A Q switch resonator includes: an optical resonator comprising at least two mirrors, and configured to accumulate power of a continuous wave or an intermittent continuous wave incident from an outside; and a switching element provided in the optical resonator. The switching element is configured such that, when the power accumulated in the optical resonator increases to a predetermined level, the switching element outputs an optical pulse by lowering a Q factor from a first level to a second level lower than the first level.

An optical film stack including a DOE, a first detecting circuit layer, a liquid crystal changeable diffuser, and a conductive structure is provided. The first detecting circuit layer is disposed on the DOE. The liquid crystal changeable diffuser is disposed beside the DOE and includes a first transparent substrate, a second detecting circuit layer, a second transparent substrate, a third detecting circuit layer, and a liquid crystal layer. The second detecting circuit layer is disposed on the first transparent substrate. The second transparent substrate is disposed beside the first transparent substrate. The third detecting circuit layer is disposed on the second transparent substrate. The liquid crystal layer is disposed between the first transparent substrate and the second transparent substrate. The conductive structure electrically connects the first detecting circuit layer, the second detecting circuit layer, and the third detecting circuit layer.

An optical film stack including a DOE, a first detecting circuit layer, a liquid crystal changeable diffuser, and a conductive structure is provided. The first detecting circuit layer is disposed on the DOE. The liquid crystal changeable diffuser is disposed beside the DOE and includes a first transparent substrate, a second detecting circuit layer, a second transparent substrate, a third detecting circuit layer, and a liquid crystal layer. The second detecting circuit layer is disposed on the first transparent substrate. The second transparent substrate is disposed beside the first transparent substrate. The third detecting circuit layer is disposed on the second transparent substrate. The liquid crystal layer is disposed between the first transparent substrate and the second transparent substrate. The conductive structure electrically connects the first detecting circuit layer, the second detecting circuit layer, and the third detecting circuit layer.

An apparatus including an optical resonator, and a method of using same. The optical limiter includes an optically absorbent material. The optical resonator supports a plurality of resonant transmission peaks at resonant frequencies defined by the cavity length. The optically absorbent material exhibits a saturable absorption response at a fundamental absorption peak located spectrally at a fundamental absorption peak frequency of the plurality of resonant transmission peaks. The optically absorbent material includes an absorptivity sufficient for strong cavity coupling, such that the fundamental absorption peak splits into a first upper vibration polariton transmission peak and a second lower polariton transmission peak separated by a Rabi splitting. The Rabi splitting is proportional to a square root of the absorptivity. The absorptivity varies with optical excitation of the optically absorbent material. The absorptivity is maximized at a photon-unsaturated ground state, and the absorptivity is minimized at an optically excited state.

An anti-dazzle imaging camera is provided that includes a photorefractive crystal that is wavelength-agnostic. The photorefractive crystal is configured to receive an optical beam. When the optical beam includes no laser, the photorefractive crystal is configured to pass the optical beam unchanged to an imaging detector. When the optical beam includes a laser, the photorefractive crystal is configured to attenuate the laser to generate a modified optical beam and to pass the modified optical beam to the imaging detector.

A transparent display provides eye protection from lasers and other high intensity light sources. The transparent display allows users to view objects clearly through the display while also presenting text, graphics or video on the display surface. Simultaneously, the display assembly comprises a component that provides eye protection against high power radiation sources. The transparent display with eye protection provides both protection from high power light sources and an additional cockpit display surface for presentation of information including graphical images, symbology, video, text, and other data.

A method is provided for operating one or more one solid-state electro-optic device to provide an electrically switching shutter. The method includes forming an alternating stack of first semiconductor layers having a first dopant and second semiconductor layers having a second dopant to form at least one superlattice semiconductor device. The method further includes applying to the at least one superlattice semiconductor device a first voltage to induce a transparent state of the alternating stack such that light is transmitted through the alternating stack, and applying to the at least one superlattice semiconductor device a second voltage different from the first voltage to induce an opaque state of the alternating stack such that light is inhibited from passing through the alternating stack.

Various techniques provide systems and methods for facilitating aperture protection. In one example, a system for facilitating aperture protection is provided. The system includes an optical limiter device. The optical limiter device includes a thermochromic material and a plurality of nanostructures, where each of the nanostructures is in contact with a portion of the thermochromic material. At least a subset of the nanostructures is configured to receive incident light and generate heat in response to the incident light. At least a portion of the thermochromic material is configured to transition from a first state to a second state in response to the heat and block the incident light when the portion is in the second state. The portion is configured to transition from the second state back to the first state when the portion cools, such as upon removal of the incident light. Related methods and products are also provided.

According to some aspects, a transmissive and all-dielectric optical component/limiter with great cutoff efficiency using Vanadium Dioxide (VO.sub.2) as the active component is disclosed. In some embodiments, Vanadium dioxide is used for an optical limiter due to the large contrast in optical constants upon undergoing the semiconductor to metal phase transition. When triggered optically, this transition occurs within 60 fs, making the device suitable for an ultrafast laser environment. In addition, the phase transition threshold is tunable by applying stress or doping; therefore, the device cutoff intensity can be adjusted to fulfill specific requirements.

An optical structure comprising at least one stack having a central filter (1) and two sandwiching optical elements (2,3) between which the central filter (1) is interposed, wherein the central filter (1) is in a matrix material. The matrix material being doped with at least one doping agent, the central filter (1) and the two optical elements (2,3) on either side thereof being assembled by bonding layers (4a, 4b) of a material based on the same matrix material as that of the central filter, the optical elements (2,3) on either side of the central filter (1) and the bonding layers (4a, 4b) each having a refractive index equal to that of the material of the central filter or only differing from this refractive index within a range of plus or minus 0.05, preferably within a range of plus or minus 0.02.