Patent · US Expired

Apparatus for reshaping an optical beam bundle

US6870682B1 · kind B1 · utility

7Cited by
3References
49Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 30, 2003
Grant dateMar 22, 2005
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 30, 2023

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG02B27/0977
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

Apparatus for shaping an optical beam bundle carrying a plurality of substantially parallel optical beams disposed in a common plane of travel. First reflective facets and second reflective facets are provided, the first reflective facets being oriented so as to deflect the optical beams of the bundle into a plurality of intermediate, substantially non-parallel optical beams. Each of the second reflective facets is spatially disposed so as to receive a respective one of the intermediate optical beams at a different respective distance from the plane of travel of the optical beam bundle. Also, the second reflective facets are oriented so as to deflect the intermediate optical beams into a bundle of substantially parallel output optical beams. In this way, the output beam can be more adapted for a particular application. In certain cases, this also achieves increased brightness of a laser beam through reduced output beam divergence and/or total cross-sectional area.

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