초록 ▼

An illumination system for projecting a line of light includes a linear array of diode lasers having a fast and a slow axis and an optical system aligned with the linear array and having different optical power in the fast and slow axes. The optical system is arranged to focus fast-axis diverging ra

An illumination system for projecting a line of light includes a linear array of diode lasers having a fast and a slow axis and an optical system aligned with the linear array and having different optical power in the fast and slow axes. The optical system is arranged to focus fast-axis diverging rays from the array in a fast axis focal plane of the optical system, and arranged to form slow axis diverging rays of the array into a plurality of bundles of parallel rays, one for each diode-laser, in the array. The bundles of parallel rays intersect in the fast-axis focal plane, such that light from the diode-lasers is formed into a line of light in the fast-axis focal plane. The line of light has a width in the fast axis and a length in the slow axis. The illuminator is useful as an illuminator for a linear spatial light modulator array.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An illumination system for projecting a line of light, comprising:a plurality of diode-lasers spaced apart in an elongated linear array, said linear array having a slow axis parallel to the length direction thereof, and a fast axis perpendicular to said slow axis, light being emitted from each of

1. An illumination system for projecting a line of light, comprising:a plurality of diode-lasers spaced apart in an elongated linear array, said linear array having a slow axis parallel to the length direction thereof, and a fast axis perpendicular to said slow axis, light being emitted from each of said diode-lasers as diverging rays in both said fast and slow axes in a direction of propagation perpendicular to both said fast and slow axes; and an optical system having a longitudinal axis parallel to the propagation direction of light from said diode-lasers, said optical system arranged to focus said fast-axis diverging rays in a focal plane perpendicular to said longitudinal optical axis, and arranged to form said slow axis diverging rays into a plurality of bundles of parallel rays, one thereof for each diode-laser, said bundles of parallel rays intersecting in said focal plane, whereby light from said diode-lasers is formed into a line of light about in said focal plane, said line of light having a width in said fast axis and a length in said slow axis.