A backlight for a display device, such as a liquid crystal display device, includes a light guiding plate having a front and a rear surface. The front and rear surfaces may be parallel to one another, or may instead be non-parallel. To the extent that such surfaces are non-parallel, one surface may be included at a single, or multiple angles with respect to the other surface. The backlight further includes a light source that is coupled to an edge of the light guiding plate by means of an energy conserving coupling section, and which provides light that is conditioned and transmitted through the light guiding plate. Light extractors are disposed on at least one side of the light guiding plate to assist in the transmission and conditioning of the light that is provided to the light guiding plate by the light source.