Laser-phosphor based stage lighting engine with a highly efficient polarization maintaining diffuser configuration

A light generating system comprising (i) one or more light generating devices, (ii) a luminescence conversion arrangement, and (iii) a diffuser arrangement, wherein:

• the one or more light generating devices are configured to generate device light;
• wherein the one or more light generating devices comprises a solid state light source, wherein the solid state light source comprises one or more of a laser diode and a super luminescent diode;
• wherein the light generating system is configured such that, in an operational mode of the light generating systems, (a) at least part of the device light propagates to the luminescence conversion arrangement, and (b) at least part of the device light propagates to the diffuser arrangement;
• wherein the at least part of the device light propagating to the diffuser arrangement is polarized light comprising one of a first linear polarization and a second linear polarization;
• the luminescence conversion arrangement comprises a luminescent material configured to convert at least part of the device light received by the luminescent material into luminescent material light;
• wherein the luminescent material is configured in the reflective mode relative to device light irradiating the luminescent material;
• the diffuser arrangement is configured to generate diffused device light from at least part of the device light received by the diffuser arrangement;
• wherein the diffuser arrangement comprises a polarizing beam splitter, a quarter wave plate, a polarization maintaining diffuser, and a specularly reflective mirror, wherein the mirror comprises a metallic mirror;
• the polarizing beam splitter is (i) transmissive for one of the light having the first linear polarization and light having the second linear polarization and (ii) reflective for the other one of the light having the first polarization and the light having the second linear polarization;
• the quarter wave plate is configured between the polarizing beam splitter and the polarization maintaining diffuser;
• the polarization maintaining diffuser is configured between the quarter wave plate and the specularly reflective metallic mirror;
• wherein the polarization maintaining diffuser is configured as a diffuser for device light having a polarization imposed by the quarter wave plate to the device light;
• one or more second optical elements are configured to collimate device light, wherein one or more of the following applies:
• (i) a primary second optical element is configured between the one or more light generating devices and the luminescent material, and (ii) a secondary second optical element is configured between the waveplate and the diffuser;
• and
• the light generating system is configured to generate system light comprising in the operational mode of the light generating system (i) the diffused device light and (ii) the luminescent material light.