Abstract: Optical devices achromatize the output from a highly efficient refractive laser beam reshaper, thereby allowing collimated, diffraction limited flat-top laser beams to be generated over a wide spectral interval, e.g., over 200 nm in the visible. While the beam reshaper may utilize refractive aspheric lenses, the achromatizers use cost effective spherical refractive elements.

Abstract: Optical devices achromatize the output from a highly efficient refractive laser beam reshaper, thereby allowing collimated, diffraction limited flat-top laser beams to be generated over a wide spectral interval, e.g., over 200 nm in the visible. While the beam reshaper may utilize refractive aspheric lenses, the achromatizers use cost effective spherical refractive elements.

Abstract: An optical system having a first positive optical element having an aspherical surface; and a second positive optical element having an aspherical surface. The first and second optical elements are arranged in a Keplerian configuration. The aspheric surface of the second optical element is related to the aspheric surface of the first optical element by a ray-tracing function that maps substantially all of an input light beam that is incident to the first optical element to a collimated output light beam that is output from the second optical element. The input light beam has a first axially-symmetric intensity distribution, such as a Gaussian intensity distribution, and the output light beam has a second axially-symmetric intensity distribution, such as a continuous, sigmoidal intensity distribution. Preferably, the output light beam has a Fermi-Dirac intensity distribution, and the ray-tracing function maps the input light beam to the output beam to a 1/e6 intensity radius of the input light beam.

Abstract: Optical information processor and storage of pixelated data pattern in a Fourier plane of a lens as achieved by a plurality of optical elements operating with a spatial light modulator. A laser light source illuminates a data pattern with a wavefront that is created by a phase mask to effect a phase shift. The optical information can be effecitvely processed or stored, for instance, in a holographic data storage system. The holographic data storage system for storing a data array contains illuminated and dark regions including a multi-fold phase shift mask. This affects a linear and non-random shift of an image. The image is stored on a holographic storage medium. There is a spatial light modulator between the input location for the optical data and the storage medium. The phase shift is effected in the Fourier plane.