Scalable Nanofabrication Technology for Free-form Reflective Diffraction Gratings

This research addresses the need for compact, high-performance optics in future NASA science missions, particularly for spaceborne instruments like CubeSats, SmallSats, and NanoSats. Freeform optics, offering non-rotationally symmetric surfaces, enable efficient packaging while maintaining high image quality, making them ideal for missions requiring wider fields of view and low f-numbers. However, freeform optics are still in early development stages, with existing design and fabrication methods being costly and challenging. This project develops a scalable nanofabrication solution for high-performance freeform reflective diffraction gratings using advanced semiconductor manufacturing techniques. The proposed solution integrates e-beam lithography, Confovis nanoscale surface mapping for precise alignment and position, conformal coatings, and scalable nanoimprint replication. These innovations provide viable high-performance free-form grating manufacturing, meeting NASA's stringent optical requirements. The approach also ensures durability under space conditions, including thermal cycling, contamination, and atomic oxygen erosion. By advancing grating design, simulation, fabrication, and scalable production, this research aims to deliver cost-effective, robust optical components for space missions, supporting NASA’s needs in spectroscopy, imaging, and other high-precision applications. The outcome will enhance the performance, manufacturability, and reliability of next-generation space optics.