High-efficiency, multilevel, diffractive optical elements
First Claim
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1. Method for making high efficiency multilevel, diffractive, optical elements comprising:
- generating a plurality of binary amplitude masks including the multilevel information, the masks being configured to provide 2N levels where N is the number of masks; and
utilizing the masks'"'"' information serially for serial etching of 2N levels into the optical element, the etching depths for the masks being related by a fixed ratio.
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Abstract
The method utilizes high resolution lithography, mask aligning, and reactive ion etching. In particular, at least two binary amplitude masks are generated. A photoresist layer on an optical element substrate is exposed through the first mask and then etched. The process is then repeated for the second and subsequent masks to create a multistep configuration. The resulting optical element is highly efficient.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. Method for making high efficiency multilevel, diffractive, optical elements comprising:
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generating a plurality of binary amplitude masks including the multilevel information, the masks being configured to provide 2N levels where N is the number of masks; and utilizing the masks'"'"' information serially for serial etching of 2N levels into the optical element, the etching depths for the masks being related by a fixed ratio. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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7. The method of claim 1 wherein the masks are made by electron beam pattern generators.
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8. The method of claim 1 wherein the etching is by reactive ion etching.
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9. The method of claim 1 wherein the optical element is a lens.
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10. The method of claim 1 wherein the optical element corrects for spherical aberration.
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11. The method of claim 1 wherein the optical element is corrected for chromatic aberration.
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12. Method for making high-efficiency, multilevel diffractive optical elements comprising:
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making a master optical element according to the method of claim 1; and using the master optical element to emboss multiple replicated optical components.
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13. The method of claim 12 wherein the master optical element is copied in metal which is used for the embossing.
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14. Method for making high efficiency multilevel, diffractive, optical elements comprising:
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generating a plurality of binary amplitude masks including the multilevel information by lithographic pattern generation, the masks configured to provide 2N levels where N is the number of masks; aligning a first one of the masks with respect to the optical element; coating the optical element with photoresist; exposing the photoresist through the aligned mask; developing the photoresist; etching the optical element; aligning the next one of the masks with respect to the pattern etched with the first of the masks; and repeating the coating, exposing, developing, etching, and aligning steps for each of the masks to produce 2N levels into the optical element.
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Specification