Edmund Optics, Inc.

Christopher Cummings

Samuel P Sadoulet

Two integrating light pipes are optically coupled to a focusing element to produce light with uniform irradiance and intensity profiles. The first ILP stage is used to receive spatially non-uniform light from a single or multi-color source and produce a uniform irradiance distribution while leaving the intensity distribution substantially unaltered. The focusing optical element swaps the irradiance and intensity distributions received from the output of the first ILP and feeds it to a second ILP stage which, in turn, completes the spatial homogenization of the light by transforming the non-uniform irradiance received from the focusing element into an output of uniform irradiance. As a result of this sequence of transformations, a homogeneous multi-color light output, both in intensity and irradiance, is produced.

Light-pipe integrator for uniform irradiance and intensity

A reflector chamber, used to couple a light source to a downstream light-transport medium, includes a forward reflector which folds the light impinging upon it forward and a backward reflector that folds backwards the light received from the light source or the forward reflector. The two reflectors are judiciously shaped so as to maximize the energy density at the output aperture with an angle of emission within the numerical aperture of the downstream medium. The forward reflector is preferably shaped substantially flat and coplanar with the light source. The backward reflector is preferably a concave section. A diverging light reflector may be added to the output aperture of the coupler in order to increase its efficiency.

Growing community of inventors

Hampton, NH, United States of America

Christopher Cummings