Abstract: Provided is a diffractive optical element that is formed by laminating two optical material layers formed of different energy-cured resins; in which a relief pattern is formed at the interface between the two optical material layers; and that satisfies the following conditional expressions: 0.01<d2/d1<0.2??(1) 0.05<d1/?E<1.0??(2) 0.0005<d2/?E<0.1??(3) wherein d1 is the center plate thickness (mm) of one optical material layer 2 that is cured first, d2 is the center plate thickness (mm) of the other optical material layer 3 that is cured later, and ?E is the effective diameter (mm) of the relief pattern 4.

Abstract: A hologram recording medium is manufactured using a computer. On a recording plane, cell position points Q are defined at a pitch Ph along cell position lines f(i) which are arranged on the recording plane at a pitch Pv. For each individual cell position point Q, an amplitude A and a phase ? of a synthetic wave of object light components emitted from a plurality of sample points on an associated image contour are determined by computation. At each individual cell position point Q is positioned a three-dimensional cell C, having a diffraction grating G, with a phase that is in accordance with the phase ?, formed in an effective region E having an area that is in accordance with the amplitude A. The diffraction grating G is formed by periodically positioning staircase steps with a period ?.

Abstract: An organic-inorganic composite material contains a cured material of an organic-inorganic composition containing a resin component, fine particles of a transparent conductive substance, and a polymerization initiator. Refractive properties of the Abbe number ?d and anomalous dispersion ?g, F of the organic-inorganic composite material are within a range surrounded by (?d, ?g, F)=(16, 0.50), (16, 0.40), (23, 0.50), (23, 0.47). The content of the fine particles of the transparent conductive substance in the organic-inorganic composite material is from 7.7% to 20.0% by volume. The resin component contains a compound represented by the following formula: where R1 and R2 represent a hydrogen atom or a moiety containing a polymerizable functional group such as an acrylic group, a methacrylic group, an allyl group, a vinyl group, or an epoxy group or one or both of R1 and R2 represent the moiety containing the polymerizable functional group.

Abstract: The invention concerns a security document comprising a flexible carrier and a multi-layer flexible film body which is applied to the flexible carrier and which provides one or more optical security features. The flexible multi-layer film body has an electrically controller display element for generating an optical security feature with associated electrical current source for operation of the display element in combination with an optically active diffractive structure.

Abstract: Optical apparatus includes first and second diffractive optical elements (DOEs) arranged in series to diffract an input beam of radiation. The first DOE is configured to apply to the input beam a pattern with a specified divergence angle, while the second DOE is configured to split the input beam into a matrix of output beams with a specified fan-out angle. The divergence and fan-out angles are chosen so as to project the radiation onto a region in space in multiple adjacent instances of the pattern.

Abstract: A security device comprising at least first and second superposed optically variable effect generating structures (3-5, 31-51), each having a surface relief microstructure, the second optically variable effect generating structure being viewable through the first.

Abstract: Provided are an optical element in which a thickness of a refractive optical portion having an extraordinary partial dispersion characteristic is suitably specified to minimize flare generated by a diffraction optical portion, to thereby sufficiently correct chromatic aberrations to obtain excellent optical performance, and an optical system including the optical element. The optical system includes a cemented portion in which the refractive optical portion made of a solid material and has a refractive action is brought into intimate contact with at least one of light incident and exiting surfaces of the diffraction optical portion having a plurality of diffraction gratings which are layered. An Abbe (?d), a partial dispersion ratio (?gF), and an extraordinary partial dispersion ratio (??gF) of the solid material are suitably set.

Abstract: The present invention provides a highly efficient light-extraction layer and an organic electroluminescence element excellent in light-extraction efficiency. The light-extraction layer of the present invention comprises a reflecting layer and a three-dimensional diffraction layer formed thereon. The diffraction layer comprises fine particles having a variation coefficient of the particle diameter of 10% or less and of a matrix having a refractive index different from that of the fine particles. The particles have a volume fraction of 50% or more based on the volume of the diffraction layer. The particles are arranged to form first areas having short-distance periodicity, and the first areas are disposed and adjacent to each other in random directions to form second areas. The organic electroluminescence element of the present invention comprises the above light-extraction layer.

Abstract: A diffractive optical element includes a first optical member, a second optical member, and a third optical member stacked on each other in this order. A diffractive surface including a plurality of raised parts is formed at an interface between the first and second optical members. The third optical member contacts at least one of the raised parts.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring an image of a pattern to be formed on a semiconductor by scanning the pattern using a scanner, the apparatus including an EUV mask including the pattern, a zoneplate lens on a first side of the EUV mask and adapted to focus EUV light on a portion of the EUV mask at a same angle as an angle at which the scanner will be disposed with respect to a normal line of the EUV mask, and a detector arranged on another side of the EUV mask and adapted to sense energy of the EUV light from the EUV mask, wherein NAzoneplate=NAscanner/n and NAdetector=NAscanner/n*?, where NAzoneplate denotes a NA of the zoneplate lens, NAdetector denotes a NA of the detector, and NAscanner denotes a NA of the scanner, ? denotes an off-axis degree of the scanner, and n denotes a reduction magnification of the scanner.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring an image of a pattern to be formed on a semiconductor by scanning the pattern using a scanner, the apparatus including an EUV mask including the pattern, a zoneplate lens on a first side of the EUV mask and adapted to focus EUV light on a portion of the EUV mask at a same angle as an angle at which the scanner will be disposed with respect to a normal line of the EUV mask, and a detector arranged on another side of the EUV mask and adapted to sense energy of the EUV light from the EUV mask, wherein NAzoneplate=NAscanner/n and NAdetector=NAscanner/n*?, where NAzoneplate denotes a NA of the zoneplate lens, NAdetector denotes a NA of the detector, and NAscanner denotes a NA of the scanner, ? denotes an off-axis degree of the scanner, and n denotes a reduction magnification of the scanner.

Abstract: A diffraction grating structure having ultra-high density of grooves comprises an echellette substrate having periodically repeating recessed features, and a multi-layer stack of materials disposed on the echellette substrate. The surface of the diffraction grating is planarized, such that layers of the multi-layer stack form a plurality of lines disposed on the planarized surface of the structure in a periodical fashion, wherein lines having a first property alternate with lines having a dissimilar property on the surface of the substrate. For example, in one embodiment, lines comprising high-Z and low-Z materials alternate on the planarized surface providing a structure that is suitable as a diffraction grating for EUV and soft X-rays. In some embodiments, line density of between about 10,000 lines/mm to about 100,000 lines/mm is provided.

Abstract: A composite type diffractive optical element having a resin layer laminated on a transparent substrate is molded. Then, cooling of an unmolded surface of the transparent substrate is started using a cooling spray nozzle so as to provide a temperature gradient in one direction from an outer periphery toward a center, and a cooling range is expanded in the one direction to cool the transparent substrate. With this, mold releasing is performed in one direction from the outer periphery portion to an opposite outer periphery portion across the center of the diffraction gratings to release the resin layer from a diffraction grating mold.

Abstract: A diffractive optical element is made by layering first and second diffractive gratings. A difference of an extinction coefficient to d-line between the two materials of each of the first and second diffractive grating is larger than 0.0002 and smaller than 0.002. The following conditional expressions are satisfied 0.05<|?nd1|<0.3, 0.05<|?nd2 |<0.3, 20<|??d1|<40, and |??d2|<15, where ?nd1, ?nd2 are differences of a refractive index to the d-line between the two materials of the first and second diffractive gratings, and ??d1, ??d2are differences of an Abbe number between the two materials of the first and second diffractive gratings.

Abstract: An optical semiconductor element includes: a grating base layer including a projection-recess structure disposed over a substrate; and a grating cover layer including a group III-V semiconductor having three or more elements, wherein the grating cover layer includes a first region which is disposed over recessed portions of the grating base layer and which has a compositional ratio of a group III-V semiconductor having a first refractive index, and a second region which is disposed over projecting portions of the grating base layer and which has a compositional ratio of a group III-V semiconductor having a second refractive index that is smaller than the first refractive index, wherein the grating base layer includes a group III-V semiconductor having a third refractive index that is smaller than the first refractive index.

Abstract: A first article has a surface bearing a diffraction grating that comprises a plurality of elevated regions and recessed regions and a reflective coating that provides reflective diffraction within the article but is sufficiently thick to prevent diffraction outside the article. Alternatively, the reflective coating can be arranged to also provide reflective diffraction outside the article. A second article has a surface bearing a diffraction grating that comprises a plurality of elevated regions and recessed regions. Either (i) at least a portion of each ridge, or (ii) at least portion of each trench, comprises a material differing with respect to its refractive index or with respect to its optical transmissivity.

Abstract: A diffractive optical element includes a first optical part and a second optical part bonded to each other with a bonded surface therebetween configured as a diffraction surface. In this diffractive optical element, the diffraction order of diffracted light with the largest quantity of light out of diffracted light for one of a plurality of kinds of laser beams obtained on the diffraction surface is different from the diffraction order for at least another laser beam.

Abstract: A surface relief structure includes a recording medium configured to be structurally modified when exposed to interfering and non-interfering portions of radiation beams, the structurally modified recording medium including, when viewed in a two-dimensional cross-section along one of the axes of the recording medium a plurality of equally spaced steps of fine-sized periodicity superimposed upon a plurality of deep depressions of substantially coarse-sized periodicity. The structurally modified recording medium is configured to produce in reflection single and multiple colors in a broad spectral range when illuminated by a source of light.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an optical element that has a function to polarize and split incident light includes: a) forming a grid portion on a face of a substrate in a plural number with a predetermined pitch; b) forming a diffractive structure resist pattern on the face of the substrate; c) forming the diffractive structure by etching the substrate anisotropically in a thickness direction with the diffractive structure resist pattern; and d) forming a fine line on the grid portion by depositing a reflective material from an oblique direction onto the face of the substrate where the diffractive structure is provided.

Abstract: The laminated diffractive optical element includes plural diffraction gratings 21, 22 and 23 laminated with each other, the respective diffraction gratings being formed of a same light-transmissive material. In the element, reflective films are formed on grating surfaces 11 and 12 of the respective diffraction gratings, each of the reflective films being disposed between the diffraction gratings. Each of the reflective films reflects light in a specific wavelength range and transmits light in a wavelength range different from the specific wavelength range, the specific wavelength ranges of the respective reflective films being different from each other. The grating surfaces of the respective diffraction gratings are formed in shapes different from each other according to the specific wavelength ranges corresponding to the respective reflective films.

Abstract: Provided are an organic-inorganic composite resin composition and an organic-inorganic composite resin material made of a cured product thereof, containing at least an organic compound having a polymerizable functional group, metal oxide fine particles, and a polymerization initiator. The cured product obtained by curing the organic-inorganic composite resin composition through application of an active energy has a refractive index nd of 1.61 or more and 1.65 or less, Abbe's number ?d of 13 or more and 20 or less, and an anomalous dispersion characteristic ?g,F of 0.42 or more and 0.54 or less. Further provided is an optical element comprising a transparent substrate and the organic-inorganic composite resin material formed on the transparent substrate.

Abstract: A polarizing mirror device including an optical substrate (1) of real refractive index ns; a dielectric multilayer mirror (2), composed of dielectric layers of low and high refractive index; and a corrugated grating layer (6) of local period ? at the side of a cover medium of refractive index nc.

Abstract: A method of fixing a polarization-reversed region formed in a ferroelectric single crystal, including preparing a ferroelectric single crystal having a polarization-reversed region; and irradiating an ion beam or a neutral beam on the ferroelectric single crystal. The ferroelectric single crystal is a substantially stoichiometric lithium tantalate single crystal or a substantially stoichiometric lithium niobate single crystal, and the polarization-reversed region is fixed and any back switch and expansion of the polarization-reversed region are suppressed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a transparent substrate comprising at its surface a grating of lines of at least 200 light-diffusing elements, said elements being separated by domains with a different refractive index from that of the elements, the distance d between centers of gravity of neighboring elements varying in a non-monotonic manner from one edge of the grating to the other, so that for any group of 50 successive elements, the distance d between the centers of gravity of neighboring elements of said group is at least once greater than and at least once less than the mean distance dm of distances d between centers of gravity of neighboring elements of said group, dm lying between 75 nm and 200 ?m. This substrate is transparent in direct vision and redirects the light while diffusing it without iridescence in a daylighting application.

Abstract: An anti-reflection structure for transmitting a light source is disclosed. The anti-reflection structure comprises a first dielectric layer of a first refractive index and a second dielectric layer of a second refractive index different from the first refractive index. The first dielectric layer has a plurality of protrusions randomly arranged on a top surface thereof, in which the plurality of protrusions and the intervals therebetween has an average size smaller than the wavelength of the light source. The second dielectric layer has a bottom surface conformally attached to the top surface of the first dielectric layer. The invention also discloses an image sensor device having the anti-reflection structure.

Abstract: An optical element includes a surface including a tilted profile having height differences, thereby providing cavities and elevations having a predetermined maximum height difference, and a transmissive layer that covers the cavities and the elevations of the optical element. A first height of the transmissive layer in the cavities is substantially equal or larger than the predetermined maximum height difference and the transmissive layer has a second height on the elevations and the second height is about 10-500 nm. The transmissive layer is enabled to optically filter incident radiation, and the optical element is a grating.

Abstract: A small shooting lens has high optical performance and is suitable for mass production. To attain this, the shooting lens includes at least three lens groups disposed in order from an object side, wherein an adhesion multiple-layer diffractive optical element is formed on one of surfaces disposed between an object surface and an imaging plane, and a maximum image height Y and an entire length L satisfy 0.1<Y/L<3.0 . . . (1). Thus using the multiple-layer diffractive optical element in the shooting lens makes it possible to improve diffraction efficiency over a wide range and reduce flare. Particularly, the multiple-layer diffractive optical element has a merit that its production and assembling are easy. Further, according to the conditional expression (1), it is possible to realize the downsizing of the shooting lens while also maintaining its imaging quality.

Abstract: A grating has a high diffraction efficiency into the minus first diffracted order in transmission, for both TE and TM polarizations. The incident angle may optionally be chosen so that the minus first diffracted order in reflection would be retroreflected back to the incident beam. The grating may be formed from various materials and/or layers, where the thicknesses of the individual layers may be determined by an optimization or simulation process. In one aspect, the grating may have four or more layers, formed with three or more materials. In another aspect, the grating may have a longitudinal refractive index profile that contains at least two local extrema, such as a maximum and/or minimum. Such a grating may be formed from three or more materials, two materials, or a single material that has a continuously varying refractive index. Any or all of the materials may have a continuously varying refractive index profile, as well.

Abstract: A color dividing optical device has an integrated structure of dual surfaces, each has a micro/nano structure. The optical device can perform beam splitting and color dividing on an incident light source, which has a constitution from multiple different wavelengths. In a space, the original incident light source is equally split into multiple light beams in an array, according to light intensity. At the same time, the light beam constituted from different wavelengths is divided into multiple sub-light sources, according to the wavelength, so as to have the function to propagate a color array with color dividing. The optical device with capability of modulating the color wavelengths can transform the wide-band incident light source into sub-light beams in array with color dividing (wavelength dividing) and beam splitting.

Abstract: A diffractive optical element that is used for an optical system includes a first diffraction grating and a second diffraction grating. The first and second diffraction gratings are disposed in contact with each other, one of the first and second diffraction gratings has a refractive index distribution and has a diffractive surface that includes a grating surface having a predetermined inclination and a grating wall surface having a predetermined height, and the diffractive surface has a shape in which an inclination of the grating surface of a diffraction grating having the greater refractive index distribution is decreased and a height of the grating wall surface is lowered with respect to a shape in which a phase difference based on a phase difference function that corrects an aberration of the optical system is added to a shape of a base surface that forms one of the first and second diffraction gratings.

Abstract: A molded product having a phase separation structure formed by photopolymerization of a photopomerizable composition and imparting a sharp diffraction spot at a high diffraction efficiency, and a method for manufacturing same are provided. The molded product (1) comprises a matrix (2) and a multiple columnar structures (3) disposed within the matrix (2) and having an index of refraction different from the matrix (2), wherein the half width of a diffraction spot is 0.6° or less and diffraction efficiency is 10% or greater in an angular spectrum obtained by irradiation with a laser beam having an intensity distribution of standard normal distribution and a half width of the intensity distribution of 0.5°. The multiple columnar structures (3) are oriented in approximately the same direction, and are aligned in a regular lattice on a plane perpendicular to said orientation direction.

Abstract: An embedded vertical optical grating, a semiconductor device including the embedded vertical optical grating and a method for forming the same. The method for forming the embedded optical grating within a substrate includes depositing a hard mask layer on the substrate, patterning at least one opening within the hard mask layer, vertically etching a plurality of scallops within the substrate corresponding to the at least one opening within the hard mask layer, removing the hard mask layer, and forming an oxide layer within the plurality of scallops to form the embedded vertical optical grating.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to optical devices comprising planar lenses. In one aspect, an optical device includes two or more planar lenses (208,209), and one or more dielectric layers (210-212). Each planar lens includes a non-periodic, sub-wavelength grating layer (1110), and each dielectric layer is disposed adjacent to at least one planar lens to form a solid structure. The two or more planar lenses are substantially parallel and arranged to have a common optical axis (214) so that light transmitted through the optical device substantially parallel to the optical axis is refracted by the two or more planar lenses.

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: A diffractive optical element includes first and second diffraction gratings. A grating wall surface of the second diffractive grating is located on a surface extending a grating wall surface of the first diffractive grating or on a low refractive index region side of the first diffractive grating with respect to the surface extending the grating wall surface of the first diffractive grating. +1.3×|m|<|m1|<+2.0×|m|, ?1.0×|m|<?|m2|<?0.3×|m|, and 0.94×|m|<|m1+m2|<1.05×|m| are satisfied. Here, m is a designed order, m1=(nd2?nd1)d1/?d, m2=(nd3?nd2)d2/?d, nd1 is a refractive index of the first material to d-line, nd2 is a refractive index of the second material to the d-line, nd3 is a refractive index of the third material to the d-line, ?d is a wavelength of the d-line, d1 and d2 are grating heights of the first and second diffraction gratings.

Abstract: A diffractive optical element (10) includes a substrate (11), a protective film (13a, 13b), and a diffraction grating (12a, 12b) disposed between the substrate (11) and the protective film (13a, 13b), wherein the diffraction grating (12a, 12b) is formed of a composite material containing a resin and inorganic particles, a volume ratio of the inorganic particles with respect to the composite material is equal to or smaller than 50% by volume, and the diffraction grating (12a, 12b) has a thickness of equal to or smaller than 20 ?m. Since the diffractive optical element (10) uses the composite material containing the resin and the inorganic particles as a material for the diffraction grating (12a, 12b), which is relatively difficult to process, the moldability improves compared with the conventional case of using glass, etc.

Abstract: A diffractive optical element according to the present invention includes: a lens body 11 with a blazed grating 13 on an aspheric surface 11a thereof; and an optical adjustment layer 15 that covers the diffraction grating 13. The lens body 11 is made of a first material 14a and the optical adjustment layer 15 is made of a second material 14b that has a higher refractive index than the first material 14a. The diffraction grating 13 has a number of ring zones that are arranged concentrically around an optical axis, where the height of each ring zone with respect to the aspheric surface 11a of the lens body 11 is represented by an increasing function of a distance r from the optical axis. The increasing function is represented by a phase polynomial that uses the distance r as a variable and that has a magnitude of 3/4? to 7/4? when r=0.

Abstract: An eye piece (EL1) is formed having a first lens (L1) having a positive refractive power and a second lens (L2) having a positive refractive power, which are disposed in order from an object (O), and a contact multi-layer diffractive optical element (DOE), which has a first optical element (51) formed with a relief pattern and a second optical element (52) which is in contact with the surface of the first optical element (51) where the relief pattern is formed, is disposed on an optical surface of the first lens (L1) or the second lens (L2).

Abstract: An all-polymer grating microstructure device that exhibits a zero-order reflection under white light comprises a first polymer having a first refractive index and configured as a microstructure embedded within a second polymer having a second refractive index, each of the polymers of the first and second polymers at least translucent to white light with the proviso that the refractive index of the first polymer is at least 0.05 greater than the refractive index of the second polymer.

Abstract: A resin composition includes a binder component having at least one of a monomer and an oligomer of one or more of a fluorine system and a silicone system having a polymerizable functional group in a molecule. The resin composition also includes fine metal oxide particles, and a polymerization initiator. The fine metal oxide particles include particles selected from the group of zinc oxide, indium oxide, tin oxide, antimony oxide, tin-doped indium oxide (ITO), antimony-doped tin oxide (ATO), zinc-doped indium oxide (IZO), aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO), and fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO).

Abstract: Use of an organic optical material whose Abbe's number (?d) and secondary dispersion (?g,F) satisfy the relationship ?g,F??2?d×10?3+0.59 provides an optical material which causes reduced optical scattering, the optical material having excellent optical scattering characteristics and secondary dispersion characteristics equivalent to those of a compound in which fine particles of conductive metal oxides such as ITO are dispersed in an organic resin.

Abstract: The diffractive optical element includes a first diffraction grating and a second diffraction grating, which are formed of materials different from each other, the first diffraction grating and the second diffraction grating are stacked so as not to provide any air layer therebetween. The diffractive optical element satisfies conditions of nd1<nd2, ?d1<?d2, 1.65?nd1, ?d1?20, 1.73?nd2, and 15??d2?60 where nd1 and ?d1 respectively represent a refractive index and an Abbe constant of the material of the first diffraction grating for a d-line, and nd2 and ?d2 respectively represent a refractive index and an Abbe constant of the material of the second diffraction grating for the d-line. The element is capable of reducing deterioration of a diffraction efficiency by an obliquely incident light, to improve the diffraction efficiency of a designed order light in a use wavelength range.

Abstract: A multi-layer body having a partially shaped first layer and a diffractive first relief structure shaped in a first region of a replication layer. The first layer is applied to the replication layer in the first region and, in a second region, a photosensitive layer is applied to the first layer or a photosensitive washing mask is applied thereto as a replication layer. The photosensitive layer or the washing mask is exposed through the first layer so that the photosensitive layer or washing mask is exposed differently due to the first relief structure in the first and in the second regions, and the first layer is removed using the exposed photosensitive layer or washing mask as a mask layer in the first region but not in the second region or in the second region but not in the first region.

Abstract: A reflection grating device with a continuous non-reflecting dielectric adjusting layer disposed between a grating structure and one or more continuous reflecting layers is disclosed that operates in an order of interest, such as the 1st order or 3rd order of diffraction, with high efficiency and near-exclusion of unwanted orders. Such devices can be employed, for example, in telecommunication and laser applications.

Abstract: The invention relates to electromagnetic radiation microoptical diffraction gratings and to a method suitable for the manufacture thereof. The diffraction gratings in accordance with the invention can be used as microspectrometers in the form of scanning microgratings. The microgratings are provided with a surface structure and are able to be manufactured cost effectively and in high volumes. The surface structure is formed at a surface of a substrate and is formed from linear structural elements arranged substantially equidistantly and aligned substantially parallel to one another. At least part of the surface of the substrate and of the structural elements is coated with at least one further layer which forms a uniform sinusoidal surface contoured in a wave-shape (sinusoidal) manner and having alternating arranged wave peaks and wave troughs. A reflective layer can additionally be applied to increase the intensity of reflected radiation.

Abstract: A covert label structure comprising a three dimensional diffracting optical element layer (100) having a depth profile for producing a predetermined pattern, wherein different portions of a top surface of the diffracting optical element layer (100) have at least two different depths relative to a bottom surface of the diffracting optical element layer (100), wherein the depth profile spans across two dimensions of the top surface of the diffracting optical element layer (100), and wherein the top surface reflects light according to the predefined pattern and an overcoat layer (108) over the top surface of the diffracting optical element layer (100) wherein the overcoat layer (108) is opaque to at least one wavelength of light.

Abstract: An optical device includes: an optical waveguide; and a plurality of diffraction grating layers, provided along the optical waveguide, each including a diffraction grating defined by a discontinuous first semiconductor layer and a second semiconductor layer having a refractive index different from a refractive index of the first semiconductor layer and burying the first semiconductor layer, one diffraction grating layer of the plurality of diffraction grating layers including a third semiconductor layer being continuous with the diffraction grating and made from a material different from materials of the first and the second semiconductor layers.

Abstract: The present invention relates to pigments comprising or consisting of a layer made of a material with an index of refraction that is higher than the index of refraction of the adjacent material by at least 0.25; whereas said layer has a zero-order diffractive micro-structure; whereas said layer acts as an optical waveguide and whereas said layer has a thickness between 50 nm and 500 nm; to processes for its manufacture and to its use. These pigments show a colour effect upon rotation and/or tilting, and it is believed that this colour effect is based on zero-order diffraction.

Abstract: A releasable transfer film is suitable to provide a metalized embossed composite onto a paper substrate without a release layer between the composite and a polymeric carrier layer. The transfer film includes a polymeric base layer, an embossing material layer and a metal layer. The transfer film is bonded to the paper substrate with an adhesive layer allowing the polymeric barrier layer to peel away from and to expose the metal-backed, embossing material layer. The substrate covered with the metalized embossed composite can be used to impart holographic style images to packaging, printed media products such as magazines.

Abstract: A diffractive optical element includes a first diffraction grating and a second diffraction grating, and a thin film which is arranged at least part of an interface between the first diffraction grating and the second diffraction grating, includes a single layer or multiple layers made of a material different from that of each of the first and second diffraction gratings, and is transparent to light of a working wavelength range. nd1<nd2, 0.15<nd2-nd3<0.80, and 1/{100×(nd2-nd3)}?m<w<0.05×P ?m are satisfied, where nd1 is a refractive index of the material of the first diffraction grating to d-line, nd2 is a refractive index of the material of the second diffraction grating to the d-line, nd3 is a minimum refractive index of the material of one layer of the thin film to the d-line, w is a total thickness, and P is a grating pitch.