Prism assembly for separating light

A prism assembly comprising:

• means for reflecting a first range of wavelengths of light from a first prism component off of a first dichroic interface;
• means for reflecting a second range of wavelengths of the light from the first prism component off of a second dichroic interface;
• means for totally internally reflecting a first portion of the first range of wavelengths and a first portion of the second range of wavelengths off of a first face of the first prism component;
• means for totally internally reflecting a second portion of the first range of wavelengths off of a second face of a second prism component;
• means for totally internally reflecting a second portion of the second range of wavelengths off of a third face of a third prism component;
• and
• means for transmitting a third range of wavelengths of the light from the first prism.

A method for manufacturing a prism assembly, the method comprising:

• providing a first prism component having a triangular cross-section along an optical path;
• providing a second prism component having a first quadrilateral cross-section along the optical path;
• providing a third prism component having a second quadrilateral cross-section along the optical path;
• providing a fourth prism component having a pentagon cross-section along the optical path;
• providing a first dichroic interface between the first and second prism components and between the third and fourth prism components and configured to reflect a first range of wavelengths of the light;
• and
• providing a second dichroic interface between the first and third prism components and between the second and fourth prism components and configured to reflect a second range of wavelengths of the light.

A method comprising:

• reflecting a first range of wavelengths of light from a first prism component off of a first dichroic interface;
• reflecting a second range of wavelengths of the light from the first prism component off of a second dichroic interface;
• totally internally reflecting a first portion of the first range of wavelengths and a first portion of the second range of wavelengths off of a first face of the first prism component;
• totally internally reflecting a second portion of the first range of wavelengths off of a second face of a second prism component;
• totally internally reflecting a first portion of the second range of wavelengths off of a third face of a third prism component;
• and
• transmitting a third range of wavelengths of the light from the first prism component through a fourth prism.