Beam splitter/combiner with path length compensator and method for making the same

A beam splitter/path length compensator assembly for use in a color imaging assembly for forming spatially separated, color component images of an object on a unitary image plane, said beam splitter/path length compensator assembly comprising:

• a) beam splitter means having a plurality of parallel, color component beam reflecting layers disposed obliquely in the path of a polychromatic light beam for splitting said polychromatic imaging light beam into a plurality of parallel, spatially and spectrally separated, color component beams having optical axes positioned perpendicular to said unitary image plane;
• b) a unitary, integrally formed path length compensator device comprising:
• i) beam splitter housing means for securely, nonadhesively holding said beam splitter means in fixed relationship with said unitary image plane and for spatially separating said beam splitter means from said unitary image plane;
• and
• ii) path length compensator means disposed between said beam splitter means and said unitary image plane for refractively compensating for differences in optical path lengths of said plurality of color component beams, whereby each of said color component beams provides a focused color component image of said object on said unitary image plane.