Patent ID: 8842363
Filing Date: 2014-09-23
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for dynamically varying an optical characteristic of a light beam, said apparatus comprising: an optical element to receive a beam of light, said optical element comprising a substrate and at least one sub-wavelength grating formed of a plurality of lines arranged along a common plane with respect to each other; at least one actuator connected to at least one of the plurality of lines, wherein the at least one of the plurality of lines is suspended above a surface of the substrate by a pair of suspending elements, wherein the pair of suspending elements are spaced apart from each other, and wherein the at least one actuator is to vary a curvature of the at least one of the plurality of lines in a direction that is perpendicular to the common plane in which the plurality of lines are arranged; and a controller to control the at least one actuator to vary the curvature of the at least one of the plurality of lines and thereby dynamically vary a characteristic of the beam of light that is at least one of emitted through and reflected from the optical element.