A backlight apparatus has a collimating
waveguide with a light input end, a top surface, a bottom surface, opposing sides, a far end opposite the light input end, and a
total internal reflection critical angle for the material of the
waveguide. A plurality of first facets are formed in the bottom surface distributed along the
waveguide between the light input end and the far end. Each of the first facets has a first
facet bottom surface which converges toward the top surface in a direction away from the far end relative to the top surface. A
light scattering and reflective surface is disposed adjacent the far end of the collimating waveguide. The first
facet bottom surfaces cause light rays entering the light input end to be totally internally reflected to the far end of the collimating waveguide wherein the scattering and reflective surface at the far end reflects and scatters light rays incident thereon back toward the light input end. The first
facet bottom surfaces then cause the light rays reflected from the far end to exit the top surface. The first facet bottom surfaces may be formed either as straight facets or as curved surface facets and may also be alternatively formed having a reflective material layer thereon.