Diffractive optical elements can greatly improve the performance of optical imaging systems by achieving wideband high diffraction efficiency with bilayer diffractive optical elements. The conventional design method for bilayer diffractive optical elements (DOEs) utilizes two specific design wavelengths to optimize the diffraction efficiency. However, this method may not provide enough viable solutions when the required diffraction efficiency cannot be achieved at these two wavelengths. In this paper, we propose a direct search method that can enhance the diffraction efficiency of bilayer DOEs further. We achieve higher diffraction efficiency and lower microstructure heights of double-layer discs with linear optics (DLDOEs) across a wide range of fields of view and working wavebands. A detailed comparison of a proposed method with two wavelength method is presented. When the period width is 100 μm, our method can reduce the microstructural heights of the first and second layers of DLDOEs by 22% and 25%, respectively. This method enables us to produce diffractive optical elements with higher diffraction efficiency and lighter weight. Our direct search method provides a fundamental framework for the parametric fabrication of diffractive optical components and enables their application in advanced optical imaging systems.
The far-field analysis of the finite difference time domain (FDTD) method has been presented to ascertain the valid range of the scalar diffraction theory (SDT) for periodic harmonic diffractive optical elements with continuous surface profile. And the near-field analysis was used to ascertain the source of error. The valid range of the scalar diffraction analysis is then determined as a function of the grating period-to-wavelength ratio, period-to-depth ratio, and angle of incidence. The evaluation of diffraction efficiency can help to choose the proper method to design and optimizing harmonic diffractive elements with the advantages of SDT’s simplicity and FDTD’s accuracy.
Diffraction efficiency is a key assessment criterion for the hybrid diffractive-refractive optical systems with a wide field of view. However, diffractive optical elements cannot obtain high diffraction efficiency simultaneously in the case of broad wavelength band and large incident angle range. This character limits the applications of DOEs in the optical systems with large field of view and wide working wavelength range. In this paper, we present a manufacturing method that glued two diffractive optical elements together to reduce the stray light scattered into unwanted diffraction orders. Firstly, the separated DOEs are fabricated with the ultra-precision turning method. Then, through chosen suitable optical adhesives to glue those separated DOEs. Based on the principle of maximum diffraction efficiency on the design waveband and incident angles, we optimized the parameters of the diffractive optical elements to achieve broadband high diffraction efficiency and modulation transfer function over a wide incident angle range. The DOEs enable the system to realize a diffraction efficiency over 90% when the incident angle is no more than 54°. This method is easy to realize and maintain high structural stability. We can give a more precious design than presented methods, such as substrate optical material section and optical adhesives section. The benefit of this design and manufacturing method is that the maximum integral diffraction efficiency overall the wide angles of incidence in the whole waveband can be achieved, thereby ensuring the high modulation transfer function of a hybrid imaging optical systems with diffractive elements.
An optimal method was presented to prevent the decrease of diffraction efficiency when the infrared diffractive optical elements working in a wide temperature range. The method can lower the cost of thermal infrared diffractive lenses by decreasing the microstructure height and volume of multilayer diffractive optical elements (MLDOEs). The diffraction efficiency of the results was compared to the previous methods with wavelengths between long wave infrared and middle wave infrared. Those comparisons show the better temperature stability of MLDOEs when the elements working in a wide temperature range.
Single diamond turning is usually used to fabricate multilayer diffractive optical elements (MLDOEs). The choice of diamond tools directly influences the profile error and surface roughness error of MLDOEs. Those two errors will cause the shadowing effect and scattering effect, which decrease the diffraction efficiency of MLDOEs. The relationship among diffraction efficiency, cutting tool radius, feed rate, and microstructure periods was presented. A model to find the optimal cutting tool radius and feed rate before the fabrication was put forward to balance the influence of shadowing effect and scattering effect, which can maximize the polychromatic integral diffraction efficiency. The effect of diamond cutting tool radius and feed rate in the manufacturing process of MLDOEs is discussed and analyzed numerically, and the results will be intended as guidelines for manufacture of MLDOEs to achieve diffractive surface-relief profile with high quality.
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