Device and method for combining light beams
AssigneeTeknologian tutkimuskeskus VTT Oy
InventorsRami Mannila, Heikki Saari
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Abstract
A light source device includes a first light source to provide a first input light beam in the direction of a central axis of the light source device, a second light source to provide a second input light beam in the direction of the central axis, a central reflector, a catadioptric reflector to focus light of the first input light beam to the central reflector, and to focus light of the second input light beam to the central reflector, and at least one actuator to change the angular position of the central reflector, so as to cause the central reflector to form an output beam by sequentially reflecting light of the first input light beam and light of the second input light beam to the axial direction.
Claims15
A light source device comprising:
- a first light source to provide a first input light beam in the direction of a central axis of the light source device,
- a second light source to provide a second input light beam in the direction of the central axis,
- a central reflector, and,
- at least one actuator to change the angular position of the central reflector, so as to cause the central reflector to form an output light beam by sequentially reflecting light of the first input light beam and light of the second input light beam to the axial direction, and
- a catadioptric reflector to focus light of the first input light beam to the central reflector, and to focus light of the second input light beam to the central reflector, wherein the catadioptric reflector is arranged to provide a first external inclined light beam, which is focused to the central reflector, wherein the catadioptric reflector comprises a refracting input surface, a first reflecting surface, a second reflecting surface and a refracting output surface, wherein the input surface is arranged to form a first internal axial light beam from the first input light beam, the first reflecting surface is arranged to form a first converging light beam from the first internal axial light beam, the second reflecting surface is arranged to form a first internal inclined light beam from the first converging light beam, and the output surface is arranged to form the first external inclined light beam from the first internal inclined light beam.
A method, comprising providing an output light beam by using a light source device, which comprises a plurality of light sources, a central reflector, and at least one actuator, wherein said providing of the output light beam comprises:
- providing a first input light beam in the direction of a central axis of the light source device, wherein the first input light beam is provided by using a first light source,
- providing a second input light beam in the direction of the central axis, wherein the second input light beam is provided by using a second light source,
- changing the angular position of the central reflector, so as to cause the central reflector to form the output light beam by sequentially reflecting light of the first input light beam and light of the second input light beam to the axial direction, wherein the angular position of the central reflector is changed by using the at least one actuator,
- focusing light of the first input light beam to the central reflector by using a catadioptric reflector, and
- focusing light of the second input light beam to the central reflector by using the catadioptric reflector,
- wherein the catadioptric reflector is arranged to provide a first external inclined light beam, which is focused to the central reflector, wherein the catadioptric reflector comprises a refracting input surface, a first reflecting surface, a second reflecting surface and a refracting output surface, wherein the input surface is arranged to form a first internal axial light beam from the first input light beam, the first reflecting surface is arranged to form a first converging light beam from the first internal axial light beam, the second reflecting surface is arranged to form a first internal inclined light beam from the first converging light beam, and the output surface is arranged to form the first external inclined light beam from the first internal inclined light beam.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.