Patent ID: 7313299

Claim:
An apparatus for transforming laser beams, comprising: a waveguide comprising: a first elongate element having a planar reflective surface; a second elongate element having a planar reflective surface, wherein the first and second elongate elements are positioned such that the planar reflective surfaces are facing and are spaced apart a distance; an input at a first end of the first and second elongate elements; and an output at a second end of the first and second elongate elements; and means for directing a beam having a first intensity profile to the input of the waveguide, wherein the distance between the first and second elongate elements differs at the input and the output such that the waveguide is tapered and wherein the beam at the output of the waveguide has a second intensity profile differing from the first intensity profile, wherein the waveguide is tapered at an angle between about 0.1 and 5 mrad.