Patent ID: 7171097
Filing Date: 2007-01-30
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
1. A method for homogenizing and diverting a light beam, comprising the steps of: manufacturing a hollow tube having a hexagonal cross-section as a single piece using an electroforming process by electroplating a thin layer of a highly reflective coating to a solid male pattern followed by a thicker layer of a harder structural material before dissolving said male pattern in an acid bath; homogenizing an incoming light beam having a Gaussian profile upon directly entering an open hexagonal input port of said tube from a light transmitting device utilizing said hexagonal cross-section and said highly reflective coating inside said hollow tube; diverting said homogenized light beam at a right angle at a reflection section integrated within said tube across a single 90° bending point and directing said homogenized light beam at said reflection section towards an open hexagonal output port; maintaining homogenization of said outgoing light beam with said hexagonal cross-section extending from said input port to said reflection section and from said reflection section to said output port and by positioning said reflection section at a 45° reflection angle; coupling said homogenized and diverted outgoing light beam directly into a light transmitting device; and keeping loss of optical energy from said input port to said output port below about 1% with said highly reflective coating.