초록 ▼

An electro-optical patternable mask is provided which is controllable by way of a processor for presenting a variety of patterns to electromagnetic radiation. In one embodiment of the mask, the electro-optical mask includes an electrochromic layer that works in conjunction with deposited electrode l

An electro-optical patternable mask is provided which is controllable by way of a processor for presenting a variety of patterns to electromagnetic radiation. In one embodiment of the mask, the electro-optical mask includes an electrochromic layer that works in conjunction with deposited electrode layers (at least one with an x-y pixel array) to present a pattern of non-transmission (colored) and transmission (bleached clear) pixel cells. The sandwiched electrochromic material is supported in one embodiment with a UV grade support substrate with the electrochromic cells of the mask being individually (e.g., individual cells or small groups of individual cells in an array) controlled by a processor and interface to achieve a sequence of different or the same patterns to achieve desired ablation volume upon transmitting ultraviolet energy through the mask such as in conjunction with an opthalmic laser surgery process. In an alternate embodiment a substrate-dispersed liquid crystal material is used in the mask as the means for controlling the transmission of electromagnetic energy such as ultraviolet light of a pulsed laser. An electro-optical device featuring a stacked, preferably monolithic multiple substrate dispersed liquid crystal layer member is also described to ensure blockage of ultraviolet light that hits a pixel cell. The multi-series or multi-stacked substrate dispersed liquid crystal material cell has its field states controlled with electric field generating device which mainains an intermediate substrate-dispersed layer with an electric field across it while the outer substrate dispersed liquid crystal layers can be switched from a no field-blockage mode to an electric-field on full transmission through cell mode. The multi-stack or series electro-optical device is useful as a mask pixel cell as well as in a variety of other field involving wavelength across the visible and ultraviolet spectrum, for example. The various mask embodiments provide a reusable controllable mask well suited for ablation processes such as corneal resurfacing using an opthamological laser surgery (e.g., LASIK) system. The electro-optical mask of the present invention provides for rapid large beam application with a smooth and high precision ablation.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A patternable mask system for controlling the transmission of electromagnetic radiation, comprising:a patternable electro-optical mask having a plurality of individual pixel cells with individually adjustable states of transmission with respect to electromagnetic radiation, and said pixel cells i

1. A patternable mask system for controlling the transmission of electromagnetic radiation, comprising:a patternable electro-optical mask having a plurality of individual pixel cells with individually adjustable states of transmission with respect to electromagnetic radiation, and said pixel cells including electrochromic material. 2. The mask system of claim 1 further comprising a processor interfaced with said patternable mask for controlling relative transmission states between the individual electrochromic material pixel cells. 3. The mask system of claim 1, further comprising a beam expander/collimator assembly positioned upstream, with respect to the electro-optical mask. 4. The mask system of claim 3 wherein said electrochromic material is supported by a UV grade substrate for the passage of UV electromagnetic radiation to the electrochromic material of the pixel cells of said mask. 5. The mask system of claim 4 further comprising a focusing lens positioned downstream, with respect to UV electromagnetic radiation travel, of the electrochromic material. 6. The mask system of claim 1 wherein said pixel cells are formed from an outer pair of UV grade substrates, a pair of electrode layers and a solid layer of electrochromic material sandwiched between the electrode layers. 7. The mask system of claim 6 wherein said UV grade substrate is a material selected from a group consisting of UV grade synthetic fused silica, sapphire and quartz. 8. The mask system of claim 1 further comprising a processor interfaced with said mask for controlling relative transmission states between said individual pixel cells for forming a transmission pattern, and said processor comprising means for shifting a pattern formed in said mask in conjunction with a shift in a substrate to receive electromagnetic energy transmitted through said mask. 9. The mask system of claim 1 wherein said pixel cells include a UV grade support substrate designed for receipt of unpolarization UV electromagnetic radiation at a 193 nm wavelength. 10. The mask system of claim 1 wherein said mask involves a pixel array having at least 512×512 resolution with pixel size of 100μ or less. 11. The mask system of claim 10 wherein said resolution is at least 1024×1024 in number. 12. The mask system of claim 1 wherein said individually adjustable states of transmission are limited to maximum transmitting on and maximum blocking off. 13. The mask system of claim 1 wherein said mask is designed for receipt of laser pulses and said mask system further comprises pixel switching timing means for timing pixel switching between different pixel states that is in a one-to-one relationship with respect to laser pulses received by said mask. 14. The mask assembly of claim 1 wherein said mask further comprises pixel switching timing means for timing individual pixel switching between different states and which switching timing means sets a duty cycle for individual pixels at 0% to 100% with at least one set duty cycle being at an intermediate value falling between 0 to 100%. 15. A patternable mask system for controlling the transmission of electromagnetic radiation, comprising:a patternable electro-optical mask having a plurality of individual pixel cells with individually adjustable states of transmission with respect to electromagnetic radiation, and said pixel cells including substrate-dispersed liquid crystal material having a substrate material encapsulating dispersed liquid crystal bubbles or droplets. 16. The mask system of claim 15 further comprising a processor interfaced with said patternable mask for controlling relative transmission states between the individual substrate-dispersed liquid crystal material pixel cells. 17. The mask system of claim 15, further comprising a beam expander/collimator assembly positioned upstream, with respect to the electro-optical mask. 18. The mask system of claim 17 wherein said mask is a solid state, monolithic member having mult iple layers of substrate-dispersed liquid crystal layers. 19. The mask system of claim 18 further comprising a focusing lens positioned downstream, with respect to UV electromagnetic radiation travel, of the substrate-dispersed liquid crystal material. 20. The mask system of claim 15 wherein said mask is comprised of an outer pair of UV grade support substrates, a pair of electrode layers and a solid layer of substrate-dispersed liquid crystal material. 21. The mask system of claim 20 wherein UV grade support substrate is a material selected from a group consisting of UV grade synthetic fused silica, quartz or sapphire. 22. The mask system of claim 1 further comprising a processor interfaced with said mask for controlling relative transmission states between said individual pixel cells and said processor comprising means for shifting a pattern formed in said mask in conjunction with a shift in a substrate to receive electromagnetic energy transmitted through said mask. 23. The mask system of claim 15 wherein said mask comprises a pixel cell with multiple substrate-dispersed liquid crystal material members with an electrode layer disposed between said members. 24. The mask system of claim 23 comprising pixel cells having in series, a first electrode, a first substrate dispersed liquid crystal member, a second electrode, a second substrate-dispersed liquid crystal member, a third electrode, a third substrate-dispersed liquid crystal layer and a fourth electrode. 25. The mask of claim 24 further comprising electric field generating means for maintaining an electric field across said second substrate dispersed layer and for switching between a no-electric field state for said first and third substrate-dispersed layers and an on electric field state for said first and third substrate-dispersed layers so as to place said first, second and third substrate-disperse layers in a transmission state while an electric field is being applied across said second substrate dispersed layer. 26. The mask system of claim 15 wherein said pixels are arranged in an array at least 1024×1024 in number and with each pixel having a maximum 100μ side length or less. 27. The mask system of claim 15 wherein said mask is designed for receipt of laser pulses and said mask system further comprises pixel switching timing means for timing pixel switching between different pixel states that is a one-to-one relationship with respect to laser pulses received by said mask. 28. The mask assembly of claim 15 wherein said mask further comprises a pixel switching timing means for timing individual pixel switching between different states and which switching timing means sets a duty cycle for individual pixels at 0% to 100% with at least one set duty cycle being at an intermediate value falling between 0 to 100%. 29. An electro-optical device, comprising, with respect to electromagnetic radiation travel, in series:a first electrode, a first substrate-dispersed liquid crystal member, a second electrode, a second substrate dispersed liquid crystal member, a third electrode, a third substrate dispersed liquid crystal member, and a fourth electrode. 30. The electro-optical device as recited in claim 29 further comprising electric field generating means which maintains an electric field across said second substrate-dispersed liquid crystal member and which provides means for switching between on and off electric field states for said first and third substrate-dispersed liquid crystal members.