Solar concentration system using volume holograms

An apparatus for recording contact copy transmission holograms, comprising:

• a laser configured to generate a coherent beam;
• a beam expander configured to expand the coherent beam and to generate an expanded beam;
• a first cylindrical lens having a first axis, configured to focus the expanded beam into a focused beam;
• a second cylindrical lens having a second axis, perpendicular to the first axis, the second cylindrical lens configured to shape the focused beam into a rectangular beam;
• a movable mirror;
• a master media;
• and
• a copy media in optical contact with the master media,
• wherein:
• the movable mirror is configured to rotate about an axis and to direct the rectangular beam along a first direction on a surface of the master media;
• the copy media is configured to move along a second direction, perpendicular to the first direction;
• the master media is configured to partially diffract the rectangular beam incident on its surface into a diffracted beam, and to partially transmit the rectangular beam incident on its surface into a transmitted beam, coherent with the diffracted beam,
• the diffracted beam and the transmitted beam each are incident on the copy media and forming an interference pattern in the copy media.

An apparatus for recording contact copy transmission holograms, comprising:

• a laser configured to generate a coherent beam;
• a beam expander configured to expand the coherent beam and to generate an expanded beam;
• a first cylindrical lens having a first axis, configured to focus the expanded beam into a focused beam;
• a second cylindrical lens having a second axis, perpendicular to the first axis, the second cylindrical lens configured to shape the focused beam into a rectangular beam;
• a first movable mirror;
• a second movable mirror;
• a master media;
• and
• a copy media in optical contact with the master media,
• wherein:
• the first movable mirror is configured to rotate about an axis and to direct the rectangular beam along a first direction on a surface of the second movable mirror;
• the second movable mirror is configured to reflect the rectangular beam incident on the second movable mirror to the master media,
• the second movable mirror is further configured to move along a second direction, perpendicular to the first direction;
• the master media is configured to partially diffract the rectangular beam incident on its surface into a diffracted beam, and to partially transmit the rectangular beam incident on its surface into a transmitted beam, coherent with the diffracted beam,
• the diffracted beam and the transmitted beam each are incident on the copy media and forming an interference pattern in the copy media.

An electromagnetic wave concentrating system, comprising:

• a wedge substrate having an edge;
• a photovoltaic material disposed at the wedge substrate edge;
• and
• at least a first holographic concentrator, comprising:
• a first holographic optical element (HOE), and at least a second HOE, configured to diffract incident light into a first diffracted beam having a first range of wavelengths and at least a second diffracted beam, having a second range of wavelengths, different from the first range of wavelength;
• wherein:
• the first diffracted beam is at least partially incident on and transmitted by the at least second HOE,
• and further wherein:
• the at least first holographic concentrator is configured to direct the first and the at least second diffracted beams into the wedge substrate, forming a first and a second refracted beams,
• the wedge substrate is configured to direct the first and the second refracted beams by total internal reflection to the photovoltaic material.