IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,547,010
Granted Patent B2
US 12,547,010 · App. 18/040,562 · Granted Feb 10, 2026

Diffraction element device

Inventors: Sohan Kawamura (Tokyo, JP); Yurina Tanaka (Tokyo, JP); Takashi Sakamoto (Tokyo, JP); Masahiro Ueno (Tokyo, JP); Yuichi Akage (Tokyo, JP); Soichi Oka (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: NTT, Inc.
G02B27/0944G02B5/1828G02B26/0808G02B27/42G02F1/294G02B2207/117G02F1/292
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,547,010
App. No.
18/040,562
Granted
Feb 10, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A diffraction element device includes a diffractive element and a power source, the diffractive element includes a substrate and a plurality of multi-step structures, each of the multi-step structures is composed of a plurality of steps, an electrode is provided at a part of the multi-step structures, a piezoelectric material or an electrostrictive material is included in a part of the multi-step structures, the power source is connected to the electrode or the substrate, and a height of the multi-step structures changes due to a voltage applied from the power source.

Claims (19)

1 . A diffraction element device comprising:

a diffractive element including a substrate and a plurality of multi-step structures on the substrate, each of the plurality of multi-step structures composed of a plurality of steps including at least one of a piezoelectric material or an electrostrictive material; and

a power source configured to apply voltage to the diffractive element, wherein a height of each of the plurality of multi-step structures changes due to a voltage applied from the power source.

2 . The diffraction element device according to claim 1 , wherein the height of each of the plurality of steps is configured to change in response to a voltage applied from the power source.

3 . The diffraction element device according to claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of multi-step structures comprises a plurality of structures having different heights.

4 . The diffraction element device according to claim 1 , wherein the substrate and the plurality of multi-step structures are formed of a same material and have a monolithic structure.

5 . The diffraction element device according to claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of multi-step structures includes the plurality of steps arranged on a side surface of the substrate.

6 . A diffraction element device comprising:

a lower substrate;

an upper substrate arranged apart from the lower substrate and including a plurality of multi-step structures disposed on a side of the upper substrate that is opposite to the lower substrate; and

an actuator disposed between the upper substrate and the lower substrate, the actuator being configured to change a curvature of the upper substrate according to an applied voltage.

7 . The diffraction element device according to claim 6 , wherein the actuator is made of a piezoelectric material or an electrostrictive material.

8 . The diffraction element device according to claim 6 , further comprising a power source connected to the actuator, the upper substrate, or the lower substrate.

9 . The diffraction element device according to claim 8 , wherein the power source is configured to modulate a change in height of each of the plurality of multi-step structures.

10 . The diffraction element device according to claim 8 , further comprising an electrode provided in a part of each of the plurality of multi-step structures and electrically connected to the power source.

11 . The diffraction element device according to claim 6 , further comprising a power source configured to modulate the change of the curvature of the upper substrate.

12 . A diffraction element device comprising:

a diffractive element including a substrate and a plurality of multi-step structures on the substrate, each of the plurality of multi-step structures composed of a plurality of steps including at least one of a piezoelectric material or an electrostrictive material, wherein

a height of each of the plurality of multi-step structures is configured to change in response to an applied voltage.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Oct 7, 2025
From: NIPPON TELEGRAPH AN D TELEPHONE CORPORATION
To: NTT, INC.
Reel/Frame 073014/0979 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 3, 2023
From: KAWAMURA, SOHAN; TANAKA, YURINA; SAKAMOTO, TAKASHI; UENO, MASAHIRO; AKAGE, YUICHI; OKA, SOICHI
To: NIPPON TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 062587/0532 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230273446A1 · Aug 31, 2023
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