Abstract: An illumination system for a display device includes an array of cylindrical lenslets for imaging an adjacent array of different color monochromatic emitting phosphor stripes onto the display device. Also included is a microcollimator reflector for each stripe which partially collimates emitted light from each phosphor stripe with respect to at least one axis of the display. An edge-irradiated energy distributor plate efficiently distributes ultra-violet energy by total internal reflection to the phosphor stripes that act as scattering and absorbing centers for the ultra-violet energy.