Abstract: An illumination panel for illuminating an object, comprising a substrate, a light diffractive grating and a light source. The substrate is made from an optically transparent material having first and second area surfaces disposed substantially parallel to each other and a light input surface for conducting a light beam into the substrate. The light diffractive grating is mounted to the first areal surface and has a slanted fringe structure embodied therein for diffracting the light beam falling incident thereto, along a first diffractive order of the slanted fringe structure. The light source produces a light beam for transmission through the input surface and direct passage through the substrate to the slanted fringe structure so as to produce an output light beam of areal extent that emerges from either the first or second areal surface along the first diffractive order, for use in illuminating an object.

Abstract: An illumination panel for illuminating an object, comprising a substrate, a light diffractive grating and a light source. The substrate is made from an optically transparent material having first and second areal surfaces disposed substantially parallel to each other and a light input surface for conducting a light beam into the substrate. The light diffractive grating is mounted to the first areal surface and has a slanted fringe structure embodied therein for diffracting the light beam falling incident thereto, along a first diffractive order of the slanted fringe structure. The light source produces a light beam for transmission through the input surface and direct passage through the substrate to the slanted fringe structure so as to produce an output light beam of areal extent that emerges from either the first or second areal surface along the first diffractive order, for use in illuminating an object.

Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for recording and displaying grazing-incidence (i.e., steep reference beam angle) holograms supported on a substrate having thin edge-illuminatable geometry. The system and process use thin edge-illuminated substrates that facilitate optimal coupling of the reference light beam at steep angles approaching grazing incidence, while maximizing the contrast of the slanted fringe structures thereof. Different recording techniques are employed when the index of refraction of the substrate is greater than that of the recording medium, than when the index of refraction of the substrate is less than that of the recording medium. A recording and playback system of complementary design is provided for recording slanted-fringe volume holograms under relaxed conditions, without compromising the light diffraction efficiency of the holograms under different playback conditions.

Abstract: Optical detection apparatus and process which, in its optimum configuration, utilizes holographic optical elements both as a dichroic beamsplitter and as a selective notch-type barrier filter to enhance the amount of light to reach the detector while barring undesirable wavelengths from reaching the detector. The apparatus, when incorporated into a fluorescent-light detecting process, has the advantage of minimizing loss of light suffered because of a small Stokes shift, which shift occurs between the wavelength of the light transmitted to a sample target area and the increased wavelength of fluorescent light emitted from the sample for collection by a detection device.