IMPROVING THE AVAILABILITY OF DIFFRACTIVE OPTICS

Diffractive elements for the subdivision, redirection or shaping of laser beams are an increasingly important component requirement for emerging laser-based technologies of optical computing, optical interconnects, and holographic data storage systems. To date, however, the software and fabrication methods to design and create them have been available only to a few researchers. A particular requirement exists for laser array generators to address SEED devices. Phase I research will demonstrate that a high performance 6 x 6 Dammann grating can be successfully fabricated with equipment, such as scanning electron microscopes, whose total capital cost does not exceed $250K. Phase II research will proceed to generate a 64 x 64 beamlet array on an infrared transparent substrate, and plan and develop the software and hardware base for a convenient, moderate cost commercial service to offer binary optic elements of all kinds to U.S. researchers. Such a service will support American competitiveness in optical computing, optical data storage, diffractive optics, and other emerging technologies.