We have produced highly efficient planar and binary optical elements such as lenses, beam profile shapers, beam multiplexers, and coherent laser beam adders. A binary relief pattern on these devices controls the phase and amplitude of transmitted or reflected wavefronts. To fabricate these devices, we bring together developments in EM binary grating theory, in high resolution E-beam lithography, and in reactive ion-beam etching techniques. We demonstrated this technology by producing diffraction-limited lenses on thin planar substrates with >96% diffraction efficiency. These lenses can be used in monochromatic and wideband FLIR telescopic applications. These devices are also useful as high-speed scanner elements, and play important roles in coherently adding laser beams from modular or monolithic laser arrays.

Date Published: 20 September 1987
PDF: 2 pages
Proc. SPIE 0750, Infrared Systems and Components, (20 September 1987); doi: 10.1117/12.939868

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 0750:
Infrared Systems and Components
Robert L. Caswell, Editor(s)