Spectral light division and recombination configuration as well as process for the spectrally selective modulation of light

1. A system for separating and combining multiple spectra of light, comprising:

a polarizing beamsplitter;

an input retarder stack located adjacent a first side of the polarizing beamsplitter; and

a dichroic beamsplitter located adjacent a second side of the polarizing beamsplitter.

2. A system for separating and combining three spectrums of light, comprising:

a polarizing beamsplitter;

an input retarder stack located adjacent a first side of the polarizing beamsplitter;

a spacer located adjacent a second side of the polarizing beamsplitter;

and a dichroic beamsplitter located adjacent a third side of the polarizing beamsplitter.

3. The system of claim 2 , further comprising first, second and third reflective modulator panels configured to selectively rotate the polarization orientation of reflected light in a spatial pattern.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the first reflective modulator panel is located adjacent a side of the spacer opposite the polarizing beamsplitter, wherein the second reflective modulator panel is located adjacent a first exterior side of the dichroic beamsplitter, and wherein the third reflective modulator panel is located adjacent a second exterior side of the dichroic beamsplitter.

5. The system of claim 2 , wherein the first retarder stack is configured to receive polarized input light passing in a first direction, and to output a first spectrum of light in a first polarization orientation and a second spectrum of light in a second polarization orientation.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the polarizing beamsplitter is configured to direct light having the first polarization orientation that is received from the input retarder stack towards the spacer, wherein the polarizing beamsplitter is configured to direct any light having the second polarization orientation that is received from the input retarder stack towards the dichroic beamsplitter, wherein the polarizing beamsplitter is configured to direct any light having the second polarization orientation that is received from the spacer towards a fourth side of the polarizing beamsplitter, and wherein the polarizing beamsplitter is configured to direct any light having the first polarization orientation that is received from the dichroic beamsplitter towards the fourth side of the polarizing beamsplitter.

7. A color projection system, comprising: p 1 a polarizing beamsplitter; p 1 an input retarder stack located adjacent a first side of the polarizing beamsplitter;

a light source located adjacent the first retarder stack;

a spacer located adjacent a second side of the polarizing beamsplitter;

a dichroic beamsplitter located adjacent a third side of the polarizing beamsplitter; and

projection optics located adjacent a fourth side of the polarizing beamsplitter.

8. The system of claim 7 , further comprising an output retarder stack located adjacent a fourth side of the polarizing beamsplitter.

9. A method of separating 1 modulating, and recombining spectrums of light, comprising the steps of:

conditioning input light with a first retarder stack so that input light in a first spectrum has a first polarization orientation, and input light in a second spectrum has a second polarization orientation;

separating the light in the first spectrum from the light in the second spectrum using a polarizing beamsplitter;

separating light in the separated second spectrum into third and fourth spectrums of light with a dichroic beamsplitter;

modulating the light in the first, third and fourth spectrums separately, using first, second and third modulators; and

recombining the first, third and fourth modulated spectrums of light.