Mold-Based Diffractive Optics
AssigneeUnited States of America as represented by the Administrator of NASA
InventorsJohn P. Leckey, Vinh Nquyen, Leslie Howe, Tharindu Rajapaksha, Scott M. Bartram, David G. MacDonnell
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Abstract
A membrane may be fabricated utilizing a mold, wherein the mold comprises individual mold sections. The membrane may comprise a diffractive optical element (DOE) having diffractive surface features that are formed by mod surfaces of the mold. The membrane (DOE) may be flexible, whereby the membrane can be stowed in a compact configuration and deployed when the DOE is in a use location.
Claims20
A method of forming a diffractive optical element (DOE), the method comprising:
- forming a plurality of mold segments that can be closely positioned adjacent one another along edges of adjacent mold segments;
- affixing the mold segments to a backing substrate adjacent one another to form a substantially continuous mold having a three-dimensional (3D) mold surface comprising an inverse of a 3D surface of a DOE to be formed by the mold segments;
- depositing uncured polymer material on the 3D mold surface;
- curing the polymer material to form a substantially continuous one-piece DOE having diffractive surface elements on at least one side thereof that are formed by the 3D mold surface;
- and:
- removing the substantially continuous one-piece DOE from the 3D mold surface.
A method of forming a flexible membrane, the method comprising:
- forming a plurality of mold segments, each having a mold surface, a back surface, and a perimeter, where in the perimeters of the mold segments have substantially identical shapes and sizes;
- affixing the mold segments to a backing substrate adjacent to one another in rings about a center mold segment to form a mold having a substantially continuous mold surface;
- depositing uncured polymer material on the mold surface;
- curing the polymer material to form a substantially continuous one-piece flexible membrane;
- and
- removing the flexible membrane from the mold surface.
A method of making a mold, the method comprising:
- forming a plurality of mold segments, each having a perimeter and a mold surface comprising three-dimensional (3D) mold surface features comprising inverses of a 3D surface of a diffractive optical element (DOE) to be formed, wherein the perimeters of the mold segments are substantially identical to one another;
- affixing the mold segments to a backing substrate adjacent to one another in concentric rings about a center mold segment to form a mold having a substantially continuous 3D mold surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.