Imaging system and method employing illumination field de-focus at the illumination modulator

摘要

An imaging system and method are disclosed which includes a high power illumination source for providing a first illumination field at the surface of an illumination modulator, the illumination field is defocused at the surface of the illumination modulator reducing the power density at the illumination modulator. Subsequent to the illumination modulator an anamorphic optical element(s) is provided to refocus the illumination field at an image surface coincident with the focus of the illumination modulator at that image surface.