Digital Diffractive Optics: An Introduction to Planar Diffractive Optics and Related Technology

Diffractive optical elements (DOEs) are becoming more and more widely used in a braod range of fields, including telecommunications, optical computing, consumer electronics, laser material processing and the biomedical sciences, to manipulate light through micro-optical systems. In order to get the most out of such DOEs, knowledge of the design process, fabrication, packaging in a particular system, and operation is required. Digital Diffractive Optics discusses in detail the design and simulation of DOEs, before considering the main fabrication techniques. The increasingly important CAD/CAM tool requirements for the production of DOEs are covered, and a chapter is devoted to the crucial area of systematic fabrication error compensation. Finally, the integration and use of DOEs in a number of different systems, including various opto-electronic and opto-mechanical systems, are discussed. Digital Diffractive Optics will be of great interest to all those involved in the fields of optical engineering and photonics. It presents a clear view of the whole process, from design to fabrication and application, without overstressing the, often complex, mathematics, and will thus be accessible to postgraduate students and those entering the field, as well as more experienced engineers and scientists.