Refractive polarization converter and polarized color combiner

摘要

The disclosure generally relates to refractive polarization converters, polarized color combiners using the refractive polarization converters, and in particular polarized color combiners using the refractive polarization converters that can be useful in small size format projectors such as pocket projectors. The disclosed refractive polarization converters include at least one birefringent prism that can separate an unpolarized light beam into divergent polarized light beams having orthogonal polarization directions.

主权项

1. A polarization converter, comprising:
a first light collection optics having a light input surface and an optical axis; an unpolarized light source capable of injecting an unpolarized light beam into the light input surface along a first propagation direction parallel to the optical axis; an optical device comprising a birefringent prism, the optical device disposed facing the first light collection optics and opposite the light input surface, wherein the optical device is capable of splitting the unpolarized light beam into a first polarized light beam and a second polarized light beam having orthogonal polarization states, at least one of the first and second polarized light beams diverging from the first propagation direction; and a reflector disposed to reflect the first and second polarized light beams back through the optical device and the first light collection optics, toward the light input surface, wherein the first polarized light beam passes through the light input surface at a first position displaced from the unpolarized light source, and the second polarized light beam passes through the light input surface at a second position displaced from the first position and the unpolarized light source.