Patent ID: 6088380
Filing Date: 2000-07-11
Classification: G02F,H01S,H04N

Abstract:
A method for producing a projection image comprising the steps of:providing pump energy for exciting a gain medium disposed within a laser cavity;in response to the excitation, emitting optical energy from the gain medium, wherein the emitted optical energy oscillates within the laser cavity;during an image mode, selectively activating regions of a pixelated loss element disposed in the laser cavity within an oscillation path of the optical energy;wherein when in an on-state, first regions of the pixelated loss element are made substantially transparent to allow the oscillating optical energy to travel through the first regions of the loss element, and wherein when in an off-state, second regions of the pixelated loss element are made reflective to scatter the oscillating optical energy encountering the second regions of the loss element; andoutputting the oscillating optical energy that travelled through the first regions of the pixelated loss element to create the projection image.