Patent · US Expired

Coupling of light from a non-circular light source

US6856727B2 · kind B2 · utility

22Cited by
43References
37Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateMar 4, 2002
Grant dateFeb 15, 2005
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 28, 2023

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG02B6/4214
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A numerical aperture (NA) equalizing apparatus including a transmission element with an input surface, in which the input surface has a first input dimension and a second input dimension, with the second input dimension being substantially orthogonal to the first input dimension, and the first input dimension is substantially unequal to the second input dimension. Such an NA equalizing system may further include a reflector having a first and a second focal points, with a source of electromagnetic radiation located proximate to the first focal point to produce rays of radiation that are reflected by the reflector and converge substantially at the second focal point. A transmission element to be illuminated with at least a portion of the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the source is placed so that an input surface is located proximate to the second focal point to collect the electromagnetic radiation. The input surface has a first input dimension and a second input dimension, with the second input dimension being substantially orthogonal to the first input dimension, and the first input dimension is substantially unequal to the second input dimension.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.