Optimization of single reflectors for extended sources

Abstract

Reflectors for prescribed intensity or illuminance distributions are commonly used in luminaires and automotive headlights. However, their design has remained a challenge. Although reflector shapes are well known for a point source, the point source approximation leads to significant errors in the output distribution with extended and nonuniform source distributions. In practice, source non-idealities usually require the use of automated and manual optimization in the design process. We propose a hybrid optimization scheme that generates reflector shapes for rotationally symmetric systems and an arbitrary source luminance distribution. This method is based on an extension of the traditional algorithm for a point source, and uses a combination of an iterative algorithm and an optimization algorithm. Several case studies are presented.