Apparatus for obtaining radiant energy

An apparatus for obtaining radiant energy from a polychromatic radiant energy source, the apparatus comprising:

• a) a first reflective light concentrator for concentrating and redirecting incident polychromatic light, wherein the first reflective light concentrator has a first axis of symmetry and a first optical axis;
• b) a second reflective light concentrator for concentrating and redirecting incident polychromatic light, wherein the second reflective light concentrator has a second axis of symmetry and a second optical axis,
• and wherein the second optical axis is non-collinear with the first optical axis and wherein the second axis of symmetry is non-collinear with the first axis of symmetry;
• c) a dichroic surface disposed between said first and second reflective light concentrators and in the path of the redirected polychromatic light from both first and second reflective light concentrators, the dichroic surface reflective to a first spectral band of light received from the light concentrators and transmissive to other light;
• wherein said dichroic surface is disposed so that it is not parallel to at least one of said first and second axes of symmetry;
• d) a first light receiver disposed to receive light of the first spectral band directed from the first reflective light concentrator and reflected from the dichroic surface;
• e) a second light receiver disposed to receive light of the first spectral band directed from the second reflective light concentrator and reflected from the dichroic surface;
• f) a third light receiver disposed to receive light outside the first spectral band directed from the second reflective light concentrator and transmitted through the dichroic surface;
• and
• g) a fourth light receiver disposed to receive light outside the first spectral band directed from the first reflective light concentrator and transmitted through the dichroic surface.

An array comprising a plurality of collectors for obtaining radiant energy from a polychromatic radiant energy source, wherein each collector comprises:

• a) a light concentrator for concentrating and redirecting incident radiant energy;
• b) a spectral separator spaced apart from the light concentrator and in the path of concentrated, redirected radiant energy, the spectral separator comprising:
• (i) a first planar surface treated to reflect a first spectral band of light received from the light concentrator toward a first focal region of the light concentrator and to transmit a second spectral band;
• (ii) a second planar surface spaced apart from the first planar surface and oblique with respect to the first planar surface, wherein the second planar surface is treated to reflect the second spectral band back through the first planar surface and toward a second focal region of the light concentrator that is spaced apart from the first focal region;
• and
• c) first and second light receivers,
• wherein the first light receiver is disposed nearest the first focal region of the light concentrator for receiving the first spectral band and the second light receiver is disposed nearest the second focal region of the light concentrator for receiving the second spectral band.

An array comprising a plurality of collectors for obtaining radiant energy from a polychromatic radiant energy source, wherein each collector comprises:

• a) a first reflective light concentrator for concentrating and redirecting incident polychromatic radiant energy, wherein the first reflective light concentrator has a first axis of symmetry and a first optical axis;
• b) a second reflective light concentrator for concentrating and redirecting incident polychromatic radiant energy, wherein the second reflective light concentrator has a second axis of symmetry and a second optical axis,
• and wherein the second optical axis is non-collinear with the first optical axis and wherein the second axis of symmetry is non-collinear with the first axis of symmetry;
• c) a dichroic surface disposed between said first and second reflective light concentrators and in the path of the redirected polychromatic light from both first and second reflective light concentrators, the dichroic surface reflective to a first spectral band of light received from the light concentrators and transmissive to other light;
• wherein said dichroic surface is disposed so that it is not parallel to at least one of said axes of symmetry;
• d) a first light receiver disposed to receive light of the first spectral band directed from the first reflective light concentrator and reflected from the dichroic surface;
• e) a second light receiver disposed to receive light of the first spectral band directed from the second reflective light concentrator and reflected from the dichroic surface;
• f) a third light receiver disposed to receive light outside the first spectral band directed from the second reflective light concentrator and transmitted through the dichroic surface;
• and
• g) a fourth light receiver disposed to receive light outside the first spectral band directed from the first reflective light concentrator and transmitted through the dichroic surface.

An apparatus for obtaining radiant energy from a polychromatic radiant energy source, the apparatus comprising:

• a) a first reflective light concentrator for concentrating and redirecting incident polychromatic light, wherein the first reflective light concentrator has a first axis of symmetry and a first optical axis;
• b) a second reflective light concentrator for concentrating and redirecting incident polychromatic light, wherein the second reflective light concentrator has a second axis of symmetry and a second optical axis,
• wherein the first and second light concentrators are adjacent to each other and wherein the second optical axis is non-collinear with the first optical axis and wherein the second axis of symmetry is non-collinear with the first axis of symmetry;
• c) a first light receiver positioned nearest the second light receiver and disposed to receive light redirected from the first reflective light concentrator;
• d) a second light receiver positioned nearest the first light receiver and disposed to receive light redirected from the second reflective light concentrator.