Kenichi Kasazumi

A Practical Laser Projector with New Illumination Optics for Reduction of Speckle Noise

We have developed illumination optics for image projection systems. It realizes uniform illumination and suppression of speckle and diffraction noises by using a diffuser and integrator optics. By optimizing the diffusing angle of the diffuser, optical power loss was less than 10%. A proto type of a laser projector with a red wide-stripe semiconductor laser and green and blue second-harmonic generation lasers was realized by using the developed illumination optics and twisted nematic liquid-crystal panels. Still images from a personal computer and video images from a digital versatile disk (DVD) player were displayed with the system and a wide colour gamut and smooth images without diffraction noise nor speckle noise were confirmed.

Wavelength stabilization of a distributed Bragg reflector laser diode by use of complementary current injection

We have demonstrated wavelength stabilization in an 821-nm AlGaAs three-section tunable distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) semiconductor laser diode (LD) that consists of active, phase-controlled, and DBR regions. We injected two separate, complementary currents into the active and the phase-controlled regions in the DBR-LD to suppress wavelength shift. This modulation method was applied to the LD fundamental wave in a second-harmonic-generation (SHG) laser, and the oscillating wavelength was maintained within the phase-matching acceptance range of the SHG device during modulation. A peak blue-violet light power of 62 mW was obtained for the ideal modulation waveform.

L‐9: Late‐News Paper: Laser Projection Display with Low Electric Consumption and Wide Color Gamut by Using Efficient Green SHG Laser and New Illumination Optics

air-cooled RGB lasers including a compact and efficient green SHG laser and new illumination optics for speckle noise reduction, we developed advanced laser projection engine. A prototype of laser rear projection display with low electric consumption (about 50W) for light sources and wide color gamut (137%NTSC) was realized. 1. Introduction the last decade, several different micro-display technologies (LCD, DMD and LCOS) have been developed and projection displays captured the large screen market for business and home theater. Most projection displays are now using lamps as light sources, such as high-pressure mercury lamps and metal halide lamps. Laser light sources are attractive for projection displays. Projection displays based on RGB lasers can provide extremely wide color expression with the narrow spectrum of lasers. Due to small etendue, laser lights are projected with high efficiency. Lasers have longer life time and faster response time than lamps. As high brightness and high power efficiency of lasers contribute to downsizing systems and improving electric efficiency, laser projection displays will find wide applications (1-3). However, for realizing laser displays there are two problems. The one is a suitable green laser with high efficiency, high power and compact size. As there are no green diode lasers and conventional green lasers for high output power need big mechanisms such as water-cooling devices, it is difficult to downsize and to decrease electric consumption. The other problem is an interference phenomenon called speckle. As lasers have high coherency, speckle noises are superposed on projected images (4). We overcome these problems and demonstrate a laser rear projection display with low electric consumption.

Application of a Polarizing Holographic Optical Element to a Recordable Optical Head

A polarizing holographic optical element (HOE) with compensating grooves on the surface of a LiNbO 3 substrate has good polarizing beam-splitter characteristics. This polarizing HOE was applied to a recordable optical head with an integrated laser and photodetector unit. In the optical head, a correct far-field tracking method is constructed by setting the polarizing HOE and a quarter-wave plate right under the objective lens, which can be moved with the objective lens. A holographic pattern of the polarizing HOE is divided into 20 portions along a disc track direction for spot size focus error detection and far field tracking detection. With this optical head, conventional CD play-back and recording signals on phase change discs were performed. Then the tracking offset caused by objective lens shift was measured and determined to be markedly decreased. Signal degradation by the ±1st light diffracted by a polarizing HOE was not observed. Good characteristics of recording and play-back for phase change discs were also obtained. This recordable optical head was found to have desirable characteristics and high productivity.

Dual focus optical head for 0.6-mm and 1.2-mm disks

We propose a dual focus optical head with a holographic optical element (HOE) which compensates for spherical aberration, allowing it to read both 0.6 mm disks and 1.2 mm disks. The thin disk is read using transmitted light and the thick disk is read using +1st order diffracted light of the blazed HOE. The characteristics of the focused spot, the servo signal detection and the signal of the Compact Disc indicate that both disks can be read by the dual focus optical head.

Development of automatic hologram synthesizer for medical use IV: liquid-crystal spatial light modulator

A liquid-crystal (LC) spatial light modulator for hologram synthesis consisting of a high resolution twisted nematic LC-panel of active matrix type has been developed. Output images with signal-to-noise ratio of 30 dB and maximum contrast ratio over 600 were obtained. The stability of the displayed image was analyzed on the basis of two beam interferometry. Confirmation of no appreciable degradation in diffraction efficiency was obtained.