skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Light intensity compressor

Patent ·
OSTI ID:875246

In a system for recording images having vastly differing light intensities over the face of the image, a light intensity compressor is provided that utilizes the properties of twisted nematic liquid crystals to compress the image intensity. A photoconductor or photodiode material that is responsive to the wavelength of radiation being recorded is placed adjacent a layer of twisted nematic liquid crystal material. An electric potential applied to a pair of electrodes that are disposed outside of the liquid crystal/photoconductor arrangement to provide an electric field in the vicinity of the liquid crystal material. The electrodes are substantially transparent to the form of radiation being recorded. A pair of crossed polarizers are provided on opposite sides of the liquid crystal. The front polarizer linearly polarizes the light, while the back polarizer cooperates with the front polarizer and the liquid crystal material to compress the intensity of a viewed scene. Light incident upon the intensity compressor activates the photoconductor in proportion to the intensity of the light, thereby varying the field applied to the liquid crystal. The increased field causes the liquid crystal to have less of a twisting effect on the incident linearly polarized light, which will cause an increased percentage of the light to be absorbed by the back polarizer. The intensity of an image may be compressed by forming an image on the light intensity compressor.

Research Organization:
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
DOE Contract Number:
W-7405-ENG-48
Assignee:
United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
Patent Number(s):
H000737
Application Number:
07/241231
OSTI ID:
875246
Resource Relation:
Patent File Date: 1988 Aug 18
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Similar Records

Light intensity compressor
Patent · Tue Feb 06 00:00:00 EST 1990 · OSTI ID:875246

Light-driven dynamic Archimedes spirals and periodic oscillatory patterns of topological solitons in anisotropic soft matter
Journal Article · Thu Feb 12 00:00:00 EST 2015 · Optics Express · OSTI ID:875246

Cadmium zinc telluride based infrared interferometry for X-ray detection
Journal Article · Mon Feb 09 00:00:00 EST 2015 · Applied Physics Letters · OSTI ID:875246