In some aspects, a flow cytometer system is provided that includes beam shaping optics positioned to manipulate a light beam and produce a resulting light beam that irradiates the core stream at the interrogation zone of the flow cell. The beam shaping optics include an acylindrical lens positioned to receive and focus light in a direction of a first axis orthogonal to a direction of light travel, and a cylindrical lens positioned to receive the light output from the acylindrical lens and to focus the light output from the acylindrical lens in a direction of a second axis orthogonal to the first axis and to the direction of light travel. The resulting light beam output has a flat-top shaped intensity profile along the first axis, and a Gaussian-shaped intensity profile along the second axis. Related methods of shaping a light beam at an interrogation zone of a flow cell are also provided.

A Q-switched CO2 laser material processing system with acousto-optic modulators (AOM) is employed, on the one hand, inside the resonator for Q-switching the CO2 laser and, on the other hand, externally for efficient suppression of the radiation feedback between a laser and workpiece. The frequency shift of the radiation diffracted at the AOM is taken into account which exactly corresponds to the excitation frequency of the acoustic wave in the AOM crystal under the aspect of the amplification of the radiation in the active medium. Since this frequency shift significantly reduces the amplification of the radiation, it has to be avoided in the Q-switching process, which is achieved, by means of a tandem of two AOMs with identical excitation frequencies but with the acoustic waves propagating in opposite directions in the crystal. The frequency shift advantageously suppresses radiation feedback between the laser and workpiece.

A device (1) for applying light (4) to an inner surface (2) of a cylinder (3), comprising a homogenizer (14), into which light (4) can enter and from which the light (4) can exit, wherein the homogenizer (14) has a cylindrical internal surface (15), on which the light (4) can be reflected after entering and before exiting, and also comprising ways for introducing light (4) into the homogenizing means (14), and focusing arrangements, which can focus light (4) exiting from the homogenizer (14) onto the inner surface (2) of the cylinder (3) to which light (4) is to be applied.

A light source unit includes a laser diode and a collimator lens having an entrance portion and an exit portion, with light emitted from the laser diode being incident light which is caused to enter the collimator lens. The laser diode is disposed so that a direction of a major axis of an elliptic cross section which intersects an axis of the incident light at right angles is defined as a direction of a first axis, and the entrance portion includes an elongated recess portion which is formed into a recess shape which is curved inwards towards a direction in which the incident light exits. In addition, a recessed edge of the elongated recess portion in a cross section, which intersects the first axis at right angles, is formed into an arc shape, and the incident light which enters the entrance portion is caused to exit from the exit portion.

In a line projector a diode-laser beam having an elliptical cross-section is projected onto a Powell lens which spreads the beam to form a line of light. Distribution of power along the line of light is adjusted by rotating the diode-laser beam with respect to the Powell lens.

A laser module according to the present disclosure includes a laser diode, a first collimating lens, and a beam twister. The laser diode includes a plurality of emitters and emits laser light from each of the plurality of emitters through a light emission surface. The first collimating lens is provided at a first distance from the light emission surface of the laser diode and parallelizes a fast-axis-wise divergence of the laser light. The beam twister is provided at a second distance away from the first collimating lens and turns the laser light approximately 90 degrees. Each of the plurality of emitters has a width of 5 μm to 120 μm on the light emission surface. The plurality of emitters have a pitch of 295 μm to 305 μm on the light emission surface.

A projection display unit (1) includes a projection optical system (10A), a polarization separation device (15), and a detection optical system (10B). The projection optical system includes an illuminator (11), a projection lens (16), and a light valve (12) that modulates illumination light supplied from the illuminator on the basis of an image signal, and outputs the modulated illumination light toward the projection lens. The polarization separation device (15) is disposed between the light valve and the projection lens. The polarization separation device separates entering light into a first polarized component and a second polarized component, and outputs the first polarized component and the second polarized component in respective directions that are different from each other. The detection optical system includes an imaging device (13) and a reduction optical system (14). The imaging device is disposed in a position that is optically conjugate with a position of the light valve. The reduction optical system is disposed between the imaging device and the polarization separation device. The imaging device receives, via the projection lens and the polarization separation device, light based on detection invisible light. A transmittance adjuster is provided between the polarization separation device and the imaging device. The transmittance adjuster adjusts transmittance of at least part of a bundle of passing light rays derived from the invisible light.

Beam compressors include separated surfaces having positive and negative optical powers. A surface spacing is selected so that a collimated beam input to the beam compressor is output as a collimated beam. In some examples, beam compressors are situated to compress a laser beam stack that includes beams associated with a plurality of laser diodes. Beam compression ratios are typically selected so that a compressed beam stack focused into an optical waveguide has a numerical aperture corresponding to the numerical aperture of the optical waveguide.

Systems and methods for scattering or deviating a laser beam are provided. A system utilizing a lenticular sheet and a laser source projecting a laser beam onto the lenticular sheet produces shapes such as laser cones. Minor adjustments of the laser source with respect to the lenticular sheet may vary the size and shape of the laser cone that provides for improved Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) systems. A diffraction grating added in the path of the laser beam causes a laser pattern of a matrix of lines to be produced which also provides for improved. Interference between multiple lenticular sheets may be used to deviate a laser beam to protect military assets from laser-guided projectiles and/or laser acquisition.

An elongated laser beam optical assembly. The assembly has a laser light source that produces a laser beam. A cylindrical anamorphic lens has a planar surface at a first end and an anamorphic surface at a second end thereof, the first end receiving the laser beam from the laser light source and producing an output laser beam from the second end thereof. An aperture passes the output laser beam from the second end of the anamorphic lens to produce an elongated laser beam.