Patent ID: 7307786

Claim:
A beam shaper for use in connection with a quasi-monochromatic light source, the beam shaper comprising: a transmission element comprising a substantially transparent material, the transmission element being operative to guide propagation of light from the light source with differing ratios of imaging geometry, the transmission element comprising at least in part binary, surface relief diffractive patterns, having local grating periods optimized with respect to longitudinal and transverse directions, and with respect to an optical axis, wherein the local grating period are optimized substantially in accordance with the Bragg diffraction geometry for providing a maximum diffraction efficiency in guiding the propagation of light, wherein guiding the propagation of light comprises at least one of rounding, making elliptical, collimating, diverging or converging, wherein the beam shaper is integrated with the quasi-monochromatic light source, and wherein the beam shaper is arranged directly on and/or around a surface of the light source in an integral structure so as to constitute a protection matrix at least partially enclosing the light source, and wherein the transmission element for guiding light beams has an imaging geometry of 1:1 and the beam shaper has a surface profile diffractively arranged on a flat surface such that guiding propagation of the light that has an incidence angle of more than 50°-30° is implemented at least partially by means of a diffractive Bragg grating pattern, the transmission element has an imaging geometry slightly different from a ratio 1:1 and further comprises a refractive lens and the beam shaper has a surface profile arranged in a hybrid pattern such that guidance of the light that has an incidence angle of less than 15°-40°is implemented by the refractive lens, and, guidance of light that has an incidence angle of more than 15°-40° is implemented at least partially by means of a diffractive Bragg grating pattern, or the transmission element has an imaging geometry substantially different from a ratio 1:1 and further comprises an aspherical or spherical refractive surface comprising a diffractive Bragg grating pattern operative to satisfy the Bragg condition and attain a high diffraction efficiency, wherein surface relief diffractive pattern of the transmission element is arranged in a hybrid pattern.