High performance volume phase gratings
AssigneeRockwell Collins, Inc.
InventorsRobert D. Brown, James H. Stanley
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Provided in one embodiment is an apparatus, comprising: an optical substrate configured to manipulate light received from a light source; and at least one diffractive element in one layer in the optical substrate, each diffractive element comprising: a plurality of sub-substrate structures separated from one another by a plurality of valleys, the sub-substrate structures comprising a material having a first refractive index; and a filler material filling at least partially at least some of the plurality of valleys, the filler material having a second refractive index that is unequal to the first refractive index.
Claims15
An apparatus, comprising:
- an optical substrate configured to manipulate light received from a light source;
- and
- at least one diffractive element in one layer in the optical substrate, each diffractive element being a volume phase grating, and comprising:
- a plurality of sub-substrate structures separated from one another by a plurality of valleys, the sub-substrate structures comprising a material having a first refractive index;
- and
- a filler material filling at least partially at least some of the plurality of valleys, the filler material having a second refractive index that is unequal to the first refractive index,
- wherein the at least one diffractive element has an index modulation value of at least about 0.3,
- wherein each of the plurality of valleys has a depth of between about 0.5 and 2.0 microns, the depth being from a top to a bottom of the sub-substrate structures,
- wherein the material of first refractive index comprises at least one of a glass, optical polymer, and a metal oxide.
An apparatus, comprising:
- an optical substrate configured to manipulate light received from a light source;
- and
- at least one diffractive element in one layer in the optical substrate, each diffractive element being a volume phase grating, and comprising:
- a plurality of sub-substrate structures separated from one another by a plurality of valleys, the sub-substrate structures comprising a material having a first refractive index;
- and
- a filler material filling at least partially at least some of the plurality of valleys, the filler material having a second refractive index that is unequal to the first refractive index;
- wherein the at least one diffractive element does not comprise a holographic polymer dispersed liquid crystal,
- wherein the at least one diffractive element has an index modulation value of at least about 0.3,
- wherein each of the plurality of valleys has a depth of between about 0.5 and 2.0 microns, the depth being from a top to a bottom of the sub-substrate structures,
- wherein the material of first refractive index comprises at least one of a glass, optical polymer, and a metal oxide.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.