Direct photons in one direction Help?

[SuperFrisbie]

Hi all,

So I'm working on a project, and I'm having some design issues. I need a method of taking a white light source, and directing all of the photons that it emits in a single direction. I have a model in mind, involving an arrangement of layered components.

Bottom layer: Light source. Rectangular panel as simple as a thin box with opaque or reflective sides and bottom, a transparent top, and some LEDs inside. This is only an example. Layer one just needs to emit white light.

Top layer: Placed on top of the bottom layer. Photons emitted from the bottom layer that pass through this layer travel in a perpendicular direction (or close to) when they leave through the other side.

So obviously my confusion is with the top layer. The only idea that has come to me deals with using layers of materials with specific indices of refraction such that photons creating too large of an incident angle will undergo total internal reflection. The problem with this is that it requires some material with a sufficently large index of refraction which I don't even think exists.

Any suggestions? Places to start researching?
For any information you can provide, thank you for your help!

 

[Simon Bridge]

I need a method of taking a white light source, and directing all of the photons that it emits in a single direction.

How would you get white light photons?

Why not make a spherical source and put it at the focus of a converging lens?

 

[SuperFrisbie]

How would you get white light photons?

Why not make a spherical source and put it at the focus of a converging lens?

As a matter of fact, I really like that idea. I was going for a more rectangular look, which is what prevented me from considering that. But that is definitely one possibility. Whether or not I can use that depends on how precisely I can direct the light. Thanks for the idea! :)

 

[harrylin]

As a matter of fact, I really like that idea. I was going for a more rectangular look, which is what prevented me from considering that. But that is definitely one possibility. Whether or not I can use that depends on how precisely I can direct the light. Thanks for the idea! :)

For a flatter design and perhaps more possibilities you could think of using a Fresnel lens or zone plate.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fresnel_lens
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zone_plate

 

[sardar]

Hi there,

Thank you for reaching out and sharing your project and design issues. Directing photons in a single direction can be a challenging task, but there are some techniques and materials that can help achieve this.

One approach is using a technique called "collimation," which involves using lenses or mirrors to focus the photons in a specific direction. This technique is commonly used in telescopes and other optical devices.

Another technique is using a device called a "photon sieve," which is a thin metal foil with thousands of tiny holes that act as lenses to redirect photons in a specific direction.

As for your idea of using layers of materials with specific indices of refraction, you are correct that this can be a challenging task as materials with high indices of refraction are not readily available. However, there are some materials such as diamond and certain types of glass that have higher refractive indices and can be used for this purpose.

I would suggest doing some research on these techniques and materials to see which one would be most suitable for your project. Additionally, you can consult with other scientists or experts in the field for their insights and suggestions.

Best of luck with your project!