
Proceedings Paper
Design of a novel free-form condenser overcoming rotational symmetry limitationsFormat | Member Price | Non-Member Price |
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Paper Abstract
The importance of condenser optics is the fact that it is the bottleneck limiting efficiency in commercially available
projection systems. Efficiency is a key parameter of projector performance, since it augments screen luminance, enabling
the system to perform well under increasing levels of ambient light. Conventional condensers use rotational symmetric
devices, most of them being elliptic or parabolic mirrors. They perform very far from the theoretical limits for sources
such as arc lamps or halogen bulbs. Typical small displays in the 5-15 mm2 etendue range have geometrical efficiencies
about 40-50% for the best condensers; although theory allows about 100% (no reflection nor absorption losses are
considered). Two basic facts are underlying this effect: The coma aberration of the reflectors and the rotational
symmetric image of the source making the source projected image to unfit with the target. Thus, the only way to improve
this performance is to generate a free form design that is able to control the shape and rotation of the source projected
images. As yet, this can only be done with the SMS3D design method. We present here one of such designs achieving a
geometrical efficiency that is 1.8 times that of an elliptical condenser for a 4:1 target aspect ratio and for the range of
target etendue with practical interest and 1.5 for 16:9 target. This design uses only 1 additional reflection, i.e., uses a total
of 2 reflections from the source to the target. A prototype of this free form condenser has already been built.
Paper Details
Date Published: 11 September 2008
PDF: 12 pages
Proc. SPIE 7061, Novel Optical Systems Design and Optimization XI, 70610E (11 September 2008); doi: 10.1117/12.794247
Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 7061:
Novel Optical Systems Design and Optimization XI
R. John Koshel; James D. Moore Jr.; David H. Krevor; G. Groot Gregory, Editor(s)
PDF: 12 pages
Proc. SPIE 7061, Novel Optical Systems Design and Optimization XI, 70610E (11 September 2008); doi: 10.1117/12.794247
Show Author Affiliations
Juan C. Miñano, Univ. Politécnica de Madrid (Spain)
LPI (United States)
Pablo Benítez, Univ. Politécnica de Madrid (Spain)
LPI (United States)
LPI (United States)
Pablo Benítez, Univ. Politécnica de Madrid (Spain)
LPI (United States)
José Blen, LPI (United States)
Asunción Santamaría, Univ. Politécnica de Madrid (Spain)
Asunción Santamaría, Univ. Politécnica de Madrid (Spain)
Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 7061:
Novel Optical Systems Design and Optimization XI
R. John Koshel; James D. Moore Jr.; David H. Krevor; G. Groot Gregory, Editor(s)
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