Concentrating and collecting optical system using concave toroidal reflectors
US6186648A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 13, 1998 |
| Grant date | Feb 13, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 13, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02B6/0006
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An electromagnetic radiation source, such as an arc lamp, is located at a point displaced from the optical axis of a concave toroidal reflecting surface. The concave primary reflector focuses the radiation from the source at an off-axis image point that is displaced from the optical axis. The use of a toroidal reflecting surface enhances the collection efficiency into a small target, such as an optical fiber, relative to a spherical reflecting surface by substantially reducing aberrations caused by the off-axis geometry. A second concave reflector is placed opposite to the first reflector to enhance further the total flux collected by a small target. In accordance with one embodiment, the present invention is directed to devices in which the square of the off-axis distance divided by the radius of curvature is equal to or less than the extent of the source of electromagnetic radiation (y.sub.0.sup.2 /r.ltoreq.s.sub.0).
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.