Patent ID: 6876784
Filing Date: 2005-04-05
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
1. An optical polarization beam combiner/splitter device comprising: a first optical beam carrier for carrying a first polarized beam; a second optical beam carrier for carrying a second polarized beam whose polarization is orthogonal to the polarization of the first polarized beam; a first and a second collimating/focusing lenses, each having an inwardly-facing surface, and an optical axis, the two collimating/focusing lenses oriented coaxially so that their optical axes are aligned collinearly, defining an optical axis of the device, and their inwardly-facing surfaces are facing each other; the two collimating/focusing lenses positioned between the first and second optical carriers, the optical beam carriers positioned equidistant from the optical axis of the device and oriented coaxially to each other, a third optical beam carrier for carrying a non-polarized beam positioned on the same side of the two collimating/focusing lenses as the first optical beam carrier and positioned equidistant from the optical axis of the device as the first optical beam carrier; and a thin film wire-grid polarizer disposed between the first and second collimating/focusing lenses.