TI recommends that the light cone angle defined by the numerical aperture of the illumination optics is the same as the light cone angle defined by the numerical aperture of the projection optics. This angle must not exceed the nominal device micromirror tilt angle unless appropriate apertures are added in the illumination and/or projection pupils to block out flat-state and stray light from the projection lens. The micromirror tilt angle defines DMD capability to separate the "ON" optical path from any other light path, including undesirable flat-state specular reflections from the DMD window, DMD border structures, or other system surfaces near the DMD such as prism or lens surfaces. If the numerical aperture exceeds the micromirror tilt angle, or if the projection numerical aperture angle is more than two degrees larger than the illumination numerical aperture angle (and vice versa), contrast degradation and objectionable artifacts in the display border and/or active area could occur.