Simple and universal method in designs of high-efficiency diffractive optical elements for spectrum separation and beam concentration

Diffractive optical elements（DOEs） with spectrum separation and beam concentration（SSBC） functions have important applications in solar cell systems. With the SSBC DOEs, the sunlight radiation is divided into several wave bands so as to be effectively absorbed by photovoltaic materials with different band gaps. A new method is proposed for designing high-efficiency SSBC DOEs, which is physically simple, numerically fast, and universally applicable. The SSBC DOEs are designed by the new design method, and their performances are analyzed by the Fresnel diffraction integral method.The new design method takes two advantages over the previous design method. Firstly, the optical focusing efficiency is heightened by up to 10%. Secondly, focal positions of all the designed wavelengths can be designated arbitrarily and independently. It is believed that the designed SSBC DOEs should have practical applications to solar cell systems.

Design of Diffractive Optical Elements Used for Beam Shaping in the Fresnel Domain

In the Fresnel transform domain, an effective improvement to the conventional iterative algorithm for designing the diffractive optical elements (DOEs) used for spatial beam shaping has been proposed. The algorithm can successfully achieve to design DOEs for beam shaping. Compared with conventional algorithm, this algorithm can provide faster convergence, more powerful ability to overcome local minimum problem and better shaping quality. By computer simulation, the result has shown that the DOEs designed by this algorithm has snch advantages as high uniformity at the main lobe, low profile error and steep edge.

Subwavelength Diffractive Optical Elements

1 Introduction 1.1 Advantages of DOE 1)High diffraction efficiency; 2)Dispersive; 3)More selectivity of designing parameters; 4)More selectivity of primary materials; 5)Can make components miniature,forming array and integration. 1.2 1.3 megapixel triplet plastic mobile

A single diffractive optical element implementing spectrum-splitting and beam-concentration functions simultaneously with high diffraction efficiency

In this paper,a novel method is proposed and employed to design a single diffractive optical element（DOE） for implementing spectrum-splitting and beam-concentration（SSBC） functions simultaneously.We develop an optimization algorithm,through which the SSBC DOE can be optimized within an arbitrary thickness range according to the limitations of modern photolithography technology.Theoretical simulation results reveal that the designed SSBC DOE has a high optical focusing efficiency.It is expected that the designed SSBC DOE should have practical applications in high-efficiency solar cell systems.

Realizing high photovoltaic efficiency with parallel multijunction solar cells based on spectrum-splitting and-concentrating diffractive optical element

Based on the facts that multijunction solar cells can increase the efficiency and concentration can reduce the cost dramatically, a special design of parallel multijunction solar cells was presented. The design employed a diffractive optical element （DOE） to split and concentrate the sunlight. A rainbow region and a zero-order diffraction region were generated on the output plane where solar cells with corresponding band gaps were placed. An analytical expression of the light intensity distribution on the output plane of the special DOE was deduced, and the limiting photovoltaic efficiency of such parallel multijunction solar ceils was obtained based on Shockley-Queisser＇s theory. An efficiency exceeding the Shockley--Queisser limit （33%） can be expected using multijunction solar cells consisting of separately fabricated subcells. The results provide an important alternative approach to realize high photovoltaic efficiency without the need for expensive epitaxial technology widely used in tandem solar cells, thus stimulating the research and application of high efficiency and low cost solar cells.

Spectrum-Splitting Diffractive Optical Element of High Concentration Factor and High Optical Efficiency for Three-Junction Photovoltaics

A spectrum-splitting and beam-concentrating （SSBC） diffractive optical element （DOE） for three-junction pho- tovoltaics （PV） system is designed and fabricated by five-circ/e micro-fabrication. The incident solar light is efficiently split into three sub-spectrum ranges and strongly concentrated on the focal plane, which can be di- rectly utilized by suitable spectrum-matching solar cells. The system concentration factor reaches 12x. Moreover, the designed wavelengths （450nm, 550nm and 65Onto） are spatially distributed on the focal plane, in good agree- ment with the theoretical results. The average optical effic/ency of all the cells over the three designed wavelengths is 60.07%. The SSBC DOE with a high concentration factor and a high optical efficiency provides a cost-effective approach to achieve higher PV conversion efficieneies.

Design optimization of highly efficient spectrum-splitting and beam-concentrating diffractive optical element for lateral multijunction solar cells

Two improved algorithms are proposed to extend a diffractive optical element （DOE） to work under the broad spec- trum of sunlight. An optimum design has been found for the DOE, with a weighted average optical efficiency of about 6.8% better than that of the previous design. The optimization of designing high optical efficiency DOEs will pave the way for future designs of high-efficiency, low-cost lateral multijunction solar cells based on such a DOE.

A multi-photon(7×7)-focus 3D laser printer based on a 3D-printed diffractive optical element and a 3D-printed multi-lens array

One of the challenges in the field of multi-photon 3D laser printing lies in further increasing the print speed in terms of voxels/s.Here,we present a setup based on a 7×7 focus array(rather than 3×3 in our previous work)and using a focus velocity of about 1 m/s(rather than 0.5 m/s in our previous work)at the diffraction limit(40×/NA1.4 microscope objective lens).Combined,this advance leads to a ten times increased print speed of about 108 voxels/s.We demonstrate polymer printing of a chiral metamaterial containing more than 1.7×10^(12) voxels as well as millions of printed microparticles for potential pharmaceutical applications.The critical high-quality micro-optical components of the setup,namely a diffractive optical element generating the 7×7 beamlets and a 7×7 lens array,are manufactured by using a commercial two-photon grayscale 3D laser printer.

Diffractive optical elements 75 years on:from micro-optics to metasurfaces

Diffractive optical elements(DOEs)are intricately designed devices with the purpose of manipulating light fields by precisely modifying their wavefronts.The concept of DOEs has its origins dating back to 1948 when D.Gabor first introduced holography.Subsequently,researchers introduced binary optical elements(BOEs),including computer-generated holograms(CGHs),as a distinct category within the realm of DOEs.This was the first revolution in optical devices.The next major breakthrough in light field manipulation occurred during the early 21st century,marked by the advent of metamaterials and metasurfaces.Metasurfaces are particularly appealing due to their ultra-thin,ultra-compact properties and their capacity to exert precise control over virtually every aspect of light fields,including amplitude,phase,polarization,wavelength/frequency,angular momentum,etc.The advancement of light field manipulation with micro/nano-structures has also enabled various applications in fields such as information acquisition,transmission,storage,processing,and display.In this review,we cover the fundamental science,cutting-edge technologies,and wide-ranging applications associated with micro/nano-scale optical devices for regulating light fields.We also delve into the prevailing challenges in the pursuit of developing viable technology for real-world applications.Furthermore,we offer insights into potential future research trends and directions within the realm of light field manipulation.

Design of refractive/diffractive hybrid optical elements for beam shaping with large diffraction pattern

Diffractive optics is an important technique for beam shaping with high light efficiency and strong diffraction pattern flexibility. Since the diffraction angle is limited by the unit size of the diffractive optical element （DOE）, the size of the required diffraction pattern is always rather small. In this Letter, refractive/diffractive hybrid optical elements （RDHOEs） consisting of a DOE and a lens are used to realize beam shaping for a large diffraction pattern. The lens, as the component of the RDHOEs, can not only be concave but also convex, and the double sampling Fresnel diffraction algorithm is developed for the design of these two types of RDHOEs. The simulation and experimental results provide solid evidence to demonstrate the proposed method with the pure phase spatial light modulator.

Diffractive Optical Elements for Dynamic Optical Coupling

Diffractive optical elements such as the complementary Dammann gratings are incorporated for dynamic optical fiber splitting and combining. Experimental results of 1×8 dynamic optical couplings are presented.

3D Diffractive Focusing THz of In-Plane Surface Plasmon Polarition Waves

Demonstrated that analog of diffractive and refractive 3D optics in free space can be developed to manipulate surface waves such as surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs). It has been shown that an air-gap control of a floating dielectric block can generate the dynamic phase and amplitude modulation of the SPP transmission coefficient. Unlike conventional bulk optics, the nano-scale surface optics for SPP processing contains several unexpected and interesting features in addition to the physical features described. Dynamic plasmonic information processing on the nano-scale using air-gap control may be an effective mechanism for building a dynamic plasmonic information processing system.

Correction of dispersion distortion of femtosecond pulses by using the non-planar surface of diffractive optical elements

Peculiarities of propagation of femtosecond pulses through a focusing diffractive optical element (DOE) are considered. It is shown that the time delay between the pulse and phase wavefronts can be decreased by fabricating the DOE on the optimal curvilinear surface.

基于衍射透镜接收的激光雷达特性分析及测试

在激光雷达系统设计中,光学系统的优化与设计是一个重要的研究方向,本文利用衍射光学元件(DOE)的设计自由度高和色散大等优势,将DOE用于激光雷达接收端,同时实现聚焦和滤光作用,降低了光学系统复杂度。本文基于DOE的原理,仿真分析了DOE的光学特性,并且以DOE作为激光雷达的光学接收端,完成了激光雷达测距实验,证明了DOE同时具有聚焦作用和窄带滤光作用,实验结果与仿真基本一致。本文利用DOE在激光雷达中的优势,实现激光雷达的轻量化、集成化和高效化。

Full Complex Amplitude Digital Holograms： Design, Fabrication and Optical Characterization

Diffractive optical elements have a large number of industrial applications, such as beam shaping and optical filtering. Traditionally, these elements modulate the phase of the incoming light or its amplitude, but not both. To overcome this limitation, full complex-amplitude modulation diffractive optical elements were developed. Well-established integrated circuit fabrication steps were employed to fabricate the devices with high precision. Using this approach, the new element's optical performances are improved also for near field operations. With this device it is possible to obtain 100% efficient spatial filtering and low noise reconstructed images.

广角衍射光学元件的优化设计

为进一步研究入射角度的增大对衍射光学元件(diffractive optical element,DOE)衍射效率及微结构高度等参数的影响,分析了入射角度和周期宽度对带宽积分平均衍射效率的影响。基于扩展标量衍射理论,建立了DOE的微结构高度与入射角度和周期宽度的数学模型,提出了工作在一定入射角度范围内,基于复合带宽积分平均衍射效率(comprehensive polychromatic integral diffraction efficiency,CPIDE)最大化实现设计波长和微结构高度等结构参数的优化设计方法。以工作在红外波段的DOE为例进行分析。结果表明:当相对周期宽度为20,入射角度范围为0°~40°时,该DOE的CPIDE为94.15%,微结构高度为1.3396mm。该设计方法可以实现广角DOE的优化设计。

Laser beam characteristic for laser resonators with diffraction optical elements

The matrix eigenvalue method is used to analyze a laser resonator composed of diffraction optical elements. The results show that this type of resonator can separate fundamental mode and high order modes effectively. The output beams can be designed for different requests.

End-to-end optimization of a diffractive optical element and aberration correction for integral imaging

In the integral imaging light field display, the introduction of a diffractive optical element (DOE) can solve the problem of limited depth of field of the traditional lens. However, the strong aberration of the DOE significantly reduces the final display quality. Thus, herein, an end-to-end joint optimization method for optimizing DOE and aberration correction is proposed. The DOE model is established using thickness as the variable, and a deep learning network is built to preprocess the composite image loaded on the display panel. The simulation results show that the peak signal to noise ratio value of the optimized image increases by 8 dB, which confirms that the end-to-end joint optimization method can effectively reduce the aberration problem.

基于扩展标量衍射理论的多层衍射元件基底材料选择方法

基于扩展标量衍射理论(Extended Scalar Diffraction Theory,ESDT),建立了衍射光学元件(Diffractive Optical Element,DOE)的有效微结构高度、有效周期宽度、入射角度、基底材料与衍射效率之间的理论关系模型。提出了斜入射时,利用基于ESDT的DOE基底材料选择方法。以工作在MWIR-LWIR双波段的多层衍射光学元件(Multilayer Diffractive Optical Element,MLDOE)为例进行分析。结果表明:积分衍射效率(Polychromatic Integral Diffraction Efficiency,PIDE)不仅与MLDOE的微结构高度相关,同时受周期宽度、入射角及基底材料等因素的影响。对于基底材料组合AMTIR1-ZNS,在所有周期宽度下均能获得最小的衍射效率差值,而对于基底材料组合GE-ZNS,在所有周期宽度下均能获得最大的衍射效率差值。对比分析MWIR-LWIR双波段下ZNSE-ZNS和AMTIR1-ZNS两组基底材料组合PIDE>90%的角度范围,当周期宽度为500μm时,ZNSE-ZNS的入射角度范围为4.5°,而AMTIR1-ZNS的入射角度范围为5.4°,然而,随着周期宽度的增加,ZNSEZNS的入射角度范围反超了AMTIR1-ZNS。该设计方法和结论可以用于指导双波段红外光学系统中MLDOE的设计。

宽温度范围内折衍混合中波红外消热差光学系统设计

在军事领域应用的红外光学系统,有时需在近200℃的宽温度范围内工作。这一温度范围内,红外光学材料可选的种类进一步减少,系统的热离焦现象也会更为严重,进而导致光学系统难以完成良好的无热化设计。为应对这一挑战,该研究将具有独特消热差和消色差特性的衍射元件加入光学系统设计中,并提出了一种针对二次成像系统的材料选择方法。此方法以理想光学系统为基础,利用等效透镜理论将光学系统中的物镜组和中继镜组均等效成由两个单透镜组成的镜组,进而利用T-C图完成对这两个镜组的材料优选。经过深入的分析与评价,最终确定物镜组采用IRG24和ZnS材料组合为最优方案,而中继镜组的最佳材料组合为IRG22和IRG24。依据此种材料组合和理想光学系统的光焦度分配,该研究设计完成了一套中波红外光学系统。该系统的工作波长为3.7~4.8μm,视场角为10°×8°,F数为2,焦距为55 mm,系统总长约为115 mm,冷阑效率达到100%。在20~220℃范围内,全视场的调制传递函数(MTF)均接近衍射极限,维持了良好的成像性能。