Laser diode collimation optics

In an optical collimating system having an optical axis;

• a plurality of discrete energy sources;
• means for stacking said energy sources in a linear array perpendicular to said optical axis;
• optical means for focusing an image of said energy sources at a predetermined point on said optical axis which means compress the beam of energy from said array in the plane of said array;
• a first negative cylindrical lens interposed between said optical means and said predetermined point with its optical plane on said optical axis and perpendicular to said array which collimates said energy beam in the plane of said array;
• a second negative cylindrical lens interposed on said optical axis between said optical means and said first negative cylindrical lens with its optical axis parallel to said array which diverges said beam of energy in a plane perpendicular to said array, and
• a positive cylindrical lens interposed on said optical axis in front of said first negative cylindrical lens with its optical axis parallel to said array which collimates said beam of energy in a plane perpendicular to said array.

A method of providing a useful output from a plurality of light sources, said method comprising the steps of:

• stacking the sources of light in a predetermined order;
• focusing light emissions from each of the sources through a focusing lens toward a common point on a central optical axis;
• positioning a first negative cylindrical lens on said central optical axis between said single common point and said individually dedicated focusing lenses such that the light emissions transmitted through said first negative lens are collimated in in a direction parallel with said central optical axis;
• positioning a second negative cylindrical lens on said central optical axis between said individually dedicated focusing lenses and said first negative cylindrical lens such that the light emissions transmitted through said second negative lens diverge from said central optical axis, and
• positioning a positive cylindrical lens on said central optical axis in front of said first negative cylindrical lens such that the light emissions transmitted through said positive cylindrical lens are also collimated in the orthogonal plane in a direction parallel with said central optical axis.

In an optical collimating device having a central optical axis;

• a plurality of discrete energy sources;
• means for stacking said energy sources in a linear array perpendicular to said central optical axis;
• optical means for focusing an image of said energy sources at a predetermined point on said central optical axis which compresses the beam of energy from said array in the plane of said array, and
• a first cylindrical negative lens interposed between said optical means and said predetermined point with its optical plane on said optical axis and perpendicular to said array which collimates said energy beam in the plane of said array in a direction parallel with said central optical axis.

In an optical collimating system having a central optical axis;

• a plurality of discrete energy sources;
• means for stacking said energy sources in a linear array perpendicular to said central optical axis;
• optical means for focusing an image of all of said energy sources at a single predetermined point on said central optical axis which means compress the beam of energy from said array in the plane of said array;
• a first negative cylindrical lens interposed between said optical means and said predetermined point with its optical plane on said central optical axis and oriented as to collimate said energy beam in the plane of said array;
• a second negative cylindrical lens interposed on said central optical axis between said optical means and said first negative cylindrical lens and oriented as to diverge said beam of energy in a plane perpendicular to said array, and
• a positive cylindrical lens interposed on said optical axis in front of said first negative cylindrical lens and oriented as to collimate said beam of energy in a plane perpendicular to said array.