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