Patent ID: 6268917
Filing Date: 2001-07-31
Classification: G01J,G01N

Abstract:
A system for providing an output beam of polychromatic electromagnetic radiation which has a relatively broad and flattened intensity vs. wavelength characteristic over a wavelength spectrum, said output beam of polychromatic electromagnetic radiation substantially being a comingled composite of a plurality of input beams of polychromatic electromagnetic radiation which individually do not provide as relatively broad and flattened an intensity vs. wavelength characteristic over said wavelength spectrum, as does said output comingled composite beam of polychromatic electromagnetic radiation, said system for providing an output beam of polychromatic electromagnetic radiation which has a relatively broad and flattened intensity vs. wavelength characteristic over a wavelength spectrum comprising:a. at least a first and a second source of polychromatic electromagnetic radiation; andb. at least a first electromagnetic beam combining means; said at least a first electromagnetic beam combining means being positioned with respect to said first and second sources of polychromatic electromagnetic radiation such that a beam of polychromatic electromagnetic radiation from said first source of polychromatic electromagnetic radiation passes through said at least a first electromagnetic beam combining means, and such that a beam of polychromatic electromagnetic radiation from said second source of polychromatic electromagnetic radiation reflects from said at least a first electromagnetic beam combining means and is comingled with said beam of polychromatic electromagnetic radiation from said first source of polychromatic electromagnetic radiation which passes through said at least a first electromagnetic beam combining means, said resultant beam of polychromatic electromagnetic radiation substantially being said output beam of polychromatic electromagnetic radiation which has a relatively broad and flattened intensity vs. wavelength over a wavelength spectrum, comprising said comingled composite of a plurality of input beams of polychromatic electromagnetic radiation which individually do not provide such a relatively broad and flattened intensity vs. wavelength over a wavelength spectrum characteristic;said system for providing an output beam of polychromatic electromagnetic radiation which has a relatively broad and flattened intensity vs. wavelength characteristic over a wavelength spectrum being optionally further characterized by a selection from the group consisting of:a1. a. a third source of electromagnetic radiation; andb. a second electromagnetic beam combining means; said second electromagnetic beam combining means being positioned with respect to said comingled beam of polychromatic electromagnetic radiation which has a relatively broad and flattened intensity vs. wavelength over a wavelength spectrum and which exits said at least a first electromagnetic beam combining means, such that it passes through said second electromagnetic beam combining means, said second electromagnetic beam combining means being also positioned with respect to said third source of polychromatic electromagnetic radiation such that a beam of electromagnetic radiation from said third source of polychromatic electromagnetic radiation reflects from said second electromagnetic beam combining means such that a second resultant beam of polychromatic electromagnetic radiation which is substantially an output beam of polychromatic electromagnetic radiation which has a relatively even more broadened and flattened intensity vs. wavelength over a wavelength spectrum, comprising said comingled composite of a plurality of input beams of polychromatic electromagnetic radiation from said first, second and third sources, which first, second and third sources individually do not provide such a relatively even more broadened and flattened intensity vs. wavelength over a wavelength spectrum characteristic; anda2. at least one of said first and second electromagnetic beam combining means is pivotally mounted in said system for providing an output beam of polychromatic electromagnetic radiation which has a relatively broad and flattened intensity vs. wavelength characteristic over a wavelength spectrum to allow rotation thereof, such that the angle at which a beam of polychromatic electromagnetic radiation from said second or third source of polychromatic electromagnetic radiation reflects from said first or second, respectively, electromagnetic beam combining means can be controlled.