APPARATUS FOR PROJECTING A LINE OF LIGHT FROM A DIODE-LASER ARRAY

摘要

An illumination system for projecting a line of light includes a linear array of diode lasers having a fast and a slow axis and an optical system aligned with the linear array and having different optical power in the fast and slow axes. The optical system is arranged to focus fast-axis diverging rays from the array in a fast axis focal plane of the optical system, and arranged to form slow axis diverging rays of the array into a plurality of bundles of parallel rays, one for each diode-laser, in the array. The bundles of parallel rays intersect in the fast-axis focal plane, such that light from the diode-lasers is formed into a line of light in the fast-axis focal plane. The line of light has a width in the fast axis and a length in the slow axis. The illuminator is useful as an illuminator for a linear spatial light modulator array.