Collimated beam manifold with the number of output beams variable at a given output angle

Abstract

An optical manifold transforms a collimated beam, such as a laser beam, into a plurality of parallel beams having uniform intensity or having a desired intensity ratio. The manifold (10) comprises an optical substrate (12) coated on its rear surface (13) with a fully reflective layer (14) and on its front surface (15) with a partially reflecting layer (20) having a reflectivity gradient. An input collimated beam (30) entering the rear surface (13) and impinging on the front surface (14) will be reflected, multiple (32-40) between the front and rear surfaces producing a plurality of parallel beams (42, 44, 46, 48) that emerge from the front surface. The intensities of the emerging beams will have a relationship that depends on the reflectivity (R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3, R.sub.4, and R.sub.5) of the front surface at the points where the beams emerge. By properly selecting the reflectivity gradient, the emerging beams will have uniform intensity or a desired intensity ratio.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.