Abstract: A LED light display having a plurality of LED bulb arrays and a louver panel defining a plurality of hole arrays. Each hole array can define openings that are sized and spaced to receive at least the distal end portions of the bulbs forming a single LED bulb array. The louver panel further has a plurality of shaped protrusions in the form of louvers that are configured to extend outwardly and forwardly from a front surface of the louver panel and are arranged in a plurality of columns and in a plurality of rows in regularly repeating patterns related to the pattern of the placement of a plurality of the plurality of hole arrays in the louver panel and are further configured to block at least a portion of the emission of light from the LED bulbs in both a horizontal and vertical direction.

Abstract: Disclosed herein a module controlling viewing window, a device for hologram display and a method for displaying hologram. The module controlling viewing window includes: a viewing window forming unit having a first reflective optical system that receives an incident light and forms a viewing window in a user's viewing region; and a viewing angle expanding unit having a second reflective optical system that is arranged in one direction on the viewing window forming unit and expands a viewing angle of the viewing window.

Abstract: A display apparatus of the present disclosure includes: an image detection unit that determines whether an empty second subframe is present in input image data, in addition to a first subframe that displays an image; a correction image generation unit that generates correction image data for correcting the input image data; a control unit that performs control to display the correction image data generated by the correction image generation unit during the period of the second subframe, when the image detection unit detects that the second subframe is present in the input image data; and a display panel that includes a light modulation device provided for each pixel, and modulates irradiation light from a light source, on the basis of input image data including the correction image data.

Abstract: An illumination system is adapted to provide an illumination light beam. The illumination system includes a light-source module and a light-shape adjustment module. The light-source module is adapted to emit a first light beam. The light-shape adjustment module is disposed on the transmission path of the first light beam and is adapted to adjust the light shape of the first light beam. The light-shape adjustment module includes a first light-diffusing element, a second light-diffusing element, and a first lens element. The first light beam sequentially passes through the first light-diffusing element, the first lens element, and the second light-diffusing element to form the illumination light beam. A projection device having the illumination system is also provided.

Abstract: Provided is a laser device, comprising a laser light source, a collimating lens that collimates the light output from the laser light source, and a diffuser plate that diffuses the light from the laser light source before collimating the light.

Abstract: A LED light display having a plurality of LED bulb arrays and a louver panel defining a plurality of hole arrays. Each hole array can define openings that are sized and spaced to receive at least the distal end portions of the bulbs forming a single LED bulb array. The louver panel further has a plurality of shaped protrusions in the form of louvers that are configured to extend outwardly and forwardly from a front surface of the louver panel and are arranged in a plurality of columns and in a plurality of rows in regularly repeating patterns related to the pattern of the placement of a plurality of the plurality of hole arrays in the louver panel and are further configured to block at least a portion of the emission of light from the LED bulbs in both a horizontal and vertical direction.

Abstract: An illumination system and a projection apparatus are provided. The illumination system includes a coherent light source, an optical module, and a first light-diffusing device. The coherent light source emits a coherent light beam. The optical module and the first light-diffusing device are located on a transmission path of the coherent light beam. The optical module has an optical surface and a light-diffusing surface, and the coherent light beam focuses on a first position through the optical surface of the optical module. The first light-diffusing device is located at the first position or in vicinity of the first position. The coherent light beam passes through the first light-diffusing device so that a diffusion angle of the coherent light beam is sequentially changed. A display frame exhibiting a uniform luminance is thereby provided by the illumination system and the projection apparatus of the invention.

Abstract: A display panel module and an electronic device is provided, the display pane module including a plurality of display panel modules. According to the disclosure, an electronic device comprises: a housing, a cover glass, a plurality of display panels disposed adjacent to a rear surface of the cover glass in the housing, a plurality of first heat dissipation plates disposed adjacent to rear surfaces of the plurality of display panels in the housing, a plurality of power/data reception circuit boards disposed adjacent to rear surfaces of the plurality of first heat dissipation plates in the housing, a support configured to support at least a portion of the plurality of power/data reception circuit boards, and a power/data transmission circuit board having at least a portion contacting and supported by the support and spaced apart by a predetermined distance from the plurality of power/data reception circuit boards in a space provided by the support.

Abstract: A spectral beam combining (SBC) fiber laser amplifier system including a beam shaper array assembly and a beam source that provides a plurality of beams having a low fill factor profile. The assembly includes an input beam shaper array having a plurality of input cells positioned adjacent to each other that are shaped to cause the beams to expand as they propagates away from the input array to be converted from the low fill factor profile to a high fill factor profile and be tapered to a lower value at a perimeter of each input array cell. The assembly further includes an output beam shaper array having a plurality of output cells positioned adjacent to each other that are shaped to cause the beams to stop expanding so that the output array provides a plurality of adjacent beams with minimal overlap and a minimal gap between the beams.

Abstract: A coherently beam combining (CBC) fiber laser amplifier system including beam shaper array assembly and a beam source that provides a plurality of beams having a low fill factor profile. The assembly includes an input beam shaper array having a plurality of input cells positioned adjacent to each other that are shaped to cause the beam to expand as it propagates away from the input array to be converted from the low fill factor profile to a high fill factor profile and cause the profile to taper to a lower value at a perimeter of each input array cell. The assembly further includes an output beam shaper array having a plurality of output cells positioned adjacent to each other that are shaped to cause the beam to stop expanding so that the output array provides a plurality of adjacent beams with minimal overlap and a minimal gap between the beams.

Abstract: A hybrid coherent beam combining (CBC) and spectral beam combining (SBC) fiber laser amplifier system including a beam shaper array assembly and a beam source that provides a plurality of beams having a low fill factor profile. The assembly includes an input beam shaper array having a plurality of rectilinear input cells positioned adjacent to each other that are shaped to cause the beam to expand as it propagates away from the input array to be converted from the low fill factor profile to a high fill factor profile. The assembly further includes an output beam shaper array having a plurality of output cells positioned adjacent to each other that are shaped to cause the beam to stop expanding so that the output array provides a plurality of adjacent beams with minimal overlap and a minimal gap between the beams.

Abstract: An illumination device for illuminating a target to be combated includes a laser light source for emitting light along a beam path, a first modulator in the beam path and configured to manipulate a direction of the beam path in a first plane, a phase plate in the beam path having a variety of different optical thicknesses, and a control device connected to the light source and the first modulator and is configured to activate the first modulator using different frequencies, so that the beam path is deflected over a control period of time up to a first angle.

Abstract: The assembly to homogenize a light beam, especially from an excimer laser, has at least two optical functional surfaces (26) in succession along the light path (z). Two groups of refractive or diffractive imaging elements are at the optical surfaces as cylinder lenses (30, 30?, 32), with at least two imaging elements of different characteristics within at least one of the groups. The light beam is finally carried through a Fourier lens (28) to the working plane (29).

Abstract: A deflecting mirror which deflects a laser beam emitted from a laser oscillator, a transfer lens, a cylindrical lens array which divides the laser beam having passed through the transfer lens into a plurality of laser beams, and a condensing lens which superposes the laser beams formed in the cylindrical lens array are included. The following formula is satisfied: 1/f=1/(a+b)+1/c, when: “a” is a distance between an emission opening of the laser oscillator and the deflecting mirror; “b” is a distance between the deflecting mirror and the transfer lens; “c” is a distance between the transfer lens and an incidence plane of the cylindrical lens array; and “f” is a focal length of the transfer lens.

Abstract: Two aperture members are disposed on each side of a lens array. In one aperture member, decreasingly tapered through holes having a cross sectional area that gradually decreases in a light incident direction and increasingly tapered through holes having a cross sectional area that gradually increases in the light incident direction are alternatively arranged. The other aperture member that is oppositely disposed with respect to the lens array has the same configuration. The center axes of the decreasingly tapered through holes and the center axes of the increasingly tapered through holes are coincident with each other. This enables to achieve an image forming optical element that has a large amount of light and less irregularity of the amount of light.

Abstract: Devices and methods for maintaining the brightness of laser emitter bar outputs having multiple emitters for coupling and other applications. In some embodiments, at least one brightness enhancement optic may be used in combination with a beam reformatting optic.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for two-dimensional wavelength beam combining of laser sources. In one example, an external cavity multi-wavelength laser includes an array of laser emitters each producing an optical beam having a specified wavelength, a grating stack comprising a plurality of first-order diffraction gratings arranged linearly in a first dimension, and a dispersive element. The laser further includes a cylindrical telescope that images the optical beams from the array of laser emitters onto the grating stack. A first cylindrical transform lens spatially overlaps the optical beams in a second dimension forming a first region of overlap at the grating stack. A second cylindrical transform lens spatially overlaps the optical beams from the grating stack in the first dimension forming a second region of overlap at the dispersive element. The dispersive element transmits a multi-wavelength output beam comprising the spatially overlapped optical beams from the array of laser emitters.

Abstract: An autostereoscopic display apparatus is provided and includes a first lenticular lens array, a second lenticular lens array, an optical diffuser layer, an image projector module and a switch unit. The optical diffuser layer is disposed between the first lenticular lens array and the second lenticular lens array. Multiple image beams generated by the image projector module are projected to a plurality of observing regions on an observing plane through the first lenticular lens array, the optical diffuser layer and the second lenticular lens array. The switch unit rotates the second lenticular lens array in accordance with the autostereoscopic display apparatus operates situated at a three-dimensional (3D) display mode or a two-dimensional (2D) display mode.

Abstract: An optical raster element for an illumination system of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus includes an array of refractive optical elements extending on a planar or curved surface. At least two of the optical elements are arranged side by side along a reference direction with a pitch of less than 2 mm. They have a height perpendicular to the surface of less than 50 ?m and a surface profile along the reference direction which includes a central section, two transition sections adjacent the central section and two end sections adjacent the transition sections. The curvatures in the two transition sections are greater than the curvatures in the central section and the end sections. The optical raster element is intended for being used as a first channel plate in an optical integrator (honeycomb condenser) and can reduce the maximum light intensities occurring in or behind the second channel plate.

Abstract: A lens sheet having one or more lens arrays positioned in selected discrete areas. Each lens array includes a plurality of lenses, each having a width, a height, and a lens peak. The lens array is set below the planar surface of the lens sheet, such that lens array does not extend above the lens sheet. Furthermore, the lens array is completely bordered by or contained within planar portions of the lens sheet. One or more dimensional images are printed below each of the lens arrays, and/or one or more static images can be printed on the planar portions of the lens sheet.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for two-dimensional wavelength beam combining of laser sources. In one example, an external cavity multi-wavelength laser includes an array of laser emitters each producing an optical beam having a specified wavelength, a grating stack comprising a plurality of first-order diffraction gratings arranged linearly in a first dimension, and a dispersive element. The laser further includes a cylindrical telescope that images the optical beams from the array of laser emitters onto the grating stack. A first cylindrical transform lens spatially overlaps the optical beams in a second dimension forming a first region of overlap at the grating stack. A second cylindrical transform lens spatially overlaps the optical beams from the grating stack in the first dimension forming a second region of overlap at the dispersive element. The dispersive element transmits a multi-wavelength output beam comprising the spatially overlapped optical beams from the array of laser emitters.

Abstract: An optical integrator is able to keep down a light-quantity loss in modified illumination with an illumination optical apparatus. An optical integrator of a wavefront division type according to the present invention has a plurality of refracting surface regions which refract incident light, and a plurality of deflecting surface regions provided corresponding to the plurality of refracting surface regions and adapted for changing a traveling direction of the incident light. The plurality of refracting surface regions include a plurality of first refracting surface regions includes an arcuate contour with the center projecting in a first direction, and a plurality of second refracting surface regions includes an arcuate contour with the center projecting in a second direction.

Abstract: The invention concerns a multilayer body and a process for producing a multilayer body. The multilayer body has a transparent first layer in which a multiplicity of cylindrical lenses of a length of more than 2 mm and a width of less than 400 ?m are shaped, which are arranged in accordance with a microlens grid spanning a first co-ordinate system having a co-ordinate axis X1 which is determined by the focal point lines of the cylindrical lenses, and a co-ordinate axis Y2 perpendicular thereto.

Abstract: A lens sheet for both a microlens and a lenticular lens includes a first lenticular lens layer having semicircular convex lenses which are arranged in parallel; a refraction control adhesive layer formed under the first lenticular lens layer; a second lenticular lens layer formed under the refraction control adhesive layer and having semicircular convex lenses which are arranged in parallel; a focal distance layer formed under the second lenticular lens layer; and a three-dimensional layer formed under the focal distance layer, wherein an extension direction of the semicircular convex lenses arranged in the first lenticular lens layer and an extension direction of the semicircular convex lenses arranged in the second lenticular lens layer are crossed with each other.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to an optical element, a light projector that includes the optical element, and an image projector that includes the optical element. In particular, the optical element provides an improved uniformity of light by homogenizing the light with lenslet arrays, such as “fly-eye arrays” (FEA). The FEA is positioned to homogenize an unpolarized combined light before the light is converted to a single polarization state.

Abstract: A micro-lens array and a method for fabricating a micro-lens includes forming a first lens formation material layer on and/or over a micro-lens formation area of a semiconductor substrate, and then forming a portion of the lens formation material layer as a first micro-lens using a first mask. A second lens formation material layer is formed adjacent to the first micro-lens on and/or over the micro-lens formation area. The second lens formation material layer is also formed as a second micro-lens using a second mask which is a different type from that of the first mask.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for screening color separations of a lenticular image with a lenticular frequency of the lenticular lenses needed for viewing the lenticular image. An amplitude-modulated halftone image is calculated for each of the color separations at a screen angle and at a screen frequency, the tangent of the screen angle being a rational number. For a specific color separation, a screen angle relating to the direction perpendicular to the image strips of the lenticular image is defined, a pair of whole numbers whose ratio is equal to the tangent of the screen angle is determined, and the screen frequency of the color separation is calculated as the product of the lenticular frequency and the square root of the sum of the squares of the two whole numbers.

Abstract: An illumination system comprising an array of controllable mirrors configured to direct radiation towards a pupil plane and an array of lenses configured to direct radiation sub-beams towards the array of controllable mirrors, wherein a first lens of the array of lenses and a controllable mirror of the array of controllable mirrors forms a first optical channel having a first optical power and a second lens of the array of lenses and a controllable mirror of the array of controllable mirrors forms a second optical channel having a second optical power, such that a radiation sub-beam formed by the first optical channel has a first cross-sectional area and shape at the pupil plane and a radiation sub-beam formed by the second optical channel has a second different cross-sectional area and/or shape at the pupil plane.

Abstract: A method for illuminating the surface of an object by using a source beam is provided. The source beam is partitioned into as many illumination sub-beams as there are surface elements to be illuminated, and their aperture is modulated as a function of the predetermined luminous intensity to be assigned to the surface element. Each surface element is illuminated with the aid of one of said illumination sub-beams. Used for illuminating the imagers of projection devices, this method makes it possible to add a second modulation stage allowing the display contrast of the images to be improved.

Abstract: The present invention is to provide a laser irradiation technique for irradiating the irradiation surface with the laser beam having homogeneous intensity distribution using a cylindrical lens array without being affected by the intensity distribution of the original beam. A laser beam emitted from a laser oscillator is divided by two kinds of cylindrical lens arrays into a plurality of beams, which are two kinds of linear laser beams with their energy intensity distribution inverted each other, and the two kinds of linear laser beams are superposed in a minor-axis direction. This can form the linear laser beam having homogeneous intensity distribution on the irradiation surface.

Abstract: Provided is a method and system for reducing speckle in an image produced from a light source. The method, in one embodiment, includes providing a line generating element, the line generating element having a collection of optical elements having an axis. The method, in this embodiment, further includes directing an input beam of light at the line generating element while the line generating element is being vibrated back and forth in a direction substantially transverse to the axis.

Abstract: The present invention is to provide a laser irradiation technique for irradiating the irradiation surface with the laser beam having homogeneous intensity distribution using a cylindrical lens array without being affected by the intensity distribution of the original beam. A laser beam emitted from a laser oscillator is divided by two kinds of cylindrical lens arrays into a plurality of beams, which are two kinds of linear laser beams with their energy intensity distribution inverted each other, and the two kinds of linear laser beams are superposed in a minor-axis direction. This can form the linear laser beam having homogeneous intensity distribution on the irradiation surface.

Abstract: An illumination system including at least one coherent light source, a light uniforming device and a lenticular sheet module is provided. The coherent light source is capable of emitting a coherent beam. The light uniforming device is disposed on a transmission path of the coherent beam. The lenticular sheet module disposed on a transmission path of the coherent beam and between the coherent light source and the light uniforming device, includes a first lenticular sheet and a second lenticular sheet. The first lenticular sheet includes a plurality of first rod-like lenticulars disposed side by side extending along a first extending direction. The second lenticular sheet disposed between the first lenticular sheet and the light uniforming device, includes a plurality of second rod-like lenticulars disposed side by side extending along a second extending direction. The first extending direction and the second extending direction make an angle greater than 0 degree.

Abstract: There is provided a light source unit which includes a luminescent light source which receives excitation light so as to emit light of a predetermined wavelength band, excitation light sources which shine excitation light on to the luminescent light source, a reflection space having the luminescent light source in an interior thereof and an emission space which emits luminescent light source light emitted from the reflection space from an emission port whose area is made smaller than the area of the luminescent light source and a projector which employs the light source unit.

Abstract: A deflecting mirror which deflects a laser beam emitted from a laser oscillator, a transfer lens, a cylindrical lens array which divides the laser beam having passed through the transfer lens into a plurality of laser beams, and a condensing lens which superposes the laser beams formed in the cylindrical lens array are included. The following formula is satisfied: 1/f=1/(a+b)+1/c, when: “a” is a distance between an emission opening of the laser oscillator and the deflecting mirror; “b” is a distance between the deflecting mirror and the transfer lens; “c” is a distance between the transfer lens and an incidence plane of the cylindrical lens array; and “f” is a focal length of the transfer lens.

Abstract: A projection display apparatus 101 in which the light quantity adjusting means has a simple and readily interchangeable structure, and which can improve image quality by adjusting the quantity of light received by a light valve continuously, without causing illuminance irregularities, and without having unwanted light radiated onto the screen, the light quantity adjusting means 9 having light blocking members 91L, 91R for blocking light in transit to a second lens array 22, and rotational axes 91LA, 91RA for turnably supporting each of the light blocking members on an xy plane, the light blocking members 91L, 91R and rotational axes 91LA, 91RA being positioned so that the rotational axes 91LA, 91RA are disposed in positions symmetric with respect to the optical axis AX on the xy plane, and the turning range from the light blocking initiation position at which the light blocking members 91L, 91R, by being turned, start to block light in transit toward the second lens array 22 to the maximum light blocking posi

Abstract: A laser image display including a laser light source emitting laser light, a beam deflector element for receiving laser light and deflecting its advancing direction, a beam deflecting element control section for controlling the degree of deflection performed by the beam deflector element, an optical integrator for receiving and guiding the deflected laser light to output from its outputting end face, a pseudo surface light source element for scattering the deflected laser light, and a modulation element for receiving and modulating the laser light scattered by the false surface light source element.

Abstract: An optical film comprises a transparent substrate including a top surface and a bottom surface; a micro-hemisphere layer disposed on the top surface of the transparent substrate and having a plurality of hemispheric projections, and an unsmooth diffusion layer disposed on the bottom layer of the transparent substrate. The micro-hemisphere layer condenses a light. The unsmooth diffusion surface diffuses a light.

Abstract: A light source device for a display device for projecting an image on a screen is provided, the light source device for display device including a light source unit operable to output light; an image outputting unit operable to output an image by giving an image signal to the light; and a control circuit operable to switch the image output from the image outputting unit between a normal image and a mirror reversed image formed by reversing the normal image right and left by controlling the image signal, such that outputting type is switched between a front projection in which the image is projected onto the screen from a front on the same side as the viewing side, and a rear projection in which the image is projected onto the screen from a rear plane on the opposite side to the viewing side.

Abstract: A device for the homogenization of radiation, preferably light, using chirped microlens arrays (cMLA) from the established regular microlens arrays (rMLA), chirped microlens arrays are an arrangement of non-identical lenses in one array. Non-identical means that the lens parameters of the lenses of the array, such as e.g. the radius of curvature, the free diameter, vertex position, and others, can vary from lens to lens or cell to cell. The parameters of each lens or cell can be determined by functions (analytically, numerically), the functions preferably being dependent upon the position of the cell or the lens in the array.

Abstract: A laser beam emission is collimated by optics. The collimated beam is shaped into an expanding planar laser beam by line generator optics. The expanding planar laser beam is collimated by other optics such that a beam having a generally rectangular cross-section is derived. The resulting beam can be used in ink drop detection and/or other applications.

Abstract: An optical fiber micro array lens is provided along with an associated fabrication method. The micro array lens is fabricated from a mesh of optical fibers. The mesh includes a first plurality of cylindrical optical fibers. Each fiber from the first plurality has a flat bottom surface and a hemicylindrical top surface. The top and bottom surfaces are aligned in parallel with a central fiber axis. The mesh also includes a second plurality of cylindrical optical fibers. Each fiber from the second plurality has a hemicylindrical bottom surface overlying and in contact with the top surfaces of the first plurality of optical fibers, and a flat top surface. The top and bottom surfaces are aligned in parallel with a central fiber axis. Each contact of the first and second plurality of optical fibers forms a lens assembly in a micro array of lenses.

Abstract: A device for beam shaping is particularly suited for producing a linear intensity distribution in a working plane. The device includes a laser light source, which can emit a multi-mode laser radiation. The beam quality factor of the radiation with regard to a first direction perpendicular to the propagation direction of the laser radiation is greater than 1 and also the beam quality factor with regard to a second direction perpendicular to the propagation direction is greater than 1. The device further includes a beam transformation assembly, which are arranged in the device in such a way that they can transform the laser radiation or partial beams of the laser radiation in such a way that the beam quality factor with regard to the first direction is increased and that the beam quality factor with regard to the second direction is reduced.

Abstract: A device for homogenizing light contains at least one optically functional surface through which light to be homogenized can pass and a plurality of concave and convex cylindrical lenses which are disposed in an alternating fashion one next to the other on the at least one optically functional surface. The device further has at least one first embodiment and at least one second embodiment, different from the at least one first embodiment, of transitions between the concave and the convex cylindrical lenses. Wherein the transitions between the concave and the convex cylindrical lenses are configured such that partial beams of the light to be homogenized, which have passed through different embodiments of the transitions between the concave and the convex cylindrical lenses, have an optical path difference with respect to one another, which contributes to the reduction of interference effects in the homogenized light.

Abstract: A device for the homogenization of radiation, preferably light, using chirped microlens arrays (cMLA) from the established regular microlens arrays (rMLA), chirped microlens arrays are an arrangement of non-identical lenses in one array. Non-identical means that the lens parameters of the lenses of the array, such as e.g. the radius of curvature, the free diameter, vertex position, and others, can vary from lens to lens or cell to cell. The parameters of each lens or cell can be determined by functions (analytically, numerically), the functions preferably being dependent upon the position of the cell or the lens in the array.

Abstract: The present invention is to provide a laser irradiation technique for irradiating the irradiation surface with the laser beam having homogeneous intensity distribution using a cylindrical lens array without being affected by the intensity distribution of the original beam. A laser beam emitted from a laser oscillator is divided by two kinds of cylindrical lens arrays into a plurality of beams, which are two kinds of linear laser beams with their energy intensity distribution inverted each other, and the two kinds of linear laser beams are superposed in a minor-axis direction. This can form the linear laser beam having homogeneous intensity distribution on the irradiation surface.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a laser irradiation apparatus, a laser irradiation method, and a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device using the laser irradiation method that can suppress the energy distribution of the laser beam. The present invention provides a laser irradiation apparatus including a laser oscillator oscillating a pulsed laser beam, a lens assembly having a plurality of optical systems, position control means for controlling the position of the lens assembly to select at least two from the plurality of optical systems in synchronization with oscillations of a plurality of pulses of the pulsed laser beam, wherein the selected plurality of optical systems forms a plurality of pulses with spatial energy distribution inverted or rotated each other.

Abstract: A backlight device 10 according to the invention includes an optical member 17 provided on a surface light source. The optical member 17 includes a lenticular lens sheet 14 having a plurality of cylindrical lenses CL1 arranged in parallel to one another and a lenticular lens sheet 15 provided on the lenticular lens sheet 14 and having a plurality of cylindrical lenses CL2 arranged in parallel to one another. Therefore, light emitted obliquely to the front surface can be restrained and improved front side brightness is provided.

Abstract: The present invention is to provide a laser irradiation technique for irradiating the irradiation surface with the laser beam having homogeneous intensity distribution using a cylindrical lens array without being affected by the intensity distribution of the original beam. A laser beam emitted from a laser oscillator is divided by two kinds of cylindrical lens arrays into a plurality of beams, which are two kinds of linear laser beams with their energy intensity distribution inverted each other, and the two kinds of linear laser beams are superposed in a minor-axis direction. This can form the linear laser beam having homogeneous intensity distribution on the irradiation surface.

Abstract: A zoomable light beam spreader comprising first and second multiple-lens arrays includes a plurality of plano-convex lenses in correspondence with a plurality of plano-concave lenses having matched, curved optical surfaces. In a zero-power state, the two multiple-lens arrays are very closely spaced so that the matched convex and concave surfaces effectively cancel each other optically but, as the two arrays are separated coaxially along the axis of a light beam, beam divergence angle increases as a function of the distance of separation. A large amount of beam divergence is obtained when the curved surfaces of the plano-concave lenses of the second array are positioned beyond the focus points of the plano-convex lenses of the first array.