An integrated scanner for scanning a barcode is formed on a common substrate. The scanner may include a micro-machined mirror, a laser diode, and a detector, mounted on a single substrate or several connected substrates. Lenses can be used to focus a laser beam from the laser diode as well as expand a laser beam deflected by the micro-machined mirror. The scanner may also scan a barcode without using a micro-machined mirror by rotating the laser diode.

Integrated scanner on a common substrate

An optical scanning and imaging system and related method for scanning and imaging an object is disclosed. The scanning and imaging system does not use mechanically moving components to achieve lateral scanning of an object. Instead, the system includes a deflecting prism comprised of a material having an index of refraction that varies with changes in an applied electromagnetic field and that remains substantially constant with changes in wavelength of incident light within a predetermined wavelength range. An optical fiber transmits light within a predetermined wavelength from a light source through a gradient index lens which sends a collimated beam of light to the prism. Due to the unique properties of the prism, the light is deflected at a substantially constant angle within a lateral scanning plane. An objective lens can be used to further focus the light exiting the prism prior to directing it on the object being imaged. A scan controller and electrodes control and modify the electromagnetic field applied to the prism such that said index of refraction also is controlled and modified. The scanning system is adapted to be used for medical imaging by disposing it within a distal end of a catheter.

Optical scanning and imaging system and method

A scanning device having: (i) an electrooptic planar waveguide or bulk material capable of propagating light beams with minimum beam distortion, (ii) an electrooptic prism array defined on said electrooptic planar waveguide or bulk material, comprised of at least one pair of antiparallel-poled ferroelectric domain regions and, (iii) control means to apply a spatially uniform electric field throughout said electrooptic prism array using a pair of electrically-addressable continuous electrodes, so as to induce an electrically-controlled deflection to a light beam propagating through the device.

Electrooptic device for scanning using domain reversed regions

Apparatus and methods for providing an optically based planar scanner for generating an image are provided. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a switchable Bragg grating. An area of the switchable Bragg grating is configured to be activated to direct light to a platen. The platen is configured to reflect the light to a waveguide or to refract the light. The light reflected to the waveguide is guided to a light detector. By activating a number of the areas of the switchable Bragg grating and measuring the intensity of the light with a light detector, an image of an object contacting the platen may be formed.

Optically based planar scanner

A light control device including an electro-optical material, a light refraction device mounted on the surface of the electro-optical material and electrodes provided on respective front and back major surfaces of the electro-optical material. A waveguide layer may be formed on the electro-optical material, with one electrode formed on an upper major surface of the waveguide layer and another electrode on the lower major surface of the electro-optical material. A prism or a diffraction grating may be used as the light refraction device. The light control device is particularly useful in laser printers and optical disk devices.

Light control device

An integrated device (10) for scanning a laser beam, including a substrate (12). An electro-optic waveguide (14), a Bragg grating electrode array (31) in operative contact with the waveguide, and a array of electro-optic prisms (33). The electrode array (31) includes a plurality of upper grating electrodes (26) and a lower first electrode (32). A voltage potential can be placed across individual upper grating electrodes (26) and the lower electrode (32) to establish up a Bragg grating in a small localized region. This localized Bragg grating diffracts a laser beam carried by the waveguide and creates a spatially-variable diffracted beam (40) which can be continuously scanned by deflecting the diffracted beam (40) with the electro-optic prism array (33). The integrated device can also perform two dimensional scanning by including an array of small period diffraction gratings (61), to diffract the laser beam (24) out of the plane of the waveguide film (14), or an array of hologram facets (51) to map a set of points defined by the hologram facets (51) into a two-dimensional matrix of points.

Muhammad A. Khan

Papers

Integrated optic device for laser beam scanning