ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the design and analysis of nonlaser optical systems used for beam shaping are discussed. Geometrical optics is used to evaluate the irradiance throughout the optical system. A method based on differential equations is presented for evaluating the contour of an optical surface (mirror or lens) that will transform a given input beam profile into a specified output beam profile or irradiance distribution over a detector surface. Nonlaser beam shaping differs from laser beam shaping in two major ways. First, it deals with more general sources, such as Lambertian sources, line sources, or light-emitting diodes (LEDs). Second, it is only concerned with providing a certain irradiance distribution at a particular surface. It is not concerned with propagating a beam beyond that surface or form of the irradiance distribution at intermediate points.
