Abstract: A Hartmann inspection system is provided that includes, comprising: a laser source; and a spatial light modulator (SLM) configured to form at least one aperture to form an object beam for inspecting an object, wherein the SLM is further configured to modulate the aperture with a diffraction grating.

Abstract: An improved method for generating masters having a plurality of randomly distributed speckle suitable for making seamless light shaping diffusers of virtually any size and at low cost is disclosed herein. The method utilizes incoherent light to record a desired speckle pattern in a photosensitive medium which is then exposed in an imagesetter.

Abstract: A non-scattering light pipe includes a transition surface between a first side wall and an input surface and a second side wall and the input surface. The transition surface is arranged to substantially obscure the corner interfaces between the first and second side walls and the input surface such that in the corner formation any imperfections therein are not imaged into the output. Most preferably, the transition surface is optimized to provide a substantially uniform light intensity distribution. A light pipe in accordance with the preferred embodiments of the present invention is further arranged to couple to a linear light source, such as a cold cathode fluorescent light (CCFL). The light source is arranged such that dim areas, i.e., areas of the light source having non-uniform intensity, are not disposed adjacent the input surface.

Abstract: A fiber optic luminaire is arranged to couple light energy from a light source along its length. The fiber optic luminaire includes a plurality of light redirecting structures distributed along its length; the light redirecting structures are arranged to uniformly distribute by reflection light energy from the fiber optic luminaire. The light redirecting structures are preferably non-scattering structures, including structures such as microprisms, microfacets, microgrooves and micrometers. The fiber optic luminaire may be configured to a variety of shapes and to provide customized light distribution patterns.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing an LCD backlight are described. An LCD backlight system includes: a beam bending and viewing film including a first side including a surface diffuser and a second side including a plurality of substantially parallel optical elements, each of the plurality of substantially parallel optical elements including a first facet that includes a refractive surface and a second facet that includes a total internal reflection surface. The systems and methods provide advantages in that light from the LCD backlight is bright and homogenous.

Abstract: A method of rapid prototyping a lighting system which is at least one of folded path and multifaceted includes determining output power of the lighting system by calculating phase space density. A method of rapid prototyping a lighting system comprises ray tracing the lighting system, determining photometric quantities which describe the lighting system based on the ray tracing step, and providing a stereoscopic three-dimensional rendering of the lighting system based on the determining step. The three-dimensional renderings reveal any hidden pseudo-image artifacts in a lighting system before the lighting system is actually fabricated. A computer system for rapid prototyping a lighting system comprises a plurality of slave processors networked to a host processor. The slave processor and the master processor cooperate to ray trace the lighting system, and the slave processors perform homogeneous independent tasks.