JPH10333536A - Diffracted light generating device and panel positioning method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily and rapidly position both panels by making light transmitting through an opening part of an opening panel incident on a diffraction element of diffraction element panel, detecting an intensity of generated diffracted light and controlling the positions of the opening panel and the diffraction element panel so that its intensity becomes maximum. SOLUTION: The diffracted light generating device consists of the opening panel 1 provided with the opening part transmitting the light and the diffraction element panel 2 provided with the diffraction element generating the diffracted light after the light is made incident, and parallel light 7 from a light source is made incident vertically from the opening panel 1 side. At this time, a photodetector 3 detects the intensity of the diffracted light that is generated after the light transmitting through the opening part of the opening panel 1 is made incident on the diffraction element of the diffraction element panel 2, and a position control means 5 controls a positional relation between the opening panel 1 and the diffraction element panel 2 so that the intensity of the diffracted light detected by the photodetector 3 becomes maximum. Thus, the opening panel 1 is easily and rapidly positioned to the diffraction element panel 2 without requiring massive image data processing.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a diffracted light generating device comprising a diffractive element panel used for a three-dimensional image display device which can be controlled by a computer, can easily change an image, and can be observed from various angles. And a panel positioning method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An aperture panel of a diffracted light generating apparatus comprising an aperture panel having an aperture for transmitting light and a diffractive element panel having a diffractive element for generating diffracted light upon incidence of light. The following technique can be used to determine the position by controlling the positional relationship with the element panel.

[0003] It is a conventional technique called a box-in-box method. This method utilizes a box pattern, which will be described with reference to the principle conceptual diagrams of FIGS. In the description here, a pattern 31 in which a square box pattern with a side L1 is formed inside and a pattern 32 in which a square box pattern with a side L2 is formed as shown in FIG. Shall be. Then, as shown in FIG. 9, the alignment of the pattern 32 is performed at the center of the pattern 31.
Is what is placed correctly.

First, as shown in FIG. 8, the pattern 31 and the pattern 32 are shifted from each other by a distance L3. From this state, while observing with a CCD camera or the like, these patterns 31 and 32 can be moved to match the state of the correct positional relationship as shown in FIG.

[0005]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional technique, since a large amount of image data must be processed for positioning, high-speed measurement and positioning are difficult, and complicated data processing is required. Therefore, it was troublesome.

Accordingly, the aperture panel of the diffracted light generating apparatus, which includes an aperture panel having an aperture for transmitting light and a diffractive element panel having a diffractive element for receiving light to generate diffracted light, is used. To control and determine the positional relationship with the element panel, the box-in-
Using the box method was unsuitable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and has an opening panel having an opening, and a diffraction element panel having a diffraction element which receives light and generates diffracted light. In the diffracted light generation device constituted by the above, there is provided a diffracted light generation device and a panel positioning method capable of easily and quickly positioning the aperture panel and the diffraction element panel without requiring a large amount of image data processing. Aim.

[0008]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an aperture panel having an opening for transmitting light, and a diffraction panel for receiving light to generate diffracted light. A diffractive light generator comprising a diffractive element panel having an element, wherein a light transmitted through the opening of the aperture panel is incident on the diffractive element of the diffractive element panel, and a photodetector for detecting the intensity of the diffracted light generated And position control means for controlling the positional relationship between the aperture panel and the diffraction element panel so that the intensity of the diffracted light detected by the photodetector is maximized.

Further, according to the second aspect of the present invention, in the diffractive light generating device according to the first aspect, the diffractive element panel includes a diffractive element for converging the diffracted light at one or a plurality of points. A photodetector is arranged at a position where light is collected by a diffraction element that collects light at one or a plurality of points.

Further, according to the third aspect of the present invention, in the diffracted light generator according to the second aspect, a plurality of diffractive elements for condensing light at different points are arranged on the diffractive element panel.

[0011] In the configuration of the invention according to claims 1 to 3, the parallel light emitted from the light source is transmitted by the aperture panel so as to irradiate only a diffraction element for displaying a predetermined specific point image, The transmitted light enters the diffraction element panel and is diffracted there. The intensity of the diffracted light generated at this time is measured by a photodetector arranged at a predetermined point image position. Then, the positional relationship between the aperture panel and the diffraction element panel is changed by using the position control means so that the intensity becomes maximum. Here, if the opening of the aperture panel and the diffraction element of the diffraction element panel are manufactured so as to match when the positional relationship between them is correct, the positioning of the aperture panel and the diffraction element panel is performed in this manner. be able to. Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to easily and quickly position the aperture panel and the diffraction element panel without requiring a large amount of image data processing.

Further, according to the invention described in claim 4, in the diffracted light generator according to claim 2 or 3, the plurality of point images are displayed in a three-dimensional space by the plurality of diffraction elements of the diffraction element panel. It is composed.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, a large-screen three-dimensional display is possible, and a three-dimensional image is formed in the same manner as when an object actually exists, so that an observer can select an arbitrary direction. In a three-dimensional image display device capable of focusing and observing the three-dimensional image from the position, it is possible to easily perform the alignment between the aperture panel and the diffraction element panel.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the diffracted light generating device according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, a spatial light modulator is used as the aperture panel.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, since the spatial light modulator is used as the aperture panel, the aperture can be easily formed at any position.

Further, in the invention according to claim 6, in the diffracted light generator according to claim 5, a liquid crystal panel is used as a spatial light modulator.

According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, since the liquid crystal panel is used as the spatial light modulator which is an aperture panel, a mature liquid crystal technology can be used, and the aperture can be easily formed. The device can be configured.

Further, in the invention according to the seventh aspect, the positioning of the aperture panel having an opening for transmitting light and the diffraction element panel having a diffraction element for generating diffracted light upon incidence of light are performed. In the panel positioning method, the intensity of diffracted light generated when light transmitted through the opening of the aperture panel is incident on the diffractive element of the diffractive element panel is detected by a photodetector, and the diffracted light detected by the photodetector is detected. The positioning is performed by controlling the positional relationship between the aperture panel and the diffraction element panel so that the intensity of the light is maximized.

According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, it is possible to easily and quickly position the aperture panel and the diffraction element panel without requiring a large amount of image data processing.

[0020]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[First Embodiment] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a basic configuration of a diffracted light generator according to a first embodiment of the present invention. This diffracted light generator is basically composed of a light source (not shown), an aperture panel 1, a diffraction element panel 2, a photodetector 3, a position control device 4, and a position control means 5. You.

In this embodiment, a diffraction element for displaying a point image 6 is described as an example of the diffraction element of the diffraction element panel 2. As the diffractive element, a pattern drawn by an electronic drawing apparatus, an element hologram, a pattern printed on a film or the like in different shades, or the like can be used.

Here, the aperture panel 1 and the diffraction element panel 2
Will be described with reference to FIG. 2 which is an enlarged plan view thereof. In the present embodiment, the size of the aperture panel 1 and the size of the diffractive element panel 2 are almost the same, and the opening of the aperture panel 1 and the diffractive element of the diffractive element panel 2 are arranged at four positions at four corners of the panel. Shall be. In FIG. 2, they are shown as openings 1a, 1b, 1 of the opening panel 1.
c, 1d, diffractive elements 2a, 2b, 2 of diffractive element panel 2
c and 2d. When the opening panel 1 and the diffraction element panel 2 are correctly positioned, the opening 1a and the diffraction element 2a, the opening 1b and the diffraction element 2b, the opening 1c and the diffraction element 2c, and the opening 1d. The diffraction element 2d is manufactured so that the positions of the two elements coincide with each other.

This embodiment will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. The aperture panel 1 and the diffraction element panel 2
They are arranged as shown in FIG. In such an arrangement, parallel light 7 from a light source (not shown) is vertically incident from the side of the aperture panel 1. Here, the opening panel 1
If there is a positional relationship between the point image 6 and the diffraction element panel 2, the point image 6 is displayed brightly. However, if these positional relationships do not exist, the point image 6 is displayed dark. Then, the photodetector 3 is arranged at the position of the point image 6, the intensity of the point image 6 is measured, and the diffraction element panel 2 is moved in the moving directions 8 a and 8 b by using the position Find the place where the strength is strongest. By doing so, the positioning of the aperture panel 1 and the diffraction element panel 2 can be performed. It is preferable that the size of the light receiving portion of the photodetector 3 is equal to or slightly larger than the displayed point image.

Further, in the present embodiment, when the diffraction element panel 2 is moved by the position control means 5, the movement is performed by using the position control device 4 based on a signal from the photodetector 3. In this configuration, the position control device 4 searches for a point where the light intensity of the point image 6 becomes maximum as described below. First, the light intensity of the point image 6 before the movement is measured. next,
The diffractive element panel 2 is moved separately for a fixed distance in the moving direction 8a and the moving direction 8b, and the light intensity of the point image 6 is measured, and the diffractive element panel 2 is moved in the direction in which the change amount of the light intensity is large. Moving. The direction of movement at this time is the same direction when the light intensity increases during the trial movement, and in the opposite direction when the light intensity decreases. By repeating such an operation and reducing the moving distance as the positioning progresses, it is possible to find an optimal place.

In this embodiment, the diffraction element panel 2
The directions of the movement are the movement direction 8a and the movement direction 8b, that is, the horizontal direction and the vertical direction in the drawing. However, besides this,
A rotation direction about the center of the opening panel 1 may be required. In such a case, when the position control device 4 determines the moving direction, the number of times of measuring the intensity of the point image and the moving direction of the position control means 5 may be increased. And the diffraction element panel can be positioned.

In this embodiment, the diffraction element panel 2
Only the opening panel 1,
Alternatively, both the aperture panel 1 and the diffraction element panel 2 may be moved and positioned. In that case, it is only necessary to move in synchronization with the aperture panel 1 or to enlarge the light receiving portion of the photodetector.

Further, in this embodiment, parallel light is used as light to irradiate the diffraction element. However, the same applies to the case of using diffused light, focused light, and light from a scanning optical system depending on the specifications of the diffraction element. Positioning can be performed by the procedure. When using a scanning optical system, the time constant of the photodetector is set according to the scanning frequency.

[Second Embodiment] In the first embodiment described above, the diffracted light generating device constituted by the diffractive element panel in which the diffractive elements for converging into one point image are arranged has been described. In the embodiment, a diffracted light generation device including a diffraction element panel in which a plurality of diffraction elements that converge on different point images are arranged adjacent to each other will be described.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a basic configuration of the diffracted light generator according to the second embodiment. This diffracted light generator basically includes a light source (not shown), an aperture panel 11, a diffraction element panel 12, photodetectors 13a and 13b, a position control device 14, and a position control means 15. Be composed. The diffraction element of the diffraction element panel 2 has a point image 1
A plurality of diffraction elements displaying 6a and 16b are recorded adjacent to each other, and the photodetector 13a is disposed at a position where the point image 16a is displayed, and the photodetector 13b is disposed at a position where the point image 16b is displayed. Have been. As the diffraction element, similarly to the first embodiment, a pattern drawn by an electronic drawing apparatus, an element hologram, a pattern printed in light and shade on a film, or the like can be used.

Here, the aperture panel 11 and the diffraction element panel 12 will be described with reference to FIG. In the present embodiment, in the diffraction element panel 12, as shown in FIG. 4, the diffraction element 12α is located next to the diffraction element 12a, the diffraction element 12β is located next to the diffraction element 12b, and the diffraction element 12γ is located next to the diffraction element 12c. , Diffraction element 12d
Are arranged next to each other. Among these diffraction elements, the diffraction elements 12a, 1
Reference numerals 2b, 12c, and 12d indicate a point image 16a, and diffraction elements 12α, 12β, 12γ, and 12δ indicate a point image 1a.
6b is displayed. And the opening panel 11
The openings 11a and 11a are similar to the first embodiment.
b, 11c, and 11d.

Next, the aperture panel 11 and the diffraction element panel 1
2 (positioning) will be described. In this embodiment, when the aperture panel 11 and the diffraction element panel 12 are correctly positioned, the aperture 11a and the diffraction element 12a, the aperture 11b and the diffraction element 12b, and the aperture 1
1c and diffraction element 12c, opening 11d and diffraction element 12d
Are prepared so that the positions coincide with each other. Further, the diffraction elements 12α, 12β, 12
If γ and 12δ are correctly aligned, the point image 16b will not be displayed because it is blocked by the aperture panel 11.

Accordingly, in the first embodiment, the position of the point image 6 is controlled by the photodetector 3 so that the intensity of the point image 6 is maximized. The position is controlled by the position controller 14 so that the light intensity of the image 16a is maximized. At that time, the position controller 14 controls the light detector 13b so that the light intensity of the point image 16b is minimized.

The positioning of the point image 16a by the light intensity at the photodetector 13a is the same as that in the first embodiment. Positioning of the point image 16b by the light intensity on the light detector 13b is performed when the light intensity on the light detector 13b is large because the diffraction element panel 12 is shifted to the right in FIG. The element panel 12 may be moved to the left in FIG. In this way, a more optimal positioning location can be found.

Therefore, according to the second embodiment, the direction of the misalignment between the aperture panel 11 and the diffractive element panel 12 can be detected quickly, so that the opening panel can be moved faster than in the first embodiment. Positioning with the diffraction element panel can be performed. Further, according to the second embodiment, it is possible to position the aperture panel and the diffraction element panel with higher accuracy than in the first embodiment.

In this embodiment, the point images displayed by the diffraction element are two points, but any number of points may be used.
When increasing the number of point images, the number of photodetectors is also increased, and the diffractive elements are arranged adjacently in directions such as up, down, left, and right, so that the direction of the positional shift is detected by each of the plurality of photodetectors, and based on them. Positioning can be performed. in this way,
By increasing the number of point images, positioning can be performed at higher speed and with higher accuracy.

[Third Embodiment] In a third embodiment, a plurality of diffraction elements are recorded on a diffraction element panel, and the diffraction elements display a plurality of point images in a three-dimensional space. A diffracted light generator functioning as an image display device will be described. In addition, such a three-dimensional image display device is capable of three-dimensional display on a large screen. In addition, a three-dimensional image is created in the same manner as an actual object, and an observer can select an arbitrary direction and position. Therefore, it is possible to focus and observe the three-dimensional image.

The basic structure of a three-dimensional image display device, which is a diffracted light generation device of the present embodiment, is shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 5, the three-dimensional image display device includes a spatial light modulator 21 as an aperture panel and a diffraction element panel 22. And the diffraction element panel 2
2, a large number of diffraction elements are recorded, and these diffraction elements are for displaying the point image group 26.

When parallel light 27 is incident on the spatial light modulator 21 in the arrangement shown in FIG. 5, the spatial light modulator 21 can control the light emitted to each diffraction element of the diffraction element panel 22. it can. That is, the spatial light modulator 21 modulates the incident light, and a portion through which the light can transmit functions as an opening. By controlling the light emitted to each diffraction element of the diffraction element panel 22 in this way, the point image group 2
Display / non-display can be selected for each of the point images constituting the image 6. In addition, as the spatial light modulator 21, for example, a liquid crystal panel can be used.

Next, the positioning of the spatial light modulator 21 and the diffraction element panel 22 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. First, the spatial light modulator 2
In step 1, the parallel light 27 is modulated so that only one point image of the point image group 26 is displayed, and the point image to be displayed at that time is defined as a point image 26a. At this time, the spatial light modulator 21
If the positional relationship between and the diffraction element panel 22 is correct, FIG.
, Only the point image 26a is displayed.

However, at this time, if there is no positional relationship between the spatial light modulator 21 and the diffraction element panel 22, extra point images 26b and 26c are displayed as shown in FIG. Therefore, the photodetector 23 is arranged at a position where the point image 26a is to be displayed, the light intensity is measured in the same manner as in the first embodiment, and the position control device 24 and the position control means 25 The diffraction element panel 22 is moved in the moving direction 28a,
28b, the spatial light modulator 21 and the diffraction element panel 22 can be positioned.

As in the second embodiment, a plurality of photodetectors can be arranged. At that time,
For example, in the case shown in FIG. 7, the point images 26b, 2
What is necessary is just to arrange a photodetector at the position of 6c.

As described above, also in the three-dimensional image display device of this embodiment, the positioning of the spatial light modulator, which is an aperture panel, and the diffraction element panel can be easily performed.

The above positioning method can be applied to the positioning of a TFT substrate and a color filter in the manufacture of a TFT liquid crystal panel, for example, as follows. First, an opening is formed at a corner of a color filter to form a color filter as an aperture panel, and a diffraction element is formed at a corner of a TFT substrate to make a TFT substrate a diffraction element panel. At that time, in a state where the TFT substrate and the color filter are correctly aligned, if the diffraction element and the opening are formed so that the diffraction element of the TFT substrate and the opening of the color filter coincide with each other, These positionings can be performed similarly to the embodiment. Further, the panel positioning method of the present invention also includes a method of positioning a wafer and a photomask in a semiconductor manufacturing process.
It can be applied in various ways.

[0045]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, the light transmitted through the opening of the aperture panel irradiates the diffraction element of the diffraction element panel, and the diffracted light generated thereby is detected by the photodetector. However, since the positional relationship between the aperture panel and the diffraction element panel is controlled using position control means so that the light intensity is maximized, a large amount of data processing is not required, and accurate Positioning can be performed.

Further, the present invention enables a large-screen three-dimensional display. In addition, a three-dimensional image is created in the same manner as when an object actually exists, and an observer can view the image from any direction and position. The present invention is also applicable to a three-dimensional image display device capable of focusing and observing a three-dimensional image, and makes it possible to easily perform alignment between an aperture panel and a diffraction element panel that constitute the three-dimensional image display device. Things.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a basic configuration of a diffracted light generation device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view of an aperture panel and a diffraction element panel constituting the diffracted light generation device of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating a basic configuration of a diffracted light generation device according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged plan view of an aperture panel and a diffraction element panel constituting the diffracted light generation device of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram of a main part showing a basic configuration of a three-dimensional image display device which is a diffracted light generation device according to a third embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating a basic configuration of a three-dimensional image display device that is a diffracted light generation device according to a third embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating a basic configuration of a three-dimensional image display device that is a diffracted light generation device according to a third embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a conceptual diagram showing the principle of positioning by the conventional box-in-box method.

FIG. 9 is a conceptual diagram showing the principle of positioning by the conventional box-in-box method.

[Explanation of symbols]

1,11 Open panel 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, 11a, 11b, 11c, 1
1d Openings 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 12a, 12b, 12c, 1
2d, 12α, 12β, 12γ, 12δ Diffraction element 2, 12, 22 Diffraction element panel 3, 13a, 13b, 23 Photodetector 4, 14, 24 Position control device 5, 15, 25 Position control means 7, 17, 27 Parallel light 8a, 8b, 18a, 18b, 28a, 28b Moving direction 21 Spatial light modulator

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A diffracted light generating device comprising: an aperture panel having an opening through which light passes; and a diffractive element panel having a diffractive element that receives light to generate diffracted light. A light detector that detects the intensity of the diffracted light generated by the light transmitted through the opening of the diffractive element panel being incident on the diffractive element of the diffractive element panel, so that the intensity of the diffracted light detected by the light detector is maximized. A diffracted light generator, further comprising a position control means for controlling a positional relationship between the aperture panel and the diffraction element panel. 2. The diffracted light generating device according to claim 1, wherein the diffractive element panel includes a diffractive element for condensing diffracted light at one or a plurality of points. A diffracted light generator, wherein the photodetector is arranged at a position where the light is condensed by a converging diffraction element. 3. The diffracted light generating device according to claim 2, wherein a plurality of diffractive elements for condensing light at different points are arranged adjacent to each other on the diffractive element panel. Diffraction light generator. 4. The diffracted light generator according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of diffractive elements of the diffractive element panel display a plurality of point images in a three-dimensional space. . 5. The diffracted light generator according to claim 1, wherein a spatial light modulator is used as the aperture panel. 6. The diffracted light generator according to claim 5, wherein a liquid crystal panel is used as the spatial light modulator. 7. A panel positioning method for positioning an aperture panel having an aperture through which light passes and a diffraction element panel having a diffraction element into which light is incident to generate diffracted light, the aperture panel comprising: The intensity of the diffracted light generated when the light transmitted through the opening is incident on the diffractive element of the diffractive element panel is detected by a photodetector, and the intensity of the diffracted light detected by the photodetector is maximized. A positioning method by controlling a positional relationship between the aperture panel and the diffraction element panel.