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US4637691A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Mirror converging-type illumination optical system

Assignee: Nikon Corp
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Filing: 1984-02-02
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Granted: 1987-01-20
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Expires: 2004-02-02
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Abstract

Abstract A mirror converging-type illumination optical system for converging light rays from a light source into substantially parallel light rays using a concave reflecting mirror having a secondary curved surface comprises a conical refraction member having a convex conical refraction surface at an input or incident side thereof and another convex conical refraction surface at an output side thereof. The refraction member is arranged in a path of the parallel light rays with a vertex of the conical refraction member being substantially aligned with the optical axis of the illumination optical system. The refraction member inverts the inner and outer portions of the incident parallel light rays. The absence of incident parallel light around the optical axis thereof is corrected to achieve a uniform intensity of light rays.

Inventors

  • 👤 Makoto Uehara
  • 👤 Sumio Hashimoto

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-06 19:35
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03F; G03F7/00; G03F7/70; G03F7/70058; G02; G02B; G02B19/00; G02B19/0004; G02B19/0028; G02B19/0033; G02B19/0047; G02B21/00; G02B21/06; G02B5/00; G02B5/001

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim 157 words
An illumination optical system for supplying substantially uniform illumination light of a high efficiency, comprising: a light source; light-ray converting means for converting light rays from said light source into parallel light rays, said light-ray converting means having a concave reflecting surface which has an optical axis; and a refraction member arranged in a path of the parallel light rays, so that said refraction member shifts the incident parallel light rays which are farthest from the optical axis to positions substantially coinciding with the optical axis, and shifts the incident parallel light rays which are nearest to the optical axis to positions substantially farthest from the optical axis, said refraction member having a conical input surface having a convex surface facing toward an incident light ray side and a conical output surface having a convex surface facing toward an exit light ray side, vertices of said conical input and output surfaces being located on the optical axis.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 157 words
An illumination optical system for supplying substantially uniform illumination light of a high efficiency, comprising: a light source; light-ray converting means for converting light rays from said light source into parallel light rays, said light-ray converting means having a concave reflecting surface which has an optical axis; and a refraction member arranged in a path of the parallel light rays, so that said refraction member shifts the incident parallel light rays which are farthest from the optical axis to positions substantially coinciding with the optical axis, and shifts the incident parallel light rays which are nearest to the optical axis to positions substantially farthest from the optical axis, said refraction member having a conical input surface having a convex surface facing toward an incident light ray side and a conical output surface having a convex surface facing toward an exit light ray side, vertices of said conical input and output surfaces being located on the optical axis.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 72 words
A system according to claim 1, wherein a vertex angle of said conical input surface of said refraction member is equal to a vertex angle of said conical output surface of said refraction member, said refraction member refracting inward incident light rays which are incident on said conical input surface and thereafter refracting the light rays at said conical output surface, thereby producing the light rays parallel to the incident light rays.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 18 words
A system according to claim 2, wherein said refraction member has a prism with two convex conical surfaces.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 92 words
A system according to claim 3, wherein when a distance between the vertices of the conical input and output surfaces is d, half the vertex angle of said conical surfaces is θ, a refractive index of said prism is n, and a distance from the optical axis of light rays among the parallel light rays incident on said prism which are farthest from the optical axis is H 0 , the following relation is satisfied: (2/3)H.sub.0 {tan(θ+i')+1/tanθ}≦d≦(3/2)H.sub.0 {tan(θ+i')+1/tanθ} for i'=sin.sup.-1 {sin(π/2-θ)/n} where i' is an angle of refraction at said conical surfaces.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 25 words
A system according to claim 4, further comprising an optical integrator arranged in the path of the parallel light rays emerging from said refraction member.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 18 words
An illumination optical system for supplying substantially uniform illumination light of a high efficiency, comprising: a light source;
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 18 words
An illumination optical system for supplying substantially uniform illumination light of a high efficiency, comprising: a light source;
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 31 words
A system according to claim 6, wherein a distance between verticles of cones having the conical surfaces in said second prism member is smaller than that in said first prism member.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 114 words
A system according to claim 7, wherein when the distance between the vertices of the cones having the conical surfaces in said first prism member is d, half the vertex angle of the cones having the conical surfaces of said first prism member is θ, a refractive index of said first prism member is n, and a distance from the optical axis of light rays among the parallel light rays incident on said first prism member which are farthest from the optical axis is H 0 , the following relation is satisfied: (2/3)H.sub.0 {tan(θ+i')+1/tanθ}≦d≦(3/2)H.sub.0 {tan(θ+i')+1/tanθ} for i'=sin.sup.-1 {sin(π/2-θ)/n} where i' is an angle of refraction of the conical surfaces of said first prism member.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 85 words
A system according to claim 8, wherein when a distance between the vertices of the cones having the conical surfaces in said second prism member is d2, half the vertex angle of the cones having the conical surfaces of said second prism member is φ, and a refractive index of said second prism member is n2, the following relation is satisfied: (2/3)(H.sub.0 -Ds){tan(φ+j')+1/tanφ}≦d.sub.2 ≦(3/2)(H.sub.0 -Ds){tan(φ+j')+1/tanφ} for j'=sin -1 {sin(π/2-φ)/n} where j' is an angle of refraction of the conical surfaces of said second prism member.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3547526A Cited
US4498742A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1990-01-19 1990-07-21 1991-01-20 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1994-01-19 1994-07-21 1995-01-20 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1998-01-19 1998-07-21 1999-01-20 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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