Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. A collimator comprising: a guide channel having a longitudinal front end, a longitudinal back end, and an outer wall, wherein the guide channel is adapted to collimate light received at the longitudinal front end and transmit collimated light from the longitudinal back end;  a reflector having a generally tapered cylindrical shape wherein the reflector is positioned so that an inner surface of the reflector surrounds a portion of the outer wall of the guide channel and the reflector is coaxial with the guide channel; and  an absorber disposed at the back opening of the reflector and adapted to pass light reflected by the reflector at a substantially uniform intensity profile. 2. A collimator in accordance with  claim 1  wherein said guide channel comprises a plurality of polycapillary tubes. claim 1 3. A collimator in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the guide channel comprises a plurality of microchannel plates. claim 1 4. A collimator in accordance with  claim 1  wherein said guide channel comprises at least one polycapillary tube and at least one microchannel plate. claim 1 5. A collimator comprising: a guide channel having a longitudinal front end, a longitudinal back end, and an outer wall, wherein the guide channel is adapted to collimate light received at the longitudinal front end and transmit collimated light from the longitudinal back end;  a reflector having a generally tapered cylindrical shape with a front opening and a back opening wherein the reflector is positioned so that an inner surface of the reflector surrounds a portion of the outer wall of the guide channel and the reflector is coaxial with the guide channel, and wherein the reflector is positioned so that light reflected from an inside surface of the reflector is directed to the longitudinal front end of the guide channel. 6. A collimator in accordance with  claim 5 , wherein the back opening of the reflector is adjacent to the longitudinal front end of the guide channel. claim 5 7. A collimator in accordance with  claim 5  wherein the guide channel comprises a plurality of polycapillary tubes. claim 5 8. A collimator in accordance with  claim 5  wherein the guide channel comprises a plurality of microchannel plates. claim 5 9. A collimator in accordance with  claim 5  wherein the guide channel comprises at least one polycapillary tube and at least one microchannel plate. claim 5 10. A method of collimating light comprising: providing a guide channel having a longitudinal front end, a longitudinal back end, and an outer wall;  providing a reflector having a generally tapered cylindrical shape with a front opening and a back opening wherein the reflector is coaxial with the guide channel; and  providing an absorber disposed at the back opening of the reflector providing light to be collimated;  collimating a first portion of the light by reflecting the first portion of the light on an inner surface of the reflector;  passing the first portion of the light through the absorber so that the first portion of light has a substantially uniform intensity profile; and  collimating a second portion of the light with a guide channel. 11. A method in accordance with  claim 10 , further comprising: claim 10 applying the first and second portions of collimated light to a photomask so as to define a pattern in a photoactive substance. 12. A method in accordance with  claim 10  wherein the collimated light is used in a process selected from a group consisting of lithography, microlithography, tomography, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction, x-ray microscopy and x-ray fluorescence. claim 10 13. A method of collimating light comprising: providing a guide channel having a longitudinal front end, a longitudinal back end, and an outer wall;  A providing a reflector having a generally tapered cylindrical shape with a front opening and a back opening, wherein the reflector is positioned so that an inner surface of the reflector surrounds a portion of the outer wall of the guide channel and the reflector is coaxial with the guide channel;  providing light to be collimated;  reflecting the portion of the light on an inner surface of the reflector so as to substantially collimate the portion of the light;  receiving the substantially collimated portion of the light at the longitudinal front end of the guide channel; and  passing a collimated beam of light from the back end of the guide channel. 14. A method in accordance with  claim 13 , wherein the collimated beam of light has a substantially uniform intensity profile. claim 13 15. A method in accordance with  claim 13 , further comprising: claim 13 applying the collimated beam of light to a photomask so as to define a pattern in a photoactive substance. 16. A method in accordance with  claim 13  wherein the collimated beam of light is used in a process selected from a group consisting of lithography, microlithography, tomography, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction, x-ray microscopy and x-ray fluorescence. claim 13 17. A method of focusing light on a target point comprising: providing a guide channel having a longitudinal front end and a longitudinal back end;  providing a reflector having a generally tapered cylindrical shape with a front opening for receiving light and a back opening for transmitting reflected light, wherein the reflector is positioned so that it is coaxial with the guide channel;  providing light to be collimated;  reflecting a first portion of the light on an inner surface of the reflector so as to focus the first portion of light on a target point outside of the back opening of the reflector; and  receiving a second portion of the light at the longitudinal front end of the guide channel and focusing the second portion of light on the target point. 18. A method in accordance with  claim 17  wherein the focused light is used in a process selected from a group consisting of lithography, microlithography, tomography, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction, x-ray microscopy and x-ray fluorescence. claim 17