Light injection system

摘要

A light injection system includes a radiation source, an optical waveguide, and an optical component. The radiation source emits radiation and is oriented relative to the optical waveguide such that a first portion of radiation emitted from the radiation source couples into the optical waveguide as emitted from the radiation source and a second portion of radiation emitted from the radiation source bypasses the optical waveguide as emitted from the radiation source. The optical component redirects at least some of the second portion of radiation emitted from the radiation source that would otherwise bypass the optical waveguide and enables at least some of the redirected radiation to couple into the optical waveguide instead of bypass the optical waveguide.

主权项

1. A device comprising:
an optical waveguide having an input face, the optical waveguide configured to receive radiation and to cause at least some radiation to undergo total internal reflection within the optical waveguide; a radiation source configured to emit radiation and oriented relative to the optical waveguide such that a first portion of radiation emitted from the radiation source couples into the optical waveguide as emitted from the radiation source and a second portion of radiation emitted from the radiation source bypasses the optical waveguide as emitted from the radiation source; an optical component including a first spacer/reflector unit having a first reflective surface configured to redirect at least some of the second portion of radiation emitted from the radiation source that would otherwise bypass the optical waveguide back into the radiation source and enable at least some of the redirected radiation to couple into the optical waveguide instead of bypass the optical waveguide, the first reflective surface being coplanar with the input face of the optical waveguide, the first reflective surface being flush with the input face of the optical waveguide across an entire width of the first reflective surface, an output width of the radiation source being at least twice as wide as the entire width of the first reflective surface; and an opaque spacer unit that is configured to support the optical waveguide and absorb at least some stray radiation emitted by the radiation source that does not couple into the optical waveguide.