Backlight and display system using same

A display system, comprising:

• a display panel;
• and
• a backlight disposed to provide light to the display panel, the backlight comprising:
• a front reflector and a back reflector that form a hollow light recycling cavity comprising an output surface;
• and
• one or more light sources disposed to emit light into the light recycling cavity;
• wherein the front reflector comprises an on-axis average reflectivity of at least 90% for visible light polarized in a first plane, and an on-axis average reflectivity of at least 25% but less than 90% for visible light polarized in a second plane perpendicular to the first plane.

A backlight, comprising:

• a front reflector and a back reflector that form a hollow light recycling cavity comprising an output surface, the front reflector being configured to reflect substantially all light within the cavity that has a first angular distribution and to partially reflect and partially transmit light within the cavity having a second angular distribution that is different than the first angular distribution;
• one or more light sources disposed to emit light into the light recycling cavity;
• and
• a conversion structure positioned within the cavity to convert at least a portion of light in the cavity having the first angular distribution into light having the second angular distribution and at least a portion of light in the cavity having the second angular distribution into light having the first angular distribution.