Methods and apparatuses for homogenizing light

• US 20070206383A1
• Filed: 05/01/2007
• Published: 09/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Resonetics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Resonetics, Inc.
• Inventors: Miller, Pascal, Holbrook, David, Broude, Sergey
• Application Number:
  US11/799,503
• Publication Number:
  US 20070206383A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/268
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/09 Beam shaping, e.g. changing the cross-sectional area, not otherwise provided for adapting the beam shape of a laser diode G02B19/0052; adapting the beam shape of an LED G02B19/0061; coupling into light guides using intermediate optical elements G02B6/4204; beam shaping specially adapted for lasers H01S3/005
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0927 Systems for changing the beam intensity distribution, e.g. Gaussian to top-hat
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0961 Lens arrays lens arrays per se G02B3/0006
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0966 Cylindrical lenses cylindrical lenses per se G02B3/06
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0983 being curved
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70066 Size and form of the illuminated area in the mask plane, e.g. reticle masking blades or blinds
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70075 Homogenization of illumination intensity in the mask plane by using an integrator, e.g. fly's eye lens, facet mirror or glass rod, by using a diffusing optical element or by beam deflection

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to an illuminating optical device for forming a field of illumination. The optical device includes a first one-dimensional homogenizer positioned to homogenize a first dimension/axis of the field of illumination and a second one-dimensional homogenizer positioned to homogenize a second dimension/axis of the field of illumination.

Claims

1. An illuminating optical device for forming a field of illumination, the optical device comprising:

a first one-dimensional homogenizer positioned to homogenize a first dimension of the field of illumination; and

a second one-dimensional homogenizer positioned to homogenize a second dimension of the field of illumination.

2-26. -26. (canceled)