Patent ID: 6411437
Filing Date: 2002-06-25
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
A polarization conversion system, comprising:first and second lens arrays that each include multiple lenslets, each lenslet of the first lens array being optically aligned with a lenslet of the second lens array; and a planar array of polarization beamsplitters positioned adjacent the second lens array, each polarization beamsplitter including a pair of elongated prisms having respective inclined faces positioned against each other and their lengths extending vertically across plural lenslets of the second lens array, the polarization beamsplitter array including coplanar top and bottom array segments, the inclined faces of the prisms of the polarization beamsplitters of the top array segment being oriented at substantially a first angle and the inclined faces of the prisms of the polarization beamsplitters of the bottom array segment being oriented at substantially a second angle that is reversed relative to the first angle, the elongated prisms of the polarization beamsplitters of the top array segment meeting the elongated prisms of the polarization beamsplitters of the bottom array segment only at their ends with substantially no separation between them.