Improved Volume Hologram Optical Elements

As the demand for smaller, lighter, and more cost effective optical subsystems increases, many optical system designers see a growing application for advanced holographic lens technology. Having a lens whose thickness does not increase with increasing diameter or focal length is extremely beneficial for reducing size and weight in surveillance, UAV and satellite imaging applications. TIPD’s Phase II SBIR program will demonstrate innovative monochromatic solutions that will significantly improve the performance and manufacturability of Volume Hologram Optical Elements (VHOE). TIPD’s novel VHOEs offer higher and more uniform diffraction efficiency and dramatically reduced chromatic and astigmatic aberrations compared to existing commercial solutions. The objective of the Phase II program is to design and fabricate a VHOE collimator capable of working with a 12-inch telescope with an NA = 1.6. The telescope will operate at 473nm with a 60mrad field-of-view (FOV). TIPD’s Phase II program will improve the uniformity of diffraction efficiency across the holographic element while maintaining the stability of the diffraction angle, center wavelength and bandwidth. In addition, TIPD will demonstrate techniques that can be scaled to high volumes in well-controlled manufacturing processes using commercially available films.