Diffractive optical element

• US 6,965,476 B2
• Filed: 06/04/2001
• Issued: 11/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Sato, Hideki
• Primary Examiner(s): CHANG, AUDREY Y
• Application Number:
  US09/871,630
• Publication Number:
  US 20020030889A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,625 Days
• Field of Search: 359/565, 359/566, 359/569, 359/571, 359/576, 216/24, 264/2.5
• US Class Current: 359/569
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/4205 having a diffractive optical element [DOE] contributing to image formation, e.g. whereby modulation transfer function MTF or optical aberrations are relevant
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/1823 in an overlapping or superposed manner
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/1852 using mechanical means, e.g. ruling with diamond tool, moulding
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/1871 Transmissive phase gratings
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/1876 Diffractive Fresnel lenses; Zone plates; Kinoforms G02B5/1842, G02B5/1847 take precedence; optical systems having diffractive correction means G02B27/0037; Fresnel lenses operating by refraction G02B3/08

Abstract

A diffractive optical element includes a first diffractive optical part having a phase type diffractive grating, and a second diffractive optical part having a phase type diffractive grating formed of a material differing from that of the first diffractive optical part. The first diffractive optical part and the second diffractive optical part are disposed in proximity to each other with an air layer. Each of the first diffractive optical part and the second diffractive optical part has a mark for aligning them with the optical effective areas thereof.

Claims

1. A diffractive optical element comprising:

a first diffractive optical part having a phase-type diffractive grating; and

a second diffractive optical part having a phase-type diffractive grating formed of a material differing from that of said first diffractive optical part;

said first diffractive optical part and said second diffractive optical part being disposed in proximity to each other with a space therebetween;

each of said first diffractive optical part and said second diffractive optical part having a mark for aligning them, said mark being in the area where the diffractive grating is provided;

the depth or height of said mark is 10% or less of the depth or height of the diffractive grating of each of said first diffractive optical part and said second diffractive optical part.

2. The diffractive optical element of claim 1, wherein the diffractive grating of each of said first diffractive optical part and said second diffractive optical part is a diffractive grating formed into a concentric circular shape, and said mark has a size of 0.1% or less of a projection area of a first diffractive grating area as counted from the center.

3. The diffractive optical element of claim 2, wherein the influence of said mark upon the optical performance of said diffractive optical element is smaller than the reduction of optical performance caused by manufacturing imperfections.

4. An optical system provided with the diffractive optical element of claim 1.

5. A method of manufacturing a diffractive optical element comprising:

the step of molding a first diffractive optical part having a phase-type diffractive grating;

the step of molding a second diffractive optical part having a phase-type diffractive grating of a material differing from that of the first diffractive optical part;

the step of aligning the first diffractive optical part and the second diffractive optical part with each other while observing a mark present in the area where the diffractive grating is provided on each of the first diffractive optical part and the second diffractive optical part; and

the step of fixing the first diffractive optical part and the second diffractive optical part with a space therebetween,

wherein the depth or height of the mark is 10% or less of the depth or height of the diffractive grating of each of the first diffractive optical part and the second diffractive optical part.

6. A metal mold for manufacturing a diffractive optical element comprising:

a first area for molding a phase-type diffractive grating; and

a second area for molding a mark for aligning said diffractive grating with another member, said second area being provided in the area for forming the diffractive grating molded by said first area,

wherein the depth or height of the second area for molding the mark is 10% or less of the depth or height of the first area for molding the diffractive grating.