Diffractive optical element
AssigneeII-Vi Delaware, Inc.
InventorsNitesh Gulati, Vincent Choo, Yiwei Xu, Glenn Wayne Baxter, Steven James Frisken
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Described herein are embodiments of a diffractive optical element (23) such as a grism. In one embodiment, the diffractive optical element (23) includes an input surface (31) configured to receive an input optical signal (29), a diffractive surface (33) adapted to spatially disperse the input optical beam (29) into a dispersed signal and an output surface (35) configured to output the dispersed signal from the diffractive optical element. The input surface (31) and the diffractive surface (33) are non-parallel and the diffractive surface (33) is formed in situ by a photolithographic technique.
Claims31
A diffractive optical element including:
- a prism;
- an input surface of the prism configured to receive an input optical beam;
- a diffractive surface of the prism adapted to spatially disperse the input optical beam into a dispersed signal;
- an output surface of the prism configured to output the dispersed signal;
- wherein the output surface and the diffractive surface are non-parallel;
- and
- wherein the diffractive surface is formed on a surface of the prism.
A method of forming diffractive optical element including:
- depositing a pattern material layer of pattern material directly onto a first surface a monolithic prism, the monolithic prism having;
- an input surface configured to receive an input optical signal and
- an output surface configured to output a dispersed signal,
- wherein the input surface and the first surface are non-parallel;
- applying a photoresist layer to the pattern material layer;
- creating a diffractive pattern in the photoresist layer by illuminating the photoresist layer through a photo mask;
- transferring the diffractive pattern in the photoresist layer to the pattern material layer to define a diffractive surface on the first surface, and
- wherein the diffractive surface is formed in situ on the first a surface of the monolithic prism.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.