An optical sheet that accepts light transmitted at or within a specific
entrance cone angle that then redirects and transmits the light within an
exit cone that is substantially normal to the sheet's plane. The
intensity of the light within the exit cone is substantially uniform for
any light source entering the sheet within the sheet's acceptance angle.
The optical sheet is made of transparent material with microlens arrays
formed on its opposite front and back surfaces. The thickness of the
optical sheet is sufficient so that the microlens on the opposite
surfaces are separated a distance equal to the microlens focal length,
with each microlens on the front and back surfaces having substantially
similar size and shape, with centers transversely aligned. When used with
one or more light sources located on one surface, the transmitted light
through the optical sheet is uniform in intensity across a second
surface. When used with a second optical sheet, aligned parallel to the
first optical sheet, the transmitted light is uniform across and
throughout angles within the exit cone at a second surface. An economical
method of manufacturing the optical sheet is also provided.