Patent ID: 7503657

Claim:
A color separation or synthesis system for receiving at least two incident light beams whose wavelengths are different from each other, comprising: two wavelength-splitting elements, each of which reflects light of one wavelength and transmits light of another wavelength; and two polarization-transforming elements which transform the polarization direction of an incident luminous flux, each of which is arranged adjacent and at least nearly parallel to one of said two wavelength-splitting elements; wherein the color separation or synthesis system operates on at least two linearly polarized light beams of different wavelengths that are incident on the color separation or synthesis system from the same direction so that at least one of the linearly polarized light beams is emitted from the color separation or synthesis system linearly polarized in a direction that is different from its direction upon incidence on the color separation or synthesis system, and so that at least one of the linearly polarized beams is emitted from the color separation or synthesis system in a direction of propagation that is different from its direction upon incidence on the color separation or synthesis system.