Project Title:

Laser Micromachining for Rapid Manufacture of Diffractive Optical

Potomac Photonics, Inc.
4445 Nicole Drive
Lanham MD 20706

93-1		08.23	3031			Amount Requested $69,941

Laser Micromachining for Rapid Manufacture of Diffractive Optical 
Components

Abstract:

We propose proof-of-principle experiments that will lead to a 
unique tool that will play a major role in the development and 
implementation of diffractive optics in the next decade.  Waveguide 
excimer laser technology will be used to directly etch diffractive 
phase gratings onto the substrate surface without intervening masks 
or complex chemical processing.  This tool will be a completely 
integrated computer-aided design and computer-aided micro-machining 
workstation that will extend the benefits of diffractive optics 
technology to optical designers on a scale never before possible.  
With a single computer-based system, the engineer will be able to 
design, optimize, manufacture, measure, and refine diffractive 
optical elements of arbitrary structure on virtually any 2-D or 3-D 
surface.  At the same time, the projected affordability and 
simplicity will put this tool within the reach of many designers 
and fabricators of optical components who are now forced to forego 
the advantages of diffractive elements in their optical designs due 
to the staggering development costs associated with conventional 
microlithographic methods.

Applications of diffractive optics include sensors and monitoring 
equipment, analytical instruments, fiberoptic distribution and 
communication, neural networks and optical computing, lasers and 
laser instrumentation, pattern recognition, displays, and 
information storage.  The proposed system will help to remove the 
financial and technical roadblocks that heretofore have stifled 
widespread development and implementation of these novel 
structures.

diffractive optics, micromachining, laser processing, phase 
gratings