achievable by this microfabricated IC structure). Loose some constraints by focusing on reducing the size of the wealth. As a result, it enables the optimum mixing of electronic and photon-type switching and circuit path elements. Thus, some fibers can be fabricated with large diameters to support multiple semiconductor device inter-cladding and intra-cladding. Other devices, on the other hand, can have very small diameters by including only a few electronic components. In addition, some devices may have only optical components all. By maximizing the number of photon path elements, small microprocessor structures fabricated on the optimal scale fibers connected by the photon path are possible, thus obtaining a logical output of optimization possibilities.

The presented microwoven IC cube (or other three-dimensional microfabricated structure) consists of any combination of large and small optical fibers and other filaments (conductive, microcapillary, filled with circulating fluid to cool the structure). These may be pure structural configurations or may be conductive configurations.

9 is a schematic diagram of a transverse integral modulator switch / junction system 900 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. System 900 presents a mechanism to redirect radiation propagation of one waveguide channel 905 to another lateral waveguide channel 910 using a pair of ports 915, 920 in the waveguide as described below. do. The first channel 905 is configured to include an influencer segment 925 (ie, integral coilform) and an additional first boundary region 930 and second boundary region 935. Additionally, first channel 905 includes polarizer 940 and corresponding analyzer 945. The first channel includes a lateral polarization analyzer port 950 at a portion of the first boundary region 930 at a location adjacent to the port 915 provided in the second boundary region 935. Additional material 955 is provided surrounding channel 905 and channel 910 at the junction to improve loss through the junction. Material 955 may be a cured sol, may be a nano-self assembly only material, or may be any other material having a desired refractive index. This reduces signal loss and ensures desired alignment of port 915 and port 920. The influencer 925 controls the amount of radiation passing through the port 915 and the polarization of the radiation propagating through the first channel 905 based on the relative polarization angle with respect to the through axis of the analyzer port 950. . Additional structures and operations of system 900 are described below.

The port 915 and the port 920 correspond to the guide structure of the boundary region implemented through the Yongung fiber starter method described below, and may include a GRIN lens structure. These ports can be placed at the correct location in the boundary area, or the ports can be arranged periodically along the length of the channel. In some embodiments, the entire portions of one of the boundary regions may have a desired attribute (polarization or port) structure, and may have one or more corresponding structures in another boundary region at the junction location.

Polarizer 940 and analyzer 945 are additional structures that control the amplitude of radiation propagating down channel 905. The polarizer 940 and analyzer include additional influencer elements for this segment and, in cooperation with the influencer 925, control the radiation signal propagation between the channel 905 and the channel 910.

Inter-fiber switching in this micro-fabric structure can be facilitated by the "lateral" deformation of the integrated micro-Faraday attenuator optical fiber element. The junction point / contact point between fibers placed vertically in the fabric matrix corresponds to the location of a new kind of light tap between the fibers. In cladding 1 of an optical fiber micro-Faraday attenuator according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the cladding is finely configured with periodic refractive index changes to be polarized light filtering (see subwavelength nanogrid from NanoOpto Corporation), or to be asymmetric polarization. In the same section, the refractive index was changed to equal the refractive index of the core (by ion bombardment, electrical energy, heating, optical response, etc.). Alternatively, the entire cladding 1 can be configured to have the same refractive index. Additionally, in addition to the guidance and polarization boundaries achieved by the different refractive indices, structure-geometric configurations (eg, photon bonds and sub Wavelength hole-cavity / grid systems) are also included within the scope of the present invention. In order to simplify the description, the guide and the boundary are described using the refractive index difference. In this case, however, the use of structure-geometry can again be used.

Like the light-taps of Gemfire Corporation, it is fundamentally different from all other existing “light-taps” that is the essence of this variant of the present Faraday-attenuator. In this case, the waveguide collapses itself to connect the semiconductor optical waveguide. The disruption of the waveguide structure implies the destruction of photon-type or electron-photon switching techniques or the effective components of the network, which ensures efficient transmission of optical signals between channels. Like all other types of optical-taps, optical taps are much simpler and more efficient, which do not require additional and complex compensation to control unguided signals between core-areas.

Thus, unlike other light-taps in the known art, the switching mechanism does not activate the polled region to affect the grating structure, nor does it activate the array of electrodes. Rather, the present in-line Faraday attenuator switch rotates the polarization angle of the light propagating through the core and combines the switch with a section of the cladding which is an effective polarization filter, thereby providing a signal through the transverse guidance structure of the claddings of the output and input fibers. Results in switching the precisely controlled portion of the. The speed of this switch corresponds to the speed of the Faraday attenuator, which is contrary to the speed of changing the chemical properties of the relatively wide area covered by the cathode and anode.

In cladding 2 having a refractive index sufficiently different from that of the core (and selective cladding 1) to achieve total reflection in the core (and selective cladding 1), one of the following two structures is fabricated.

a) A progressive refractive index (GRIN) lens structure in the cladding, fabricated according to the method disclosed elsewhere herein, having an optical axis close to a right angle to the fiber axis: the focal path is oriented perpendicular to the axis of the optical fiber or slightly offset Such that light passing from the first channel 905 through the GRIN lens will be connected at the point of contact with the second channel 910 and will also be inserted at right angles to the axis of the second channel 910, or in the preferred direction. Into the second channel 910 at an angle.

b) a simple optical channel with the same refractive index as the core (and additional cladding 1) fabricated by ion implantation, inter-electrode voltage supply in the fabrication process, heating, or other systems, such that the axis of this simple waveguide channel is perpendicular or Has a slight offset.

This micro Faraday attenuator based optical-tab operation, more precisely, the transverse interfiber (waveguide) Faraday attenuator switch passes through the activated integral micro Faraday attenuator section so that when the polarization angle rotates, Depending on the operation of the optical fiber 'tap', when it is guided through cladding 1 to the GRIN lens structure of cladding 2 or to a simpler optical channel (referred to as a leak), and when connected from the output channel to the second channel Is implemented.

The second channel 910 is designed to optimally connect the light received from the first channel 905 by the parallel structure to polarization filtering or asymmetric cladding 1 and back to the core of the second channel 910. Surrounding the interfiber matrix is a cured sol that is injected into the fabric structure, which has a refractive index difference that localizes the light guided between the fibers and ensures connection efficiency.

A novel method of microstructuring claddings can be achieved by presenting a new modification of the MCVD / PMCVD / PCVD / OVD preform fabrication method.

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of a series of fabrication steps for the transverse integral modulator switch / junction 900 shown in FIG. 9. Fabrication system 1000 includes the formation of a block of material 1005 with a plurality of waveguide channels, shown with the thin section of block 1005 removed. Section 1010 is softened and manufactured to form starter wall sheet 1015. Sheet 1015 is rolled to form silica starter tube 1020, thereby creating the desired preform for drawing.

According to this novel method, flexibles are deposited on a silica tube to cause the preform to grow, which takes the form of a cylinder made of thin sheets of rolled and molten fumed silica cross sections. That is, by alternating these differently optimized fibers to implement gratings of thin fiber sections with different refractive indices and different optoelectronic properties, optical fibers with different properties selected for proper doping properties of the cladding and cores are fused. do. And sections of the molten fiber matrix are cut into thin sheets.

These sheets are uniformly heated and softened and bent around the heated forming pins. Thus, a cylinder having a thin wall suitable as a starter for producing a thin preform according to a known preform manufacturing process is derived.

The size of the fibers used in the molten fiber sheet is chosen to derive the optimal size of the resulting transverse structure in the cladding of the drawn fiber. In general, however, the fibers for this application have the minimum fabrication size (core and cladding) possible, and the structure diameter will increase effectively during drawing from the preforms fabricated accordingly. This fiber size may be too small for single mode use with individual fibers. However, if the thickness for the molten fiber section or slice is properly selected, the size of the continuously patterned transverse waveguide structure in the resulting drawn fiber is such that the transverse structure is desired (single-mode, multi-mode) core and cladding size. It can be controlled to have.

To achieve a size suitable for the microstructure, smaller combinations of fibers are melted, softened, drawn, melted with other fibers again before the final fiber arrays are melted along its length, and then cut into sheets to form a cylinder.

In order to facilitate flexibility in implementing such interfiber deformations of the integrated Faraday attenuator device of the present invention, the cores of the optical fiber 1 and the polarizing sections of the cladding 1 at the input and output ends are subjected to ultraviolet excitation well known in the art, or According to the method in the other part of the invention, it can be switchably induced by electrode structures fabricated on the inter- / intra-cladding. Such ultraviolet signals can be generated by devices fabricated with inter- / intra-cladding. By the electrode structure, polarization filtering or switching of the asymmetrical state can be described as optoelectronic, or by the ultraviolet signal, all can be described as optical.

Modifications herein, which are activated by ultraviolet light, correspond to the most preferred embodiment, as are the other embodiments preferred in a particular embodiment.

Such polarization filtering or asymmetric sections of the core and cladding may be described by the term "transient". See US Patent 5,126,874 in this regard. According to this, the filter or asymmetrical elements can be activated or deactivated, switched on or switched off in accordance with the operation of the integrated Faraday attenuator as a variable strength switching element.

Cladding 1 may have the same refractive index as the core and cladding 2 may have a different refractive index. Thus, asymmetry of the cladding alone or polarization filtering results in confinement to the core of the wrong polarization. Thus, when the default setting of cladding 1 is on, the light is confined to the core by polarization filter / asymmetry, and when off, light is guided into the core and cladding 1 and only by cladding 2. The light can then be placed in a section in which the electrode or ultraviolet activating elements are configured. This can be switched to the opposite setting of the default.

In one method for characterizing the operation of a microfabricated three-dimensional IC, an optical fiber includes an IC device and transistors in which micro-guided structures intra and inter-cladding and intra and inter-cladding are integrally formed with these channels, It is constructed transversely with an integral in-line and transverse Faraday attenuator device fabricated as a periodic element of the structure, and the optical fiber is a bus for WDM-type multi-mode pulse signals in the core, through a transverse guidance structure in the cladding. It can also carry semiconductor and photon-like structures in the cladding, which serve as buses or other electronic photon components.

Some fibers may be nano-scale and single mode with single devices fabricated in an intra / inter-cladding manner. Alternatively, it can be of large diameter multi or single mode type which is effectively fabricated using very many semiconductor elements between, within, or on the claddings. The fibers may function as a bus or as a separate switching or memory device, in combination with microstructured IC devices in the fiber, in combination in the entire microfabric structure. The switching thus takes place in the fiber cores, between the core and the cladding, between the elements in the cladding and between the fibers.

50 nm optical nanowires fabricated to have two to five times the tensile strength of spider silk and an atomic level smooth surface by a simple process of winding and heating glass fibers around a sapphire taper and then drawing them at a relatively high speed. Eric Marzur, Limin Tong's proposal at Harvard University, is well suited for implementation in microfabric structures. The near-infrared wavelength in visible light is guided at this subwavelength diameter change of the optical fiber waveguide type, and instead of being confined within the core, it causes the guided light to move internally semi-dissipating along the surface. Light can be coupled with low loss by optically missing coupling between fibers.

By inserting the cladding and coating of the polarization boundary / filter between these nanowires through the scanned sol and then manipulating through the transverse deformation of the integrated Faraday attenuator device, it would provide an additional simplified switching / junction device between the paths. Can be. Micro-fabric IC structures are particularly facilitated by the properties of optical nanowires due to the flexibility of the wires. This causes the IC structure to bend at a right angle, twisting or tying the IC structure.

Kerry Vahala's work at The California Institute of Technology is about the fabrication of optical wires of several tens of microns in diameter, presenting a tiny, ultra-low threshold Raman laser consisting of silica micro-beads and micron scale optical wires. It is also relevant to Vahala's related work and is particularly useful for microfabric structures. The micro-beads interspersed in the microfabrication structure are held in place by the microfabrication structure element and connected to the optical wire to implement additional options for manipulation and signal generation in the three-dimensional IC structure.

The properties of inline and transverse Faraday attenuator switches / junctions, combined with optimal combinations of photon and electronic switching elements, inter-fibers, intra-cladding, and the like, utilize constant optical signals and varying polarization states for the optical pulse region. We present a new way to implement binary logic. This binary logic system thus includes an optical path that is always on. The logic state at this time is manipulated and detected using the polarization angle of the signal. It can change at high speed. Published variations of integrated Faraday attenuator devices deployed in mixed optoelectronic microfabric IC structures can clearly implement this binary logic technique, presenting numerous possibilities for increasing the speed and efficiency of microprocessor and optical communication operations.

These example implementations serve to build a wide range of novel fabric structures and switching structures of the present invention, such as wave division multiplexing switching matrices that optimize photon and semiconductor electronics, and LSI and VLSI IC designs. For example.

The above description focuses on the preferred embodiment of the present invention using individual waveguide channels, such as optical fibers. In this description, periodic references regarding the use of other waveguide channels are included, such as waveguides made from a thin film assembly or formed in a bulk in a substrate or other structure. The following focuses on some of the preferred embodiments for semiconductor waveguide channels.

Fiber optic embodiments and hybrid fiber silicon wafer embodiments describe cost-effectiveness and new applications called "video displays" or projectors, and improve the overall quality of the displayed image over other display types. Write about it. Some of these features are the result of innovative fabrication techniques such as fiber optic fabrics compared to the processes derived by semiconductor fabrication with the characteristics of LCDs, gas-plasma, and other established technologies.

The present invention encompasses implementations that precisely control the path and characteristics of one or more radiation signals to produce various types of magneto-optical displays and projectors. Important elements of these devices include the use of general waveguides and the use of influencer structures (eg, Faraday attenuators) that are integral to the waveguide structure. Thus, regardless of the particular implementation, the advantages of all embodiments and fabrication modes herein can be provided for waveguide based magneto-optic displays. These principles have been described above for individual waveguide channels. These principles apply to other waveguide channels, such as semiconductor and thin film waveguide channels.

Within semiconductor wafer fabrication techniques, semiconductor waveguide based magneto-optic displays are dedicated and projector embodiments known as micro-thin display "applique" systems and methods, and "HDTV display on chips". Particularly suitable for small displays comprising: As a solid-state semiconductor structure that does not contain pressure-sealed components or liquids in a vacuum during fabrication, the semiconductor waveguide embodiments of the present application can realize lower cost and better performance than LCD or gas plasma displays. Has the potential to

Of course, the selection of semiconductor waveguide-based FPDs for non-small displays can be much worse than the selection of fiber-optic magneto-optic based FPDs, due to the well-known cost limitations of semiconductor wafer fabrication of large displays. However, this is not always true and semiconductor waveguide based systems need not necessarily be limited to small thin applications.

As in the case of small display and projector equipment, in some cases the advantages of the semiconductor waveguide based embodiment of the present invention are significant. Depending on the waveguide channel axis for the surface of the semiconductor structure supporting a particular embodiment, semiconductor waveguide based embodiments are divided into two broad categories. In general, the waveguide channel pass axis may be parallel to or perpendicular to the surface.

US Patent 5,598,492, "Metal-Ferromagnetic Optical Waveguide Isolator", filed January 28, 1997, to Hammer; US Patent 6,103,010, "Method of Depositing a Ferromagnetic Film on a Waveguide And a Magneto-Optic," patented to Belouet. Component Comprising a Thin Ferromagnetic Film Deposited by the Method. " Both patents describe planar semiconductor optical waveguide Faraday rotors, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

When using two groups of semiconductor wafer systems, there are two basic variations of the display / projector system in the preferred embodiment of the present invention. That is, 1) an array of "vertically-formed" semiconductor waveguide and Faraday attenuator structures fabricated on a substrate, switched by a passive or active matrix, and 2) a "deflection mechanism" for deflecting incident plane light into the display system. There is a planar semiconductor waveguide comprising a Faraday attenuator structure as an integral planar component with a waveguide structure, in combination with. In the latter case, each waveguide output produces a pixel or subpixel. The above two examples are merely examples, and are not intended to limit the present invention.

A method for the efficient fabrication of vertical and planar semiconductor waveguide elements is a "step and flash" micro-molded imprint method commercialized by Molecular Imprints Corporation of Austin, Texas, USA. Photon subwavelength embossing-etching sourcing (for boundary formation, color filtering, polarization filtering, management, etc.), and nano-scale self-assembly fabrication methods commercialized by NanoSonic Corporation. The above methods and similar "nano-technology" fabrication methods are particularly preferred in preferred semiconductor embodiments of the present invention.

In terms of fabrication processes, see US Pat. No. 6,650,819, "Methods for forming separately optimized waveguide structures in optical materials," issued November 18, 2003 to Petrov. This patent discloses a multi-stage annealing proton exchange (APE) method that optimizes several different semiconductor waveguide components configured differently on a single substrate. This is useful for the fabrication of the vertical and planar waveguide structures described below, and unless otherwise specified, the preferred fabrication method of the masking / etching process is a commercial multi-stage annealing proton exchange process. The contents of the '819 patent are incorporated herein by reference.

11 is a schematic diagram of a vertical display system 1100. Display system 1100 includes a plurality of wafer strips 1105. These strips 1105 are stacked vertically to form a collective display surface 1110 from a matrix of pixels / subpixels generated from the edges of each strip 1105. Each pixel / subpixel is made of a number of structure and alignment modulators connected to a transport channel segment, which transport and modulators are integrally formed in each strip 1105, and each transport and modulator is described in this and related applications. It may have the functionality and arrangement presented. Display system 1100 corresponds to a hybrid type in which each strip 1105 is formed of a wafer with embedded waveguide channels parallel to the wafer surface. The strips are then stacked vertically to form a display system.

System 1100 is implemented by fabricating a stacked strip of planar waveguides in parallel arrays each consisting of thousands of Faraday attenuator waveguide channels. Each strip then has R, G, B die-doped or color filtering channels stacked together up-down to form a sheet of stacked strips with waveguide cores in a “vertical” display structure. The stacked strips of such planar Faraday attenuator waveguide channels form a display array through the output, without deflection, the display surface being formed by looking at the waveguide structure from one side to face outward. The thin substrate and surrounding matrix are those that separate the individual Faraday attenuator waveguide channels. System 1100 utilizes an illumination source that is integrally formed in the transport segment of each pixel / subpixel element or disposed opposite the display surface 1110.

12 is a detailed view of a portion of one strip 1105 shown in FIG. 12, a plurality of transport segments 1205 are shown extending laterally from an input 1210 to an output 1212. At this time, each segment 1205 is parallel to the surface 1220. An influencer element 1225 is connected to each segment 1205 to produce a modulator, with each modulator reacting according to an X-Y addressing grid (single element shown as X 1230 and Y 1235). A portion of strip 1105 shown in FIG. 12 includes two pixels, each pixel having three subpixels that produce radiant signals of a preferred color model (R, G, B subchannel in this case). Have

13 corresponds to an alternative preferred embodiment of display system 1300 that implements a semiconductor waveguide display / projector in a vertical solution using vertical waveguide channels of a semiconductor structure. The display system 1300 includes a molten fiber permeable substrate 1305, in which a plurality of vertical waveguide channels 1310 are disposed. Each channel 1310, when implemented similar to existing optical fibers, includes one or more boundary regions. Specifically, it includes an additional first boundary region 1315 and a second boundary region 1320. The first boundary region 1315 is a material having different refractive indices and is doped with a permanent magnet material. The second boundary region 1320 is a material having different refractive indices and is doped with a ferri / ferromagnetic dopant. The combined influencer element 1325 is made of a coilform layer interconnected by the layer coupler 1330. An X-Y addressing grid 1335 is disposed for independent connection / control of each influencer element 1325.

Formation of this structure by standard semiconductor deposition, masking, and etching is as follows. Doped silica material is deposited on the permeable fused silica substrate. The deposition of the transmissive material is first made, doped with a die, one of the RGB primary colors, and doped with an optically-active dopant. Masking is then implemented, where the rows of circular pillars remain intact. For all remaining rows, etching is done to the substrate between the two rows. Each pillar of the doped material is located directly above the optical fiber of the molten fiber faceplate, these fibers are also die-doped and the size of the silila pillar is the same as the core. The process of forming the rows of pillars is repeated so that a set of RGB rows is formed by a series of deposition and etching.

Then another set of deposition and etching is performed to produce a cylinder of doped material surrounding each pillar having a refractive index different from that of the original pillar. Accordingly, a waveguide structure is fabricated to confine the light input from the molten fiber substrate into the transparent pillar. This “cladding” is also doped with a permanently magnetizable ferromagnetic material (single molecule magnets are preferred) and then exposed to a strong magnetic field set perpendicular to the axis of the light-channel. Otherwise, it is doped with ferry / ferromagnetic material as mentioned in the fiber optic embodiment, which will have residual flux upon magnetization by the surrounding coilform.

When the "cladding" structure is doped with a permanently magnetizable material, a second cladding cylinder is constructed in accordance with the provisions provided for this first "cladding" cylinder. This cladding is doped with a ferri / ferromagnetic material as previously described.

Thereafter, a series of depositions and etchings are performed alternately to form coilforms surrounding the doped waveguide structure. In FIG. 14, two layers constituting the coil foam pattern are illustrated. The partial circle forming the cylinder wall in the first layer is connected to a very thin second layer deposited thereon, perpendicular to the same conductive material. Only a circular, very small segment of the conductive material is masked in the second layer and remains after etching. Thus, a very thin insulating layer is deposited around it.

This process is repeated to deposit a partial circle on the next layer, which is almost identical to the cylinder slice or circle of the underlying layer. This new partial circle or cylinder-wall slice is connected perpendicularly to the underlying layer via a common conductive material in a small arc of the cylinder wall of the insulating layer. By repeating this process, one layer with an almost complete conductive ring around the waveguide pillar and another layer overlaid with only small connecting segments of the same conductive material to maintain current flow around the waveguide are formed alternately, so that the next layer It is formed with a nearly perfect circle around the waveguide filler up to a very thin small segment on top and a layer over this segment.

As several "collar" layers are fabricated, between layers, as needed to generate a field of sufficient intensity to rotate the polarization angle of light passing through the molten fiber substrate at full power (ie, 90 degrees). Many "collar" layers are fabricated, interspersed with thin insulation layers that only have "spots" of conductive material to carry current. From the currently established performance of optically active dopants that function optimally, this can be achieved with only a few windings or color layers.

Thereafter, a conductive grid is formed by standard methods. For example, a conductive grid is formed on the substrate using new methods such as dip-pen nanolithography to treat the 'base' of each of the Faraday attenuator waveguide structures to contact the bottom circle at the input point of the partial circle.

The black matrix is then deposited at thin gaps between Faraday attenuator structures made of semiconductors. If photon-type crystalline materials are used, the difference is that the bandgap structure channels the light and that the refractive index difference of the cladding is not necessary to confine the light. Only a doped cylinder of ferry / ferromagnetic material is needed around the optical channel. In addition, there is a need for doped cylinders of permanently magnetizable material.

Finally, an upper addressing grid is deposited in the black matrix between the waveguide structures. When needed, a black matrix is deposited high relative to the top of the vertical waveguide structure such that transistors addressed by the conductive addressing grid are formed of vertically-aligned semiconductor components along the sides of the waveguide structure. And between the alternating layers required for the coilform structure. An additional black (ie, opaque) matrix is then deposited over the addressing grid and additional vertically-positioned transistors so that the semiconductor wafer structure forms the same height. Finally, optical scattering structures can be deposited at the output points of the vertical waveguide structure, further improving the good dispersion angle from the waveguide structure.

15 corresponds to an alternative preferred embodiment of a display system 1500 for implementing a semiconductor waveguide display / projector with a planar solution using planar waveguide channels in a semiconductor structure. The system 1500 includes one or more illumination sources (not shown) at the edge of the system 1500 that supply very large and extremely narrow waveguide channels to provide uniform illumination to each subpixel. System 1500 includes a plurality of functional layers. That is, the input layer, the rotor layer, and the display layer. In the lower layer, each subpixel row (from the X and Y axes) feeds a very large number of waveguide channels that are extremely narrow in width to provide uniform illumination to each subpixel. Thus, in a preferred embodiment, each row from the Y axis has 1500 waveguide channels (for width 3000), each channel ending at a subpixel of that row. The X and Y axes alternately address the corresponding subpixels. From the X axis, each row has 1350 channels, where the X and Y axes are each on separate layers. In a preferred embodiment, the waveguide channels are photon crystal structure waveguides fabricated to a size of 0.02 microns or less. Each waveguide terminates at a subpixel location and can define a complex path to locate the output location at the desired location for the subpixel. A deflection mechanism is provided at the output location to redirect propagated and amplitude controlled radiation signals from the propagation plane to the display plane. As shown, the display surface is perpendicular to the propagation plane. Along each waveguide channel, one or more influencer / modulator parts / layers are provided to implement desired amplitude control of the radio wave radiation signal. The output of the waveguide channel includes a dispersion element or other optical element to increase the effective size since the waveguide channel is much smaller than the subpixel diameter.

Semiconductor waveguides on continuous wafers parallel to the surface of the display: For each subpixel waveguide rotor element, there is a 45 degree mirror terminal or photon crystal bend (10 micron diameter) that deflects light from parallel to the display surface Thus, it appears outward from the surface to form a subpixel.

The planar semiconductor optical waveguide embodiment of the Faraday attenuator device, combined with a display array, can be used to fabricate a very thin corrugated semiconductor process display structure in which an illumination source is provided from the side parallel to the planar optical waveguide. The illumination source may be of extremely compact form, such as parallel rows of RGB semiconductor laser, VCSEL, or edge-emitting. In principle, this structure may be of a type that allows it to be produced in the form of a thick film on a rigid or flexible substrate (eg, a fabric structure sealed with a polymer). As a display embodied in a thick film, the display can be supplied in an applique manner, thereby tiled curved geometric surfaces with thin display materials.

A layer made primarily by a semiconductor consists of a number of planar waveguides that channel light from an illumination source. FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view of a transport / influencer system 1600 that is integrally formed in a semiconductor structure for propagating radiation signals 1605, controlled through a plate by a waveguide / influencer from a horizontal plane to a vertical plane (i.e., , valved) in combination with a deflection mechanism 1610 for redirecting light.

Representative manufacturing processes can be expressed in detail as follows.

A thick film material is deposited on the substrate, where the thick film is deposited firmly enough to tensile strength to become its own substrate. And maintain its integrity even when removed from the working substrate. Through a semiconductor lithography process, an optically transparent but die-doped material is deposited on a thick film substrate. This first deposition is also doped with an optically active material such as YIG or Tb, or an optimal function dopant. All materials are preferably flexible by having the same Young's modulus as a thick film substrate.

The channels are masked and most of the material deposited is removed, leaving a line of materials. Dip-pen nanolithography is used to stereo-print a 45 degree deflection element from a material with an appropriate refractive index difference to achieve reflection. Alternatively, Molecular Imprint's 'step and flash' stereo-imprint method may be used. Other methods are also well known in the art.

Thereafter, a column of die and an optically active doped material of the channel are deposited and etched away, leaving heat just above the 45 degree deflection element. This forms an escape point from the plane of the display surface for light that is switched by the Faraday attenuator device along adjacent light channels and deflected by a 45 degree deflection element.

Thereafter, a material is deposited surrounding the original lines and other fabrication elements. This material has the same refractive index difference. This is called "cladding material". On a segment of the waveguide channel adjacent to a 45 degree deflection element or photon crystal bend (ie, bent), the space is etched from the previously deposited material for: conductive lines parallel to the optical channel addressing horizontal bands In this case, the horizontal bands will be fabricated perpendicular to the axis over the optical channel. The conductive material deposition space for these bands and the underlying material layer to be doped with the ferri / ferromagnetic material are also etched. The space below this material remains additional for the deposition of material doped with a permanently magnetizable material, the function of which is described in detail elsewhere herein.

The following materials are then deposited by a series of masking and etching and dip-pen nanolithography. That is, conductive material in lines parallel to the optical channel for addressing the field generating bands; A permanently magnetizable additional material layer over the cladding material remaining over the optical channel; Ferry / ferromagnetic materials that are temporarily magnetized by the field generating device to maintain rotation through the remaining flux; And a band of field generating conductive material is deposited that is perpendicular to the axis of the optical channel. Only a few bands may be needed based on current dopant performance.

Finally, the cladding material is further deposited so that the surface of the semiconductor-fabricated structure made of several thick films is hermetically sealed and even. Additionally, just before addressing the field generating structure of the Faraday attenuator, the transistor can be fabricated in an in-line manner with the conductive addressing line. By appropriately selecting thin film materials, an overall thick film display structure can be formed in a rigid polymer-sealed fabric structure, or removed from the substrate and attached to another final supporting display surface by a thick film epoxy.

FIG. 17 is a schematic diagram of the display system 1500 shown in FIG. 15, further showing three subpixel channels that produce a single pixel. Each channel is independently controlled and biased to merge at the surface of the system 1500.

18 is a schematic diagram of a preferred embodiment for additional implementation of the waveguide path structure of the system 1800. In order to compensate for the limited size of the planar modulator technique where rotation between the diameters of the pixels 1805 should be implemented, a novel "switchback" technique is used in the waveguide 1810. When the photon crystal structure achieves a 90 degree warpage of the optical path by defect generation, the technique of folding the submicron width optical path with a series of switchbacks increases the size of d in equation (1). According to this, the distance the light travels is subject to an effect (eg a magnetic field) within the influence zone without causing the device to be too long. Indeed, by continuously deploying the rotor / attenuator elements along the switchback of the preferred embodiment formed through standard semiconductor fabrication processing, the long d size results in very low power consumption. If the size of the channel is too small, the overall size of the rotor / attenuator element will be much smaller than the conventional waveguide example and much smaller than the maximum size of the subpixel.

11 through 18 illustrate substrate-type waveguide channels that implement transport, modulation, and display structure, functionality, and operation. The present embodiments emphasize the substitution between the waveguide channels that are formed / arranged / arranged on the substrate and the independent / individual waveguide channels, such as optical fibers and photon crystalline fibers. One such substitution is to use the transverse switch shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. Although the present preferred embodiment includes interfiber switching, the principles of FIG. 9 can be applied to interwaveguide switching, in particular between waveguides disposed on a common substrate. In some embodiments, the switching is between waveguides of different substrates arranged in a proper relationship.

Given the thin, small and lightweight display systems, several types of display systems are possible. Specialized high resolution bright display surfaces for electronic goggles and goggle assemblies, such as those used in night vision and virtual reality goggles, are possible. It is another feature of the preferred embodiment to further reduce the size and size of the goggles by componentizing the electronic goggles system.

When using fiber and fiber / waveguide integrated techniques, the display surface of the electronic goggle system of the preferred embodiment can be separated from the modulation / switching matrix, and thus, through a waveguide, such as a fiber optic bundle, from a remote location, such as in an electronic package of a helicopter, High intensity images can be delivered to a molten fiber faceplate of a VR (Virtual Reality) goggle device. Therefore, the night running function can be improved.

Fiber optic faceplates have been used in the past in conjunction with other display sources such as CRTs and LCDs. However, these display sources are limited in resolution or brightness due to inaccurate interface between the phosphor screen and the fiber and due to the brightness limitations of the LCD. LCOS provides greater brightness, but causes problems in integral construction with the fibers. The present invention as an integral interfiber faceplate solution or waveguide-fiber solution overcomes these limitations.

As an alternative to the faceplate approach, a very thin semiconductor sandwich technique is used, in which the virtual reality goggle design provides side illumination from the optical fiber and a switching matrix is included at or near the display surface. In either approach, the brightness, speed, viewing angle, and optical quality of the display surface significantly improve the performance and cost of night and virtual reality headgear.

19 is a front perspective view of a preferred embodiment of an electronic goggle system 1900 using a substrate waveguide display system. As shown, the substrate waveguide system is represented by a stereo pair 1905 of the substrate waveguide display system. Additionally, system 1900 includes a port 1910 for communication of power / data. FIG. 20 is a side view of the electronic goggle system 1900 shown in FIG. 19.

In general, the performance attributes of the transport, modulator, and system implementing the aspects of the present invention include the following.

* Subpixel diameter: less than 100 microns or less than 50 microns.

* Subpixel element length: less than 100 microns, or less than 50 microns

Drive current for 90 degree rotation for a single subpixel: 0-50 mAmps.

* Response time: Very high for Faraday rotator (ie 1ns is shown).

As a basic understanding of the overall display power requirement, it is important that the actual power requirements are not calculated based on the linear multiple of the maximum current required for the subpixels to be multiplied by a total of 90 degrees. Actual average and peak power requirements should be calculated taking into account the following factors.

Gamma and average color subpixel usage: both are much smaller than 100%. Thus the average rotation is much smaller than 90 degrees.

Gamma: When a computer monitor displays a white background and uses all subpixels, it does not need a maximum gamma or any subpixels for every subpixel. However, what is essential for proper image display is the relative intensity between the display, the pixels, and the subpixels.

Maximum gamma and maximum rotation will only be required if the most extreme contrast is needed. For example, light rays directed to the sun.

Thus, the average gamma for display will statistically correspond to a certain percentage of the maximum gamma. This is why Faraday rotation is not at its maximum, for comfortable viewing of a constant white background of a computer monitor. In summary, any given Faraday attenuator driving any given subpixel rarely needs to reach maximum rotation, and therefore requires very little maximum power.

Color: Since pure white only requires an equal intensity combination of RGB subpixels in a cluster, for color or gray scale images, it is a percentage of the display subpixels that are addressed at one time. Colors additionally formed by the RGB combination suggest the following. Some color pixels require only one subpixel (at variable intensity) to be turned on (e.g., one of R, G, B), and some pixels require two subpixels (at variable intensity) to be turned on. Some pixels will require three subpixels (on variable intensity) to be turned on. Pure white pixels will require all three subpixels to be turned on. At this time, the Faraday attenuators rotate to achieve equal strength.

Given the color and gray scale imaging demand for the subpixel clusters, for the average frame, what actually needs to be addressed will be part of all display subpixels, and the average intensity will be much smaller than the maximum. This is due to the function of the subpixels in the RGB enhancement color scheme and is an additional factor, added to the consideration of absolute gamma.

Based on the statistical analysis, these considerations can determine the power demand profile of the FLAT's active matrix / continuous-addressing device. In any case, this profile will be much smaller than the virtual maximum of each subpixel of the simultaneous display at the maximum Faraday rotation. Not all subpixels are on for any given frame, and the intensities for these on have a relatively small ratio to the maximum for various reasons. Current 0-50 mAmp for 0-90 degree rotation at minimum specification: An example current range for 0-90 degree rotation is presented from the performance specification of a conventional Faraday attenuator device (0-50 mAmp). However, this performance specification is provided at the minimum value already exceeded by existing devices for optical communication. This does not reflect the novel embodiments specified in the present invention. For example, it does not reflect the advantages derived from improved methods and material techniques. Performance continues to continue as improvements to the specification mentioned continue to accelerate.

The systems, methods, computer program products, and propagation signals described in this application may be implemented in hardware. For example, the hardware may be implemented within or connected to a CPU, a microprocessor, a microcontroller, a system on a chip (SOC), or other programmable device. In addition, the system, method, computer program product, and propagation signals may be implemented in software. For example, computer readable code, program code, instructions or data (eg, source, object, or machine language) disposed on computer usable (eg, readable) media configured to store software. For example, this includes common programming languages (eg, C, C ++), GDSII databases, hardware description languages (HDL), etc., and can be implemented using other available programs, databases, nanoprocessing, and circuit capture tools. have. Examples of HDL include Verilog HDL, VHDL, Altera HDL (AHDL), and the like. Such software may be stored on media available by a computer, including semiconductors, magnetic disks, optical disks (e.g., CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, etc.), or computer-readable transmission media (e.g., Carrier, or a computer data signal implemented on a digital medium, an optical medium, or any other medium included in an analog-based medium). As such, the software can be transmitted over communication networks including the Internet and intranets. Software-implemented systems, methods, computer program products, and propagation signals can be included in semiconductor intellectual property cores (eg, implemented in HDL) and converted to hardware in integrated circuit fabrication. In addition, the systems, methods, computer program products, and propagation signals described herein may be implemented in a combination of hardware and software.

For example, one preferred embodiment of the present invention for switching control is one routine of an operating system consisting of programming steps or instructions that reside in memory of a computing system during computer operation. Program instructions may be stored on another readable medium until required by the computer system. For example, it can be stored in a disk drive or removable memory, such as a floppy disk or an optical disk. Moreover, program instructions may be stored in the memory of another computer prior to use in the system of the present invention and may be transmitted over a LAN or WAN, such as the Internet, as required by the user of the present invention. Processes controlling the present invention can be distributed in various forms of computer readable media.

Any suitable programming language can be used to implement the routines of the present invention. For example, C, C ++, Java, assembly language, etc. can be used. Various other programming techniques, procedural or object oriented, may be used. These routines can be performed using a single processing unit or multiple processors. The steps, operations, and operations may be presented in a particular order, but the order may vary from embodiment to embodiment. In some embodiments, multiple steps represented sequentially herein may be executed simultaneously. The sequence of operations presented herein may be interrupted, interrupted, or controlled by another process (eg, operating system, kernel, etc.). These routines may operate as standalone routines that occupy all or a sequential portion of system processing, or in an operating system environment.

Numerous details (eg, components and methods) are provided to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the present invention.

Computer-readable media corresponds to, for example, electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor systems, devices, systems, elements, propagation media, or computer memories.

A processor or process includes a person, hardware / software system, mechanism, or component that processes data, signals, or other information.

Embodiments of the invention can be implemented using a programmed digital general-purpose digital computer, using dedicated integrated circuits, programmable gate logic devices, field programmable gate arrays, chemical, biological, quantum / nanosystems, components, and mechanisms.

Claims (18)

In the electronic goggles device, the device, At least one semiconductor substrate supporting a plurality of integrated waveguide structures, each waveguide structure comprising one guide channel and at least one boundary region for propagating radiation signals from input to output; , An influencer system connected to the waveguide structure in accordance with a control signal to independently control the amplitude of the radiation signal at the output, A display system for arranging the output of the plurality of waveguide structures in a presentation matrix, and A head-mounted eyeglass structure for placing the presentation matrix in the user's field of view Electronic goggles device comprising a. 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each substrate comprises a plurality of stacked substrate strips, each strip arranging the waveguide structures along a row. 3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the waveguide structure extends laterally along the second side of the strip from the first side of the strip and the output is arranged at the second side. 4. The electronic goggles device of claim 3, wherein the waveguide structure comprises photon crystal elements. The device of claim 1 wherein the waveguide structures of each substrate extend perpendicular to the substrate surface. 6. The electronic goggle device of claim 5, wherein each substrate comprises a semiconductor wafer, the substrate surface overlying the semiconductor wafer. 6. The electronic goggles device of claim 5, wherein each waveguide structure comprises photon-type crystal elements. The device of claim 1 wherein the waveguide structures of each substrate extend parallel to the substrate surface. 10. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein each substrate comprises a semiconductor wafer and the substrate surface is disposed above the semiconductor wafer. 9. The electronic goggles device according to claim 8, wherein the waveguide structure comprises photon type crystal elements. 9. The electronic goggles of claim 8, wherein the presentation matrix is parallel to the substrate surface and the display system comprises a deflection system coupled to the waveguide structure to deflect the radiation signals towards the substrate surface. Device. The electronic goggles device according to claim 1, wherein an illumination source is disposed at a position spaced apart from the spectacles structure. In the goggles system, the system, A head-mounted eyeglass structure for placing the presentation matrix in the user's field of view, Multiple waveguide structures each comprising one guide channel and one or more boundary regions for propagating the radiation signal from input to output, An influencer system connected to the waveguide structure in accordance with a control signal to independently control the amplitude of the radiation signal at the output, A display system for arranging the outputs of the plurality of waveguide structures in the presentation matrix. Goggles system comprising a. 14. The goggle system of claim 13, wherein the display system comprises a first communication system having one or more waveguides connecting the output to the spectacles structure. Arranging a plurality of waveguide structures on one or more substrates, each waveguide structure comprising one guide channel and one or more boundary regions for propagating a radiation signal from input to output, Placing an influencer adjacent said waveguide structure in accordance with a control signal, thereby independently controlling the amplitude of said radiation signal at said output, Arranging the output of the plurality of waveguide structures in a presentation matrix, and Placing the presentation matrix in the field of view of the user Production method comprising a. A computer readable medium having recorded thereon a program for executing the following steps. Placing a plurality of waveguide structures on one or more substrates, each waveguide structure comprising one guide channel and one or more boundary regions for propagating radiation signals from input to output, Placing an influencer system adjacent to the waveguide structure in accordance with a control signal to independently control the amplitude of the radiation signal at the output, Arranging the outputs of the plurality of waveguide structures in a presentation matrix, and Placing the presentation matrix in the field of view of the user. Propagating a radiation signal through each of a plurality of waveguide structures supported in one or more substrates and arranging in a presentation matrix, where each waveguide structure has one guide channel to propagate the radiation signal from input to output. And at least one boundary region, Independently controlling the amplitude of the radiation signal at the output of the corresponding waveguide structure, Co-adjusting the amplitude of the radiation signal for the plurality of waveguide structures to collectively form a display system from the series of amplitude controlled radiation signals, and Placing the display system within the field of view of the user Operation method comprising a. Means for propagating a radiation signal through each of a plurality of waveguide structures supported on one or more substrates and arranging them in a presentation matrix, wherein each waveguide structure has one guide channel for propagating the radiation signal from input to output. Said means comprising at least one boundary region, Means for independently controlling the amplitude of each of said radiation signals at said output of said waveguide structure corresponding thereto, Means for cooperatively controlling the amplitude control of the radiation signal for the plurality of waveguide structures to collectively form a display system from the series of amplitude controlled radiation signals, and Means for placing the display system within the field of view of the user Apparatus comprising a.

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