Abstract: A diffractive imaging lens 10 includes a surface on which a diffraction grating pattern is formed. The diffraction grating pattern is formed of a plurality of steps formed concentrically with an optical axis (25) at a center. The diffraction grating pattern is formed such that a first portion where amounts (di) of the steps are substantially the same in a radial direction of concentric circles and a second portion, outside of the first portion, where amounts (di) of the steps decrease with distance from the optical axis 25 are provided, or such that the amounts (di) of the steps decrease with distance from the optical axis 25 over the entire diffraction grating pattern.

Abstract: A spill light removing device includes a first blocker which is located perpendicularly to a stream route of light being irradiated from a light source and blocks a stream of light that is incident to the surface of the first blocker, except on a hole formed on the first blocker; a pass-through tunnel which is connected to the hole and is formed in the same direction to the stream route of light and allows the stream of the light to pass through; and a second blocker which has a irregularity pattern that is formed on a inner wall of the pass-through tunnel and reflects the light that is incident in the deviated direction of the stream route of light.

Abstract: A light detecting apparatus which can be arranged even in an optical path of which converting angle is relatively large, and can accurately detect light entering along a predetermined direction in an optical path. The light detecting apparatus (10) for detecting light which enters in a predetermined direction in an optical path has a light splitting element (11) having two optical surfaces (11a, 11b) positioned in the optical path, and a photoelectric detector (12) for photo detecting light which propagates inside the light splitting element and which is guided from a side face (11c) of the light splitting element. The light splitting element further has an incident angle conversion section (13) for converting a part of light which enters one optical face of the light splitting element into light entering the other optical surface at an incident angle greater than or equal to a total reflection angle.

Abstract: A diffractive optical element includes at least a first diffractive element and a second diffractive element. The conditional expression 0.5?D/DS?0.9 is preferably satisfied where DS denotes the summation of the optimum designed groove height of the first diffractive element d1S and that of the second diffractive element d2S, and D denotes the summation of an actual groove height of the first diffractive element d1 and that of the second diffractive element d2. At least one of the first diffractive element and the second diffractive element is made of glass. At least one of the first diffractive element and the second diffractive element is made of resin. The optimum designed value of groove heights of the diffractive optical element are determined so as to satisfy a condition for correcting chromatic aberration at both d-line and g-line.

Abstract: The present invention provides systems and methods for spectral beam combination by applying a spatial chirp to each of a plurality of input beamlets using a respective plurality of dispersive elements and combining the spatially-chirped beamlets into a single collimated output beam using a dispersive element configured to remove the spatial chirp. In an embodiment, each dispersive element is a grating combined with a lens that is confocal to the grating and also confocal to a Fourier plane upon which a transverse distribution of beam spectral components is produced. A final lens-grating pair includes a lens and a grating, where the lens is confocal to the grating and also confocal to the Fourier plane.

Abstract: A diffractive optical element includes at least one element portion including a base, a diffraction grating, a substrate, and an intermediate layer. The base and the diffraction grating are disposed above the substrate through the intermediate layer, and are formed of a same material. An extinction coefficient for the d-line of the material of the diffraction grating and an extinction coefficient for the d-line of a material of the intermediate layer are properly set to satisfied conditional expressions.

Abstract: The diffraction optical element production method includes a first step of etching an area which becomes a seventh step of a seven-step staircase shape and an area which becomes a third step of a three-step staircase shape by a depth 2L; a second step of etching areas which become second, fourth, and sixth steps of the seven-step staircase shape and an area which becomes a first step of the three-step staircase shape by a depth L; a third step of etching areas which become fifth to seventh steps of the seven-step staircase shape and areas which become second and third steps of the three-step staircase shape by the depth 2L; and a fourth step of etching areas which become third to seventh steps of the seven-step staircase shape and areas which become second and third steps of the three-step staircase shape by the depth 2L.

Abstract: An optical apparatus (10) is described, having at least one objective element (20) which has two or more objective lens elements (21, 24, 27), wherein one of the objective lens elements (21) is designed as a support lens element for a diffractive optical element (15), the support lens element having a diffractive optical element (15). In order to create an optical apparatus (10), with which a particularly good correction of the chromatic magnification difference can be achieved, it is provided that the optical apparatus (10) is designed as a Galileo system or as a Kepler system, that the optical apparatus (10) has an ocular element (30) with at least one ocular lens element (31), that the diffractive optical element (15) is disposed in the optical apparatus (10) or designed in such a way that the light rays impinge on it at an angle of less than 20 degrees and that the diffractive optical element (15) has a minimum groove width h of more than 50 ?m, in particular, of more than 100 ?m.

Abstract: A method for coating an optical component comprises providing the optical component. The optical component has a surface formed with parallel, periodically structured surface sections each having a first flank and a second flank. The first flank and the second flank of each surface section are furthermore inclined with respect to one another, and the first flank is formed such that it is smaller than the second flank. The method furthermore comprises at least partly applying a coating to at least the first flank of each surface section. The surface coating has a metal layer and a dielectric multilayer and the metal layer is applied before the dielectric multilayer. The second flank is not coated or is coated with a layer thickness that is formed such that it is smaller than a layer thickness of the surface coating of the first flank.

Abstract: A principle of blazing that is effective even in the resonance domain. Light (51) is made incident on a diffraction grating so that specular resonance can occur in two or more light scattering units including, for example, bispheres (11a, 21a; 12a,22a), and by the specular resonance, a fraction of diffracted light 52 that is diffracted by the first layer (1) and the second layer (2) is selectively enhanced. It also becomes possible to tune a blazing condition by a control signal from outside.

Abstract: The invention relates to an optoelectronic sensor comprising an integrated arrangement of a plurality of light emitting diodes arranged in the region of an optical receiving system for the illumination of a sensing region, with beam-shaping optical elements being associated with the light emitting diodes. The beam-shaping optical elements have optical properties which differ from one another and are dependent on their relative position to the optical receiving system. Furthermore, the beam-shaping optical elements have a wedge shape, with in each case precisely one wedge element or regions of up to four adjacent wedge elements being associated with the light emitting diodes.

Abstract: The first and second materials of the diffraction element are selected such that the first material's refraction indexes n1(?1), n1(?2) and n1(?3) for the first, second and third wavelengths ?1, ?2 and ?3 and the second material's refraction indexes n2(?1), n2(?2) and n2(?3) for the first, second and third wavelengths ?1, ?2 and ?3 satisfy one of the conditions (1) or (2).

Abstract: An ophthalmic lens for providing a plurality of foci has an optic comprising an anterior surface, a posterior surface, and an optical axis. The optic has a first region and a second region. The first region has a refractive optical power and comprises a multifocal phase plate for forming a first focus and a second focus. The second region has a refractive optical power and comprises a monofocal phase plate for forming a third focus. The multifocal phase plate and the monofocal phase plate may be disposed on first and second base curvatures, respectively, that may have different radii of curvature. The ophthalmic lens may also have an intermediate phase plate located between the multifocal phase plate and the monofocal phase plate, the intermediate phase plate comprising a third plurality of echelettes disposed on a third base curvature having a third radius of curvature.

Abstract: A diffractive optical element has a support and a plurality of diffraction structures. The latter are applied on the support and are binary blazed by being split into substructures so that the aspect ratio of the substructures varies locally within an individual diffraction structure. One or more substructures with a large aspect ratio inside an individual diffraction structure are replaced by at least one substitute structure whose aspect ratio is less than that of the replaced substructures.

Abstract: Described is a security document with a transparent security element (12) which is arranged in a window or in a transparent region of the security document and has a structure layer, in which a first region (12f) of the structure layer has an asymmetrical diffractive relief structure, wherein the first region (12f) has an optical effect which is unexpectedly different in a front view and in a rear view of the security document.

Abstract: This invention generally relates to an exposure apparatus and an exposure method using EUV light. In one preferred form of the present invention, the exposure apparatus is arranged to expose a substrate to a pattern of an original by use of extreme ultraviolet light, and it includes a blaze type diffraction grating disposed so that light from a plasma light source is incident thereon, and an optical system for directing extreme ultraviolet light from the blaze type diffraction grating to at least one of the original and the substrate.

Abstract: A complex objective lens composed of a hologram and an objective lens, capable of realizing stable and high-precision compatible reproducing/recording of a BD with a base thickness of about 0.1 mm for a blue light beam (wavelength ?1) and a DVD with a base thickness of about 0.6 mm for a red light beam (wavelength ?2). In an inner circumferential portion of the hologram, a grating is formed, which has a cross-sectional shape including as one period a step of heights in the order of 0 time, twice, once, and three times a unit level difference that gives a difference in optical path of about one wavelength with respect to a blue light beam, from an outer peripheral side to an optical axis side. The hologram transmits a blue light beam as 0th-order diffracted light without diffracting it, and disperses a red light beam passing through an inner circumferential portion as +1st-order diffracted light and allows it to be condensed by an objective lens.

Abstract: A diffractive light outcoupling unit for forming a part of a directive light outcoupling system of a lighting device including a plurality of diffractive outcoupling units. The diffractive light outcoupling units each include a carrier element for accommodating a diffractive surface relief pattern, and a diffractive surface relief pattern including a plurality of consecutive diffractive surface relief forms defined on a surface area of the carrier element arranged to couple light incident on the diffractive surface relief pattern outside the carrier element via interaction involving at least two surface relief forms of the plurality of surface relief forms of the diffractive surface relief pattern so as to enhance the directivity of the coupled light. A diffractive light outcoupling system includes a plurality of diffractive light outcoupling units. A lightguide includes the outcoupling system.

Abstract: Diffraction gratings are formed from grooves each having a reflective facet and a non-reflective facet. The net reflection of TE (Transverse Electric) and TM (Transverse Magnetic) polarizations from the grating structure is traded off against the polarization dependent reflection, by controlling the degree of metallization of the reflective facet and by ensuring that there is no metallization of non-reflective sidewalls. other diffraction gratings are manufactured from trenches etched perpendicular to a waveguide. The trenches are metallized and back-filled with a filling material having a refractive index matched to that of the waveguide. The gratings essentially have no non-reflecting sidewalls with insignificant polarization influence from side walls.

Abstract: An optical system comprising a diffraction element (2) formed of a substantially rigid first material having a first refractive index. The diffraction element has a first plurality of grooves (4) at a first interface of the diffraction element with a second material (8) having a second refractive index; and a second, different, plurality of grooves (6) at a second, different, interface of the diffraction element with a third material (10) having a third refractive index. The first and second pluralities of grooves (4), (6) are aligned with respect to each other such that a combined diffractive effect is achieved. Moreover, the third material (10) is a liquid. The diffractive element may be manufactured using an injection moulding technique, following which the second and/or third materials may be applied in fluid form.

Abstract: A polarization-selectively blazed, diffractive optical element including multiple contiguous blaze structures extending along a given geometrical path. Each structure has a width perpendicular to direction of extension greater than the Wavelength of the electromagnetic radiation for which the element is designed. Each blaze structure multiple individual substructures arranged next to each other in the direction of extension according to a predetermined period. The substructures providing the blaze effect have the shape, when viewed from above, of a closed geometrical surface whose dimension parallel to the direction of extension varies perpendicular to the direction of extension, but is always smaller than the wavelength of the electromagnetic radiation, and whose maximum dimension perpendicular to the direction of extension is greater than the wavelength of the electromagnetic radiation.

Abstract: An Echelle grating has alternate first (1a) and second (1b) sets of facets (1). The first set of facets (1a) is operative to reflect incident light (4) for diffraction and the second set of facets (1b) extends between adjacent facets of the first set (1a). Only the first set of facets (1a) is metallized to enhance reflection. The second set of facets (1b) is left unmetallized. This configuration reduces polarization dependent loss (PDL).

Abstract: A diffractive-optical element that is transparent includes a diffraction surface that is formed by a step. A width of the step is set substantially equal to a common multiple of ?i/{n(?i)?1} for two or more wavelengths, where ?i (i=1, 2, . . . ) is a wavelength and n(?i) is a refractive index with respect to the wavelength ?i.

Abstract: An illumination system including a diffractive optical element (DOE) having an uneven surface that produces an illumination shape. The DOE comprising an uneven surface that produces a multipole illumination shape having angular scope element, wherein the angular scope element is a function of a radius and an angle of the produced multipole illumination shape, and wherein a position of the poles and sizes of the poles in an angular scope vary with a radial scope used in producing the multipole illumination shape, and a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device using the system.

Abstract: In a transmission grating as a dispersive element, diffraction efficiency is enhanced and manufacturing costs are considerably reduced. A dispersive element includes resin members for forming a diffraction grating, being composed of a plurality of diffraction grating members having a cross-sectional shape respectively surrounded by two straight lines such as a triangular shape, and metal members as light-shielding members each being formed on corresponding one of the diffraction grating members at one side of the diffraction grating member along any of the straight line and the curved line of the cross-sectional shape of the diffraction grating member formed by the resin member. The metal members are configured to reduce zero-order transmitted light with respect to incident light, and to enhance diffraction efficiency of first-order transmitted light.

Abstract: The present invention relates, in general, to a light modulator having a variable blaze diffraction grating and, more particularly, to a light modulator having a variable blaze diffraction grating, in which a diffraction member rotates due to piezoelectric force so as to incline a reflective surface.

Abstract: The invention provides a computer-generated hologram which can be viewed in white at the desired viewing region and a reflective liquid crystal display using the same as a reflector. The computer-generated hologram H is designed to diffuse light having a given reference wavelength ?STD and incident thereon at a given angle of incidence ? in a specific angle range. In a range of wavelengths ?min to ?max including the reference wavelength ?STD wherein zero-order transmission light or zero-order reflection light of incident light on the computer-generated hologram at a given angle of incidence is seen in white by additive color mixing, the maximum diffraction angle ?2MIN of incident light of the minimum wavelength ?MIN in the wavelength range and incident at the angle of incidence ? is larger than the minimum diffraction angle ?1MAX of incident light of the maximum wavelength ?MAX in the wavelength range and incident at said angle of incidence ?.

Abstract: An optical path coupling member aligns an optical axis directed to a light condensing member of the first wavelength light having a shortest wavelength with that of the third wavelength light having a longest wavelength. A diffraction element condenses +2nd order diffracted light of the first wavelength light and +1st order diffracted light of the second wavelength light and third wavelength light into a first photodetector, the ?2nd order diffracted light of the first wavelength light and ?1st order diffracted light of the third wavelength light into a second photodetector, and ?1st order diffracted light of the remaining second wavelength light into a photodetector, using ±2nd order diffracted light of the first wavelength light and ±1st order diffracted light of the second wavelength light and third wavelength light as signal light from an optical information recording medium. Consequently, the overall size of the optical pickup apparatus is reduced.

Abstract: In a diffraction optical element in which a plurality of diffraction gratings are laminated and the maximum difference of length among optical paths of light passing through the plurality of diffraction gratins is integer multiples of a plurality of wavelengths, diffraction efficiency is further improved and even when an environmental condition changes, a deviation of the diffraction efficiency is reduced. More specifically, a diffraction optical element is disclosed which includes, as the plurality of diffraction gratings, a first diffraction grating made of a resin material, in which inorganic fine particles are dispersed, and a second diffraction grating made of a material whose organic matter composition is substantially same as that of the resin material.

Abstract: An arrangement for dispersing light comprises a blazed diffraction grating and a mirror. The blazed diffraction grating comprises a grating plane and a multiplicity of blazed facets. Each blazed facet is oriented at a blaze angle to the grating plane. The mirror couples to the blazed diffraction grating and is oriented parallel to the blazed facets. The arrangement permits a highly dispersive optical function in a very compact structure with low polarization dependent loss.

Abstract: An optical device for scanning an optical record carrier (20) has a radiation source (25) that can emit two radiation beams of different wavelength along different optical paths (28, 29). The emitted radiation is focused on the record carrier and reflected back to a detection system (40). A beam combiner 43 is arranged in the optical path between the radiation source and the detection system for combining the two radiation beams on one optical path, thereby allowing the use of a single detection system for both radiation beams. The beam combiner includes a grating that passes one of the beams undiffracted and diffracts the other beam mainly in the first order. The profile of the grating lines show alternating slanting grooves and slanting lands.

Abstract: An illumination system including a diffractive optical element (DOE) having an uneven surface that produces an illumination shape. The DOE comprising an uneven surface that produces a multipole illumination shape having angular scope element, wherein the angular scope element is a function of a radius and an angle of the produced multipole illumination shape, and wherein a position of the poles and sizes of the poles in an angular scope vary with a radial scope used in producing the multipole illumination shape, and a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device using the system.

Abstract: An optical grating has a multiplicity of parallel diffraction structures, which are arranged on a support defining a base face. Each structure has a blaze flank that is inclined substantially at the Littrow angle with respect to the base face, and a back flank. Both flanks together form a reflection layer which comprises a reflective base layer and a transparent protective layer that is connected to the base layer and covers it. The protective layer on the blaze flank and the protective layer on the back flank are made of the same material. The thicknesses of the protective layers on the blaze flank and on the back flank, however, are different.

Abstract: A diffractive optical element has a plurality of diffraction structures for a certain wavelength. These each have a width measured in the plane of the diffractive optical element and a height measured perpendicularly thereto. The widths and the heights of the diffraction structures vary over the area of the diffractive optical element. An optical arrangement comprising such a diffractive optical element has, in addition, a neutral filter. The efficiency of such a diffractive optical element and of such an arrangement can be optimized locally for usable light.

Abstract: Novel structure of the optical elements (i.e. filter) to be operated in the long, mid, and near infrared wavelengths of lights is provided. The filter can offer very narrow linewidth, and high reflectivity (or transmissivity) at the peak wavelength. The optical element consists of the substrate, first diffraction grating and single uniform surface, and the second grating. Alternatively, the optical element again consists of the substrate, single uniform surface and the diffraction grating on the top of it. Alternatively, filter may also consist of number of sequence of layers, wherein each sequence comprises the single uniform layer sandwiched by the two diffraction grating layers. Filter again alternatively consists of the number of sequences wherein each sequence comprises the single uniform layer and the single diffraction grating. Diffraction grating may be two-step grating or multilevel grating with synchronously or nonsynchronously samples diffraction gratings.

Abstract: An optical element includes a diffraction grating by which both a first laser beam and a second laser beam are diffracted. A diffraction performance of the diffraction grating is expressed by an optical path difference function, a third spherical aberration SA31 of the first laser beam and a third spherical aberration SA32 of the second laser beam in a wave front aberration calculated by the optical path difference function satisfy the following conditional expressions: 0.005<|SA31?SA32|<0.015[?rms] SA31×SA32<0.

Abstract: A diffractive optical element contains a multiplicity of binary blazed diffraction structures, which substantially extend mutually parallel in a longitudinal direction. Perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction, the diffraction structures have a width g which is greater than the effective wavelength of electromagnetic radiation for which the diffractive optical element is designed. The diffraction structures respectively comprise a series of individual substructures, which produce a blaze effect and have a maximum extent p in the longitudinal direction which is less than the effective wavelength of the electromagnetic radiation, at least on average over a diffraction structure. In a plan view, the individual substructures respectively have the shape of a closed geometrical surface, which has an extent parallel to the longitudinal direction that varies perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction.

Abstract: An optical element is provided that may be used for collecting optical radiation incident at large angles of incidence. The element may include a grating window formed of grating elements that may collect large incident angle radiation and reflect that radiation, e.g., under total internal reflection in a substantially normal direction. A lens or lens array may be used to collect the internally reflected radiation and focus that radiation to a detector. Example detectors include infrared detectors. The element may be formed to collect, reflect, and redirect optical radiation incident at angles above 45° as measured from a surface normal to a detector oriented substantially at normal incidence. The detected signal from the optical element may be used to control systems within an aircraft or other vehicle capable of flight.

Abstract: An optical grating has a multiplicity of parallel diffraction structures, which are arranged on a support defining a base face. Each structure has a blaze flank that is inclined substantially at the Littrow angle with respect to the base face, and a back flank. Both flanks together form a reflection layer which comprises a reflective base layer and a transparent protective layer that is connected to the base layer and covers it. The protective layer on the blaze flank and the protective layer on the back flank are made of the same material. The thicknesses of the protective layers on the blaze flank and on the back flank, however, are different.

Abstract: In a diffractive optical element and a polarization separation element using this diffractive optical element, incident light can be effectively separated for the respective polarization directions over the entire used wavelength range. The diffractive optical element is arranged such that the diffractive optical element has a grating structure in which at least two blazed type grating portions are successively arranged along a light traveling direction. Additionally, in at least one grating portion of the two blazed type grating portions, structures smaller than a used wavelength are arranged in a periodic manner.

Abstract: The light modulator includes elongated elements and a support structure coupled to the elongated elements. Each element includes one or more lengthwise slits within an active optical area, and a light reflective planar surface with the light reflective planar surfaces lying in a grating plane. The support structure maintains a position of the elongated elements relative to each other and enables tilting of each element about a lengthwise axis. The elongated elements are tilted between a first modulator configuration wherein the elongated elements act to diffract an incident light into one or more diffraction orders, and a second modulator configuration wherein the elongated elements act to diffract the incident light into at least one diffraction order different than the one or more diffraction orders in the first modulator configuration.

Abstract: Disclosed is a light modulator having a digital micro blaze diffraction grating. In the light modulator, a fine protrusion is formed on an edge of a lower surface of a diffraction member so that a reflective surface inclines due to the fine protrusion when the diffraction member is drawn downward.

Abstract: A modulator for and a method of modulating an incident beam of light including means for supporting a plurality of active elements and a plurality of bias elements, each active and bias element including a light reflective planar surface with the light reflective planar surfaces of the plurality of active elements lying in a first parallel plane and the plurality of bias elements lying in a second parallel plane wherein the plurality of active and bias elements are parallel to each other and further wherein the plurality of bias elements are mechanically or electrically deflected with respect to the plurality of active elements. Each of the plurality of bias elements is deflected an odd multiple of the wavelength of an incident light wave divided by four and the plurality of light reflective planar surfaces of the plurality of active elements move between the first parallel plane to the second parallel plane.

Abstract: A diffractive optical element includes a first diffractive element and a second diffractive element that is made of a material different from that of the first diffractive element and is cemented with the first diffractive element, forming a diffraction grating at the cemented surface. A shade film is formed on a wall surface of each groove of the diffraction grating to enhance the angular characteristic of the grating.

Abstract: An dynamic optical filter 10 is provided to selectively attenuate or filter a wavelength band(s) of light (i.e., optical channel(s)) or a group(s) of wavelength bands of an optical WDM input signal 12. The optical filter is controllable or programmable to selectively provide a desired filter function. The optical filter 10 includes a spatial light modulator 36, which comprises an array of micromirrors 52 that effectively forms a two-dimensional diffraction grating mounted in a retro-reflecting configuration. Each optical channel 14 is dispersed separately or overlappingly onto the array of micro-mirrors 52 along a spectral axis or direction 55 such that each optical channel or group of optical channels are spread over a plurality of micromirrors to effectively pixelate each of the optical channels or input signal.

Abstract: A diffraction grating that achieves high diffraction efficiency at all polarizations for optical signals at telecommunications wavelengths is provided. The diffraction grating has a substrate and a plurality of reflective faces oriented at respective blaze angles ?b spaced along the substrate surface, with the blaze angles substantially differ from the Lit trow condition. Each reflective surface is supported by a support wall connected substantially with the substrate surface.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for converting a Gaussian laser beam into a propagating far field diffraction pattern using an off-axis diffractive optic. This propagating far field pattern is focused by a lens to obtain a flattop intensity at the focal plane. The technique is based on the idea of Fourier transform pairs and produces a small spot diameter with a useable depth of field. A focused uniform intensity profile can be useful for many laser applications.

Abstract: A grating structure with a dielectric coating is disclosed that operates efficiently away from the blaze angle in low order with a high diffraction efficiency and high wavelength dispersion. Such grating structure can be employed in Littrow configuration to provide, for example, cavity feedback in excimer lasers.

Abstract: Methods and compositions are provided for detecting biomolecular interactions. The use of labels is not required and the methods can be performed in a high-throughput manner. The invention also provides optical devices useful as narrow band filters.

Abstract: A first diffractive optical element pattern with a pattern pitch that is no greater than a wavelength of incident light is formed on a first main surface of substrate such as a glass plate. Second diffractive optical element patterns are formed at positions that are respectively incident to positive first-order diffracted light and negative first-order diffracted light produced by the first diffractive optical element pattern. Negative first-order diffracted light produced by each second diffractive optical element pattern is incident upon a boundary face of the substrate at an angle that is smaller than the critical angle, and so exits the substrate.