Patent ID: 6341136
Filing Date: 2002-01-22
Classification: G02B,G02F,H01S

Abstract:
An optical beam deflector comprising:an array of lenses which collect a first plurality of portions of an optical beam into a plurality of spots, respectively; an array of first optical phase modulators which modulate, at or in vicinities of the plurality of spots, phases of the first plurality of portions of the optical beam; a first Fourier transform lens which performs Fourier transformation on the optical beam output from the array of first optical phase modulators, to generate a second plurality of portions of the optical beam; an array of second optical phase modulators which modulate phases of said second plurality of portions of the optical beam; an array of second Fourier transform lenses which collect the second plurality of portions of the optical beam after the phases of the second plurality of portions are modulated by the array of second optical phase modulators, and perform inverse Fourier transformation on the second plurality of portions of the optical beam; and a driving unit which drives said arrays of first and second optical phase modulators so that the second plurality of portions of the optical beam which exit from the array of second Fourier transform lenses as a whole are directed in a desired direction of deflection or to a desired point.