Abstract: An optical element having a light carrying medium through which light can propagate by total internal reflection. The light carrying medium has at least one surface. A layer is positioned adjacent the surface and is of a porous first material of sufficient porosity and with pores which are vacant or contain a second material having an index of refraction lower than that of the light carrying medium, such that the layer reduces total internal reflection in the light carrying medium less than would be reduced using a non-porous layer of the same dimensions of only the first material. A light integrator and scanner using such integrator are also provided.

Abstract: A spectral filtration system comprising a non-imaging optic having entry and exit faces, the exit face being tilted relative to the entry face, and a filter positioned so as to receive light from, or transmit light to, a face of the non-imaging optic.

Abstract: A border treatment is supplied to an image which is to be processed by using an algorithm operation on a neighborhood surrounding each image pixel of the image. The border provides a high frequency high contrast area which appears to the image processing system as an undesirable area and which is eliminated thereby allowing an uninfluenced treatment of each of the pixels in an image including the pixels at the edges of an image. Any neighborhood influence resulting from border pixels near the edge of the image is eliminated because these border pixels appear as noise which is eliminated. The appearance of noise is due to the high frequency alternation of contrasting areas which are processed as noise and thereby eliminated.

Abstract: A light integrator in a first aspect, comprises:an elongated tapered solid core having first and second ends and an elongated surface therebetween, down which a decreasing total proportion of light can propagate by total internal reflection at the elongated surface;a layer of reflective material positioned adjacent at least a portion of the elongated surface, which reflective layer is of a first material having sufficient porosity, with pores which are vacant or contain a second material having an index of refraction lower than that of the core, such that the layer reduces total internal reflection in the core less than it would be reduced using a non-porous layer of the same dimensions of only the first material; andfirst and second light ports defined by regions of the core not covered by the reflective material, positioned such that light can pass through the first port, propagate down the core by total internal reflection at the elongated surface, while an increasing total proportion passes through the el