Beam separation control and beam splitting by single blazed binary diffraction optical element

• US 5,566,024 A
• Filed: 12/23/1993
• Issued: 10/15/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Rauch, Russell B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dzierzynski, Paul M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Juba, Jr., John
• Application Number:
  US08/172,356
• Time in Patent Office: 1,027 Days
• Field of Search: 359/566, 359/569, 359/571, 359/558, 359/565, 359/621, 359/622, 359/639, 359/640
• US Class Current: 359/571
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/1073 characterized by manufacturing or alignment methods
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/1093 for use with monochromatic radiation only, e.g. devices for splitting a single laser source
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/145 having sequential partially reflecting surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/1871 Transmissive phase gratings

Abstract

Two sets of two single blazed binary diffractive optical elements form a beam separation control apparatus for expanding two closely spaced parallel beams into two wider spaced parallel beams or for contracting two wider spaced parallel beams into two closely spaced parallel beams. Four sets of two single blazed binary diffractive optical elements form a beam separation control apparatus for separating two closely spaced parallel beams into two wider spaced parallel beams for possible modulation or other optical effect, then returning the two beams to be closely spaced and parallel. A set of two adjacent and opposite single blazed binary diffractive optical elements can form a beam splitting apparatus or a beam combining apparatus.

Claims

1. A beam separation control apparatus for separating a first light beam and a second light beam comprising

a first single blazed binary diffractive optical element having a multilevel surface relief phase grating structure upon an optical substrate, said multilevel surface relief phase grating structure having individual blazed diffraction gratings for diffracting said first light beam into a first diffracted light beam,

a second single blazed binary diffractive optical element having a multilevel surface relief phase grating structure upon an optical substrate, said multilevel surface relief phase grating structure having individual blazed diffraction gratings for diffracting said second light beam into a second diffracted light beam,

a third single blazed binary diffractive optical element having a multilevel surface relief phase grating structure upon an optical substrate, said multilevel surface relief phase grating structure having individual blazed diffraction gratings for diffracting said first diffracted light beam from said first single blazed binary diffractive optical element into a first double diffracted light beam, and

a fourth single blazed binary diffractive optical element having a multilevel surface relief phase grating structure upon an optical substrate, said multilevel surface relief phase grating structure having individual blazed diffraction gratings for diffracting said second diffracted light beam from said second single blazed binary diffractive optical element into a second double diffracted light beam, wherein said first double diffracted light beam and said second double diffracted light beam are a greater distance apart than said first light beam and said light second beam.

2. The beam separation control apparatus for separating a first light beam and a second light beam of claim 1 wherein said individual blazed diffraction gratings of said first single blazed binary diffractive optical element have opposite blazing with respect to said individual blazed diffraction gratings of said second single blazed binary diffractive optical element.

3. The beam separation control apparatus for separating a first light beam and a second light beam of claim 1 wherein said individual blazed diffraction gratings of said third single blazed binary diffractive optical element have inverse blazing with respect to said individual blazed diffraction gratings of said first single blazed binary diffractive optical element.

4. The beam separation control apparatus for separating a first light beam and a second light beam of claim 1 wherein said individual blazed diffraction gratings of said fourth single blazed binary diffractive optical element have inverse blazing with respect to said individual blazed diffraction gratings of said second single blazed binary diffractive optical element.

5. The beam separation control apparatus for separating a first light beam and a second light beam of claim 1 wherein said first single blazed binary diffractive optical element and said second single blazed binary diffractive optical element have the same substrate.

6. The beam separation control apparatus for separating a first light beam and a second light beam of claim 1 wherein said third single blazed binary diffractive optical element and said fourth single blazed binary diffractive optical element have the same substrate.

7. A beam separation control apparatus for separating a first light beam and a second light beam comprising

a first single blazed binary diffractive optical element having a multilevel surface relief phase grating structure upon an optical substrate, said multilevel surface relief phase grating structure having individual blazed diffraction gratings for diffracting said first light beam into a first diffracted light beam,

a second single blazed binary diffractive optical element having a multilevel surface relief phase grating structure upon an optical substrate, said multilevel surface relief phase grating structure having individual blazed diffraction gratings for diffracting said second light beam into a second diffracted light beam,

a third single blazed binary diffractive optical element having a multilevel surface relief phase grating structure upon an optical substrate, said multilevel surface relief phase grating structure having individual blazed diffraction gratings for diffracting said first diffracted light beam from said first single blazed binary diffractive optical element into a first double diffracted light beam, and

a fourth single blazed binary diffractive optical element having a multilevel surface relief phase grating structure upon an optical substrate, said multilevel surface relief phase grating structure having individual blazed diffraction gratings for diffracting said double diffracted light beam from said second single blazed binary diffractive optical element into a second double diffracted light beam, wherein said first double diffracted light beam and said second double diffracted light beam are a lesser distance apart than said first light beam and said second light beam.

8. The beam separation control apparatus for separating a first light beam and a second light beam of claim 7 wherein said individual blazed diffraction gratings of said first single blazed binary diffractive optical element have opposite blazing with respect to said individual blazed diffraction gratings of said second single blazed binary diffractive optical element.

9. The beam separation control apparatus for separating a first light beam and a second light beam of claim 7 wherein said individual blazed diffraction gratings of said third single blazed binary diffractive optical element have inverse blazing with respect to said individual blazed diffraction gratings of said first single blazed binary diffractive optical element.

10. The beam separation control apparatus for separating a first light beam and a second light beam of claim 7 wherein said individual blazed diffraction gratings of said fourth single blazed binary diffractive optical element have inverse blazing with respect to said individual blazed diffraction gratings of said second single blazed binary diffractive optical element.

11. The beam separation control apparatus for separating a first light beam and a second light beam of claim 7 wherein said first single blazed binary diffractive optical element and said second single blazed binary diffractive optical element have the same substrate.

12. The beam separation control apparatus for separating a first light beam and a second light beam of claim 7 wherein said third single blazed binary diffractive optical element and said fourth single blazed binary diffractive optical element have the same substrate.

13. A beam separation control apparatus for separating a first light beam and a second light beam comprising

a first single blazed binary diffractive optical element having a multilevel surface relief phase grating structure upon an optical substrate, said multilevel surface relief phase grating structure having individual blazed diffraction gratings for diffracting said first light beam into a first diffracted light beam,

a second single blazed binary diffractive optical element having a multilevel surface relief phase grating structure upon an optical substrate, said multilevel surface relief phase grating structure having individual blazed diffraction gratings for diffracting said second light beam into a second diffracted light beam,

a third single blazed binary diffractive optical element having a multilevel surface relief phase grating structure upon an optical substrate, said multilevel surface relief phase grating structure having individual blazed diffraction gratings for diffracting said first diffracted light beam from said first single blazed binary diffractive optical element into a first double diffracted light beam,

a fourth single blazed binary diffractive optical element having a multilevel surface relief phase grating structure upon an optical substrate, said multilevel surface relief phase grating structure having individual blazed diffraction gratings for diffracting said second diffracted light beam from said second single blazed binary diffractive optical element into a second double diffracted light beam, wherein said first double diffracted light beam and said second double diffracted light beam are a greater distance apart than said first light beam and said second light beam,

a fifth single blazed binary diffractive optical element having a multilevel surface relief phase grating structure upon an optical substrate, said multilevel surface relief phase grating structure having individual blazed diffraction gratings for diffracting said first double diffracted beam from said third single blazed binary diffractive optical element into a first thrice diffracted light beam,

a sixth single blazed binary diffractive optical element having a multilevel surface relief phase grating structure upon an optical substrate, said multilevel surface relief phase grating structure having individual blazed diffraction gratings for diffracting said second double diffracted light beam from said fourth single blazed binary diffractive optical element into a second thrice diffracted light beam,

a seventh single blazed binary diffractive optical element having a multilevel surface relief phase grating structure upon an optical substrate, said multilevel surface relief phase grating structure having individual blazed diffraction gratings for diffracting said first thrice diffracted light beam from said fifth single blazed binary diffractive optical element into a first quadruple diffracted light beam, and

a eighth single blazed binary diffractive optical element having a multilevel surface relief phase grating structure upon an optical substrate, said multilevel surface relief phase grating structure having individual blazed diffraction gratings for diffracting said second thrice diffracted light beam from said sixth single blazed binary diffractive optical element into a second quadruple diffracted light beam, wherein said first quadruple diffracted light beam and said second quadruple diffracted light beam are a lesser distance apart than said said first double diffracted light beam and said second double diffracted light beam.

14. The beam separation control apparatus for separating a first light beam and a second light beam of claim 13 further comprising

optical means for modulating said first double diffracted light beam.

15. The beam separation control apparatus for separating a first light beam and a second light beam of claim 13 further comprising

optical means for modulating said second double diffracted light beam.

16. A beam separation control apparatus for separating a first light beam and a second light beam of claim 13 further comprising

first optical means for modulating said first double diffracted light beam and second optical means for modulating said second double diffracted light beam.

17. The beam separation control apparatus for separating a first light beam and a second light beam of claim 13 wherein said individual blazed diffraction gratings of said first single blazed binary diffractive optical element have opposite blazing with respect to said individual blazed diffraction gratings of said second single blazed binary diffractive optical element.

18. The beam separation control apparatus for separating a first light beam and a second light beam of claim 13 wherein said individual blazed diffraction gratings of said third single blazed binary diffractive optical element have inverse blazing with respect to said individual blazed diffraction gratings of said first single blazed binary diffractive optical element.

19. The beam separation control apparatus for separating a first light beam and a second light beam of claim 13 wherein said individual blazed diffraction gratings of said fourth single blazed binary diffractive optical element have inverse blazing with respect to said individual blazed diffraction gratings of said second single blazed binary diffractive optical element.

20. The beam separation control apparatus for separating a first light beam and a second light beam of claim 13 wherein said individual blazed diffraction gratings of said seventh single blazed binary diffractive optical element have opposite blazing with respect to said individual blazed diffraction gratings of said eighth single blazed binary diffractive optical element.

21. The beam separation control apparatus for separating a first light beam and a second light beam of claim 13 wherein said individual blazed diffraction gratings of said fifth single blazed binary diffractive optical element have inverse blazing with respect to said individual blazed diffraction gratings of said seventh single blazed binary diffractive optical element.

22. The beam separation control apparatus for separating a first light beam and a second light beam of claim 13 wherein said individual blazed diffraction gratings of said sixth single blazed binary diffractive optical element have inverse blazing with respect to said individual blazed diffraction gratings of said eighth single blazed binary diffractive optical element.

23. The beam separation control apparatus for separating a first light beam and a second light beam of claim 13 wherein said first single blazed binary diffractive optical element and said second single blazed binary diffractive optical element have the same substrate, said third single blazed binary diffractive optical element and said fourth single blazed binary diffractive optical element have the same substrate, said fifth single blazed binary diffractive optical element and said sixth single blazed binary diffractive optical element have the same substrate, and said seventh single blazed binary diffractive optical element and said eighth single blazed binary diffractive optical element have the same substrate.

24. A binary diffractive optical element beam splitter apparatus for splitting a first light beam comprising

a first single blazed binary diffractive optical element having a multilevel surface relief phase grating structure upon an optical substrate, said multilevel surface relief phase grating structure having individual blazed diffraction gratings for diffracting said first light beam into a first diffracted light beam,

a second single blazed binary diffractive optical element having a multilevel surface relief phase grating structure upon an optical substrate, said multilevel surface relief phase grating structure having individual blazed diffraction gratings for diffracting said first light beam into a second diffracted light beam, wherein said first single blazed binary diffractive optical element and said second single blazed binary diffractive optical element are adjacent and said individual blazed diffraction gratings of said first single blazed binary diffractive optical element have opposite blazing with respect to said individual blazed diffraction gratings of said second single blazed binary diffractive optical element,

a third single blazed binary diffractive optical element having a multilevel surface relief phase grating structure upon an optical substrate, said multilevel surface relief phase grating structure having individual blazed diffraction gratings for diffracting said first diffracted light beam from said first single blazed binary diffractive optical element into a first double diffracted light beam, and

a fourth single blazed binary diffractive optical element having a multilevel surface relief phase grating structure upon an optical substrate, said multilevel surface relief phase grating structure having individual blazed diffraction gratings for diffracting said second diffracted light beam from said second single blazed binary diffractive optical element into a second double diffracted light beam.

25. The binary diffractive optical element beam splitter apparatus for splitting a first light beam of claim 24 wherein said individual blazed diffraction gratings of said third single blazed binary diffractive optical element have inverse blazing with respect to said individual blazed diffraction gratings of said first single blazed binary diffractive optical element.

26. The binary diffractive optical element beam splitter apparatus for splitting a first light beam of claim 24 wherein said individual blazed diffraction gratings of said fourth single blazed binary diffractive optical element have inverse blazing with respect to said individual blazed diffraction gratings of said second single blazed binary diffractive optical element.

27. The binary diffractive optical element beam splitter apparatus for splitting a first light beam of claim 24 wherein wherein said first single blazed binary diffractive optical element and said second single blazed binary diffractive optical element have the same substrate.

28. The binary diffractive optical element beam splitter apparatus for splitting a first light beam of claim 24 wherein third single blazed binary diffractive optical element and said fourth single blazed binary diffractive optical element have the same substrate.

29. A binary diffractive optical element beam combiner apparatus for combining a first light beam and a second light beam comprising

a first single blazed binary diffractive optical element having a multilevel surface relief phase grating structure upon an optical substrate, said multilevel surface relief phase grating structure having individual blazed diffraction gratings for diffracting said first light beam into a first diffracted light beam,

a second single blazed binary diffractive optical element having a multilevel surface relief phase grating structure upon an optical substrate, said multilevel surface relief phase grating structure having individual blazed diffraction gratings for diffracting said second light beam into a second diffracted light beam,

a third single blazed binary diffractive optical element having a multilevel surface relief phase grating structure upon an optical substrate, said multilevel surface relief phase grating structure having individual blazed diffraction gratings for diffracting said first diffracted light beam from said first single blazed binary diffractive optical element into a first double diffracted light beam, and

a fourth single blazed binary diffractive optical element having a multilevel surface relief phase grating structure upon an optical substrate, said multilevel surface relief phase grating structure having individual blazed diffraction gratings for diffracting said second diffracted light beam from said second single blazed binary diffractive optical element into said first double diffracted light beam, wherein said third single blazed binary diffractive optical element and said fourth single blazed binary diffractive optical element are adjacent and said individual blazed diffraction gratings of said third single blazed binary diffractive optical element have opposite blazing with respect to said individual blazed diffraction gratings of said fourth single blazed binary diffractive optical element.

30. The binary diffractive optical element beam combiner apparatus for combining a first light beam and a second light beam of claim 29 wherein said individual blazed diffraction gratings of said third single blazed binary diffractive optical element have inverse blazing with respect to said individual blazed diffraction gratings of said first single blazed binary diffractive optical element.

31. The binary diffractive optical element beam combiner apparatus for combining a first light beam and a second light beam of claim 29 wherein said individual blazed diffraction gratings of said fourth single blazed binary diffractive optical element have inverse blazing with respect to said individual blazed diffraction gratings of said second single blazed binary diffractive optical element.

32. The binary diffractive optical element beam combiner apparatus for combining a first light beam and a second light beam of claim 29 wherein said first single blazed binary diffractive optical element and said second single blazed binary diffractive optical element have the same substrate.

33. The binary diffractive optical element beam combiner apparatus for combining a first light beam and a second light beam of claim 29 wherein third single blazed binary diffractive optical element and said fourth single blazed binary diffractive optical element have the same substrate.

34. A beam splitting and beam combining apparatus comprising

a first single blazed binary diffractive optical element having a multilevel surface relief phase grating structure upon an optical substrate, said multilevel surface relief phase grating structure having individual blazed diffraction gratings for diffracting a portion of an incident light beam into a first diffracted light beam,

a second single blazed binary diffractive optical element having a multilevel surface relief phase grating structure upon an optical substrate, said multilevel surface relief phase grating structure having individual blazed diffraction gratings for a portion of said incident light beam into a second diffracted light beam, wherein said first single blazed binary diffractive optical element and said second single blazed binary diffractive optical element are adjacent and said individual blazed diffraction gratings of said first single blazed binary diffractive optical element have opposite blazing with respect to said individual blazed diffraction gratings of said second single blazed binary diffractive optical element,

a third single blazed binary diffractive optical element having a multilevel surface relief phase grating structure upon an optical substrate, said multilevel surface relief phase grating structure having individual blazed diffraction gratings for diffracting said first diffracted light beam from said first single blazed binary diffractive optical element into a first double diffracted light beam,

a fourth single blazed binary diffractive optical element having a multilevel surface relief phase grating structure upon an optical substrate, said multilevel surface relief phase grating structure having individual blazed diffraction gratings for diffracting said second diffracted light beam from said second single blazed binary diffractive optical element into a second double diffracted light beam,

a fifth single blazed binary diffractive optical element having a multilevel surface relief phase grating structure upon an optical substrate, said multilevel surface relief phase grating structure having individual blazed diffraction gratings for diffracting said first double diffracted beam from said third single blazed binary diffractive optical element into a first thrice diffracted light beam,

a sixth single blazed binary diffractive optical element having a multilevel surface relief phase grating structure upon an optical substrate, said multilevel surface relief phase grating structure having individual blazed diffraction gratings for diffracting said second double diffracted light beam from said fourth single blazed binary diffractive optical element into a second thrice diffracted light beam.

a seventh single blazed binary diffractive optical element having a multilevel surface relief phase grating structure upon an optical substrate, said multilevel surface relief phase grating structure having individual blazed diffraction gratings for diffracting said first thrice diffracted light beam from said fifth single blazed binary diffractive optical element into a first quadruple diffracted light beam, and

a eighth single blazed binary diffractive optical element having a multilevel surface relief phase grating structure upon an optical substrate, said multilevel surface relief phase grating structure having individual blazed diffraction gratings for diffracting said second thrice diffracted light beam from said sixth single blazed binary diffractive optical element into said first quadruple diffracted light beam, wherein said seventh single blazed binary diffractive optical element and said eighth single blazed binary diffractive optical element are adjacent and said individual blazed diffraction gratings of said seventh single blazed binary diffractive optical element have opposite blazing with respect to said individual blazed diffraction gratings of said eighth single blazed binary diffractive optical element.

35. The beam splitting and beam combining apparatus of claim 34 further comprising

optical means for modulating said first double diffracted light beam.

36. The beam splitting and beam combining apparatus of claim 34 further comprising

optical means for modulating said second double diffracted light beam.

37. The beam splitting and beam combining apparatus of claim 34 further comprising

first optical means for modulating said first double diffracted light beam and second optical means for modulating said second double diffracted light beam.

38. The beam splitting and beam combining apparatus of claim 34 wherein said individual blazed diffraction gratings of said third single blazed binary diffractive optical element have inverse blazing with respect to said individual blazed diffraction gratings of said first single blazed binary diffractive optical element.

39. The beam splitting and beam combining apparatus of claim 34 wherein said individual blazed diffraction gratings of said fourth single blazed binary diffractive optical element have inverse blazing with respect to said individual blazed diffraction gratings of said second single blazed binary diffractive optical element.

40. The beam splitting and beam combining apparatus of claim 34 wherein said individual blazed diffraction gratings of said fifth single blazed binary diffractive optical element have inverse blazing with respect to said individual blazed diffraction gratings of said seventh single blazed binary diffractive optical element.

41. The beam splitting and beam combining apparatus of claim 34 wherein said individual blazed diffraction gratings of said sixth single blazed binary diffractive optical element have inverse blazing with respect to said individual blazed diffraction gratings of said eighth single blazed binary diffractive optical element.

42. The beam splitting and beam combining apparatus of claim 34 wherein said first single blazed binary diffractive optical element and said second single blazed binary diffractive optical element have the same substrate, said third single blazed binary diffractive optical element and said fourth single blazed binary diffractive optical element have the same substrate, said fifth single blazed binary diffractive optical element and said sixth single blazed binary diffractive optical element have the same substrate, and said seventh single blazed binary diffractive optical element and said eighth single blazed binary diffractive optical element have the same substrate.

43. A beam splitting and beam separation control apparatus comprising

a first single blazed binary diffractive optical element having a multilevel surface relief phase grating structure upon an optical substrate, said multilevel surface relief phase grating structure having individual blazed diffraction gratings for diffracting a portion of an incident light beam into a first diffracted light beam,

a second single blazed binary diffractive optical element having a multilevel surface relief phase grating structure upon an optical substrate, said multilevel surface relief phase grating structure having individual blazed diffraction gratings for a portion of said incident light beam into a second diffracted light beam, wherein said first single blazed binary diffractive optical element and said second single blazed binary diffractive optical element are adjacent and said individual blazed diffraction gratings of said first single blazed binary diffractive optical element have opposite blazing with respect to said individual blazed diffraction gratings of said second single blazed binary diffractive optical element,

a third single blazed binary diffractive optical element having a multilevel surface relief phase grating structure upon an optical substrate, said multilevel surface relief phase grating structure having individual blazed diffraction gratings for diffracting said first diffracted light beam from said first single blazed binary diffractive optical element into a first double diffracted light beam,

a fourth single blazed binary diffractive optical element having a multilevel surface relief phase grating structure upon an optical substrate, said multilevel surface relief phase grating structure having individual blazed diffraction gratings for diffracting said second diffracted light beam from said second single blazed binary diffractive optical element into a second double diffracted light beam,

a fifth single blazed binary diffractive optical element having a multilevel surface relief phase grating structure upon an optical substrate, said multilevel surface relief phase grating structure having individual blazed diffraction gratings for diffracting said first double diffracted beam from said third single blazed binary diffractive optical element into a first thrice diffracted light beam,

a sixth single blazed binary diffractive optical element having a multilevel surface relief phase grating structure upon an optical substrate, said multilevel surface relief phase grating structure having individual blazed diffraction gratings for diffracting said second double diffracted light beam from said fourth single blazed binary diffractive optical element into a second thrice diffracted light beam.

a seventh single blazed binary diffractive optical element having a multilevel surface relief phase grating structure upon an optical substrate, said multilevel surface relief phase grating structure having individual blazed diffraction gratings for diffracting said first thrice diffracted light beam from said fifth single blazed binary diffractive optical element into a first quadruple diffracted light beam, and

a eighth single blazed binary diffractive optical element having a multilevel surface relief phase grating structure upon an optical substrate, said multilevel surface relief phase grating structure having individual blazed diffraction gratings for diffracting said second thrice diffracted light beam from said sixth single blazed binary diffractive optical element into a second quadruple diffracted light beam, wherein said first quadruple diffracted light beam and said second quadruple diffracted light beam are a lesser distance apart than said said first double diffracted light beam and said second double diffracted light beam.

44. The beam splitting and beam separation control apparatus of claim 43 further comprising

optical means for modulating said first double diffracted light beam.

45. The beam splitting and beam separation control apparatus of claim 43 further comprising

optical means for modulating said second double diffracted light beam.

46. The beam splitting and beam separation control apparatus of claim 43 further comprising

first optical means for modulating said first double diffracted light beam and second optical means for modulating said second double diffracted light beam.

47. The beam splitting and beam separation control apparatus of claim 43 wherein said individual blazed diffraction gratings of said third single blazed binary diffractive optical element have inverse blazing with respect to said individual blazed diffraction gratings of said first single blazed binary diffractive optical element.

48. The beam splitting and beam separation control apparatus of claim 43 wherein said individual blazed diffraction gratings of said fourth single blazed binary diffractive optical element have inverse blazing with respect to said individual blazed diffraction gratings of said second single blazed binary diffractive optical element.

49. The beam splitting and beam separation control apparatus of claim 43 wherein said individual blazed diffraction gratings of said fifth single blazed binary diffractive optical element have inverse blazing with respect to said individual blazed diffraction gratings of said seventh single blazed binary diffractive optical element.

50. The beam splitting and beam separation control apparatus of claim 43 wherein said individual blazed diffraction gratings of said sixth single blazed binary diffractive optical element have inverse blazing with respect to said individual blazed diffraction gratings of said eighth single blazed binary diffractive optical element.

51. The beam splitting and beam separation control apparatus of claim 43 wherein said first single blazed binary diffractive optical element and said second single blazed binary diffractive optical element have the same substrate, said third single blazed binary diffractive optical element and said fourth single blazed binary diffractive optical element have the same substrate, said fifth single blazed binary diffractive optical element and said sixth single blazed binary diffractive optical element have the same substrate, and said seventh single blazed binary diffractive optical element and said eighth single blazed binary diffractive optical element have the same substrate.

52. A beam separation control and beam combining apparatus comprising

a first single blazed binary diffractive optical element having a multilevel surface relief phase grating structure upon an optical substrate, said multilevel surface relief phase grating structure having individual blazed diffraction gratings for diffracting a first light beam into a first diffracted light beam,

a second single blazed binary diffractive optical element having a multilevel surface relief phase grating structure upon an optical substrate, said multilevel surface relief phase grating structure having individual blazed diffraction gratings for diffracting a second light beam into a second diffracted light beam,

a third single blazed binary diffractive optical element having a multilevel surface relief phase grating structure upon an optical substrate, said multilevel surface relief phase grating structure having individual blazed diffraction gratings for diffracting said first diffracted light beam from said first single blazed binary diffractive optical element into a first double diffracted light beam,

a fourth single blazed binary diffractive optical element having a multilevel surface relief phase grating structure upon an optical substrate, said multilevel surface relief phase grating structure having individual blazed diffraction gratings for diffracting said second diffracted light beam from said second single blazed binary diffractive optical element into a second double diffracted light beam, wherein said first double diffracted light beam and said second double diffracted light beam are a greater distance apart than said first light beam and said second light beam,

a fifth single blazed binary diffractive optical element having a multilevel surface relief phase grating structure upon an optical substrate, said multilevel surface relief phase grating structure having individual blazed diffraction gratings for diffracting said first double diffracted beam from said third single blazed binary diffractive optical element into a first thrice diffracted light beam,

a sixth single blazed binary diffractive optical element having a multilevel surface relief phase grating structure upon an optical substrate, said multilevel surface relief phase grating structure having individual blazed diffraction gratings for diffracting said second double diffracted light beam from said fourth single blazed binary diffractive optical element into a second thrice diffracted light beam,

a seventh single blazed binary diffractive optical element having a multilevel surface relief phase grating structure upon an optical substrate, said multilevel surface relief phase grating structure having individual blazed diffraction gratings for diffracting said first thrice diffracted light beam from said fifth single blazed binary diffractive optical element into a first quadruple diffracted light beam, and

a eighth single blazed binary diffractive optical element having a multilevel surface relief phase grating structure upon an optical substrate, said multilevel surface relief phase grating structure having individual blazed diffraction gratings for diffracting said second thrice diffracted light beam from said sixth single blazed binary diffractive optical element into said first quadruple diffracted light beam, wherein said seventh single blazed binary diffractive optical element and said eighth single blazed binary diffractive optical element are adjacent and said individual blazed diffraction gratings of said seventh single blazed binary diffractive optical element have opposite blazing with respect to said individual blazed diffraction gratings of said eighth single blazed binary diffractive optical element.

53. The beam separation control and beam combining apparatus of claim 52 further comprising

optical means for modulating said first double diffracted light beam.

54. The beam separation control and beam combining apparatus of claim 52 further comprising

optical means for modulating said second double diffracted light beam.

55. The beam separation control and beam combining apparatus of claim 52 further comprising

first optical means for modulating said first double diffracted light beam and second optical means for modulating said second double diffracted light beam.

56. The beam separation control and beam combining apparatus of claim 52 wherein said individual blazed diffraction gratings of said third single blazed binary diffractive optical element have inverse blazing with respect to said individual blazed diffraction gratings of said first single blazed binary diffractive optical element.

57. The beam separation control and beam combining apparatus of claim 52 wherein said individual blazed diffraction gratings of said fourth single blazed binary diffractive optical element have inverse blazing with respect to said individual blazed diffraction gratings of said second single blazed binary diffractive optical element.

58. The beam separation control and beam combining apparatus of claim 52 wherein said individual blazed diffraction gratings of said fifth single blazed binary diffractive optical element have inverse blazing with respect to said individual blazed diffraction gratings of said seventh single blazed binary diffractive optical element.

59. The beam separation control and beam combining apparatus of claim 52 wherein said individual blazed diffraction gratings of said sixth single blazed binary diffractive optical element have inverse blazing with respect to said individual blazed diffraction gratings of said eighth single blazed binary diffractive optical element.

60. The beam separation control and beam combining apparatus of claim 52 wherein said first single blazed binary diffractive optical element and said second single blazed binary diffractive optical element have the same substrate, said third single blazed binary diffractive optical element and said fourth single blazed binary diffractive optical element have the same substrate, said fifth single blazed binary diffractive optical element and said sixth single blazed binary diffractive optical element have the same substrate, and said seventh single blazed binary diffractive optical element and said eighth single blazed binary diffractive optical element have the same substrate.