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At least 109 records · Page 6
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1974

Change of blaze wavelength as a function of position on the surface of a concave grating

Conventional ruling of a concave diffraction grating with blaze angle constant relative to the optical axis produces a grating whose blaze wavelength changes continuously with displacement across the face of the ruled area. A simple explanation of the effect is given in terms of geometrical optics, and quantitative expressions are developed that relate the expected blaze-wavelength shift to the grating constant and aperture ratio. Results are compared with experimental efficiency measurements, and the magnitude of the effect in a typical grating is discussed.

Michels, D. J.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Spatial Phase Coding for Incoherent Optical Processors

In this paper we introduce spatial phase coding of incoherent optical signals for representing signed numbers in optical processors and present an experimental demonstration of this coding technique. If a diffraction grating, such as an acousto-optic cell, modulates a stream of light, the image of the grating can be recovered from the diffracted beam. The position of the grating image, or more precisely its phase, can be used to denote the sign of the number represented by the diffracted light. The intensity of the light represents the magnitude of the number. This technique is more economical than current methods in terms of the number of information channels required to represent a number and the amount of post processing required.

Tigin, D. V.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Extreme ultraviolet performance of a multilayer coated high density toroidal grating

The performance of a multilayer coated diffraction grating has been evaluated at EUV wavelengths both in terms of absolute efficiency and spectral resolution. The application of ten-layer Ir/Si multilayer coating to a 3600-lines/mm blazed toroidal replica grating produced a factor of 9 enhancement in peak efficiency near the design wavelength of about 30 nm in first order, without degrading its excellent quasistigmatic spectral resolution. The measured EUV efficiency peaked at 3.3 percent and was improved over the full spectral range between 25 and 35 nm compared with the premultilayer replica which had a standard gold coating. In addition, the grating's spectral resolution of greater than 5000 was maintained.

Thomas, Roger J.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Stratified Volume Diffractive Optical Elements as Low-Mass Coherent Lidar Scanners

Transmissive scanning elements for coherent laser radar systems are typically optical wedges, or prisms, which deflect the lidar beam at a specified angle and are then rotated about the instrument optical axis to produce a scan pattern. The wedge is placed in the lidar optical system subsequent to a beam-expanding telescope, implying that it has the largest diameter of any element in the system. The combination of the wedge diameter and asymmetric profile result in the element having very large mass and, consequently, relatively large power consumption required for scanning. These two parameters, mass and power consumption, are among the instrument requirements which need to be minimized when designing a lidar for a space-borne platform. Reducing the scanner contributions in these areas will have a significant effect on the overall instrument specifications, Replacing the optical wedge with a diffraction grating on the surface of a thin substrate is a straight forward approach with potential to reduce the mass of the scanning element significantly. For example, the optical wedge that will be used for the SPAce Readiness Coherent Lidar Experiment (SPARCLE) is approximately 25 cm in diameter and is made from silicon with a wedge angle designed for 30 degree deflection of a beam operating at approx. 2 micrometer wavelength. The mass of this element could be reduced by a factor of four by instead using a fused silica substrate, 1 cm thick, with a grating fabricated on one of the surfaces. For a grating to deflect a beam with a 2 micrometer wavelength by 30 degrees, a period of approximately 4 micrometers is required. This is small enough that fabrication of appropriate high efficiency blazed or multi-phase level diffractive optical gratings is prohibitively difficult. Moreover, bulk or stratified volume holographic approaches appear impractical due to materials limitations at 2 micrometers and the need to maintain adequate wavefront quality. In order to avoid the difficulties encountered in these approaches, we have developed a new type of high-efficiency grating which we call a Stratified Volume Diffractive Optical Element (SVDOE). The features of the gratings in this approach can be easily fabricated using standard photolithography and etching techniques and the materials used in the grating can be chosen specifically for a given application, In this paper we will briefly discuss the SVDOE technique and will present an example design of a lidar scanner using this approach. We will also discuss performance predictions for the example design.

Chambers, Diana M.↗
NASA NTRS2009

Gratings Fabricated on Flat Surfaces and Reproduced on Non-Flat Substrates

A method has been developed for fabricating gratings on flat substrates, and then reproducing the groove pattern on a curved (concave or convex) substrate and a corresponding grating device. First, surface relief diffraction grating grooves are formed on flat substrates. For example, they may be fabricated using photolithography and reactive ion etching, maskless lithography, holography, or mechanical ruling. Then, an imprint of the grating is made on a deformable substrate, such as plastic, polymer, or other materials using thermoforming, hot or cold embossing, or other methods. Interim stamps using electroforming, or other methods, may be produced for the imprinting process or if the same polarity of the grating image is required. The imprinted, deformable substrate is then attached to a curved, rigid substrate using epoxy or other suitable adhesives. The imprinted surface is facing away from the curved rigid substrate. As an alternative fabrication method, after grating is imprinted on the deformable substrate as described above, the grating may be coated with thin conformal conductive layer (for example, using vacuum deposition of gold). Then the membrane may be mounted over an opening in a pressured vessel in a manner of a membrane on a drum, grating side out. The pressure inside of the vessel may be changed with respect to the ambient pressure to produce concave or convex membrane surface. The shape of the opening may control the type of the surface curvature (for example, a circular opening would create spherical surface, oval opening would create toroidal surface, etc.). After that, well-known electroforming methods may be used to create a replica of the grating on the concave or convex membrane. For example, the pressure vessel assembly may be submerged into an electro-forming solution and negative electric potential applied to the metal coated membrane using an insulated wire. Positive electric potential may be then applied to a nickel or other metal plate submerged into the same solution. Metal ions would transfer from the plate through the solution into the membrane, producing high fidelity metal replica of the grating on the membrane. In one variation, an adhesive may be deposited on the deformable substrate, and then cured without touching the rigid, curved substrate. Edges of the deformable substrate may be attached to the rigid substrate to ensure uniform deformation of the deformable substrate. The assembly may be performed in vacuum, and then taken out to atmospheric pressure conditions to ensure that no air is trapped between the deformable and rigid substrates. Alternatively, a rigid surface with complementary curvature to the rigid substrate may be used to ensure uniform adhesion of the deformable substrate to the rigid substrate. Liquid may be applied to the surface of the deformable substrate to uniformly distribute pressure across its surface during the curing or hardening of the adhesive, or the film may be pressed into the surface using a deformable object or surface. After the attachment is complete, the grooves may be coated with reflective or dielectric layers to improve diffraction efficiency.

Content, David↗
NASA NTRS2009

Fabricating Radial Groove Gratings Using Projection Photolithography

Projection photolithography has been used as a fabrication method for radial grove gratings. Use of photolithographic method for diffraction grating fabrication represents the most significant breakthrough in grating technology in the last 60 years, since the introduction of holographic written gratings. Unlike traditional methods utilized for grating fabrication, this method has the advantage of producing complex diffractive groove contours that can be designed at pixel-by-pixel level, with pixel size currently at the level of 45 45 nm. Typical placement accuracy of the grating pixels is 10 nm over 30 nm. It is far superior to holographic, mechanically ruled or direct e-beam written gratings and results in high spatial coherence and low spectral cross-talk. Due to the smooth surface produced by reactive ion etch, such gratings have a low level of randomly scattered light. Also, due to high fidelity and good surface roughness, this method is ideally suited for fabrication of radial groove gratings. The projection mask is created using a laser writer. A single crystal silicon wafer is coated with photoresist, and then the projection mask, with its layer of photoresist, is exposed for patterning in a stepper or scanner. To develop the photoresist, the fabricator either removes the exposed areas (positive resist) of the unexposed areas (negative resist). Next, the patterned and developed photoresist silicon substrate is subjected to reactive ion etching. After this step, the substrate is cleaned. The projection mask is fabricated according to electronic design files that may be generated in GDS file format using any suitable CAD (computer-aided design) or other software program. Radial groove gratings in off-axis grazing angle of incidence mount are of special interest for x-ray spectroscopy, as they allow achieving higher spectral resolution for the same grating area and have lower alignment tolerances than traditional in-plane grating scheme. This is especially critical for NASA Constellation- X project that will utilize hundreds of gratings all of which need to be precisely aligned for x-ray observation of space.

Iazikov, Dmitri↗
NASA NTRS2011

A Compact, Fast, Wide-Field Imaging Spectrometer System

We present test results from a compact, fast (F/1.4) imaging spectrometer system with a 33 degree field of view, operating in the 450-1650 nm wavelength region with an extended response InGaAs detector array. The system incorporates a simple two-mirror telescope and a steeply concave bilinear groove diffraction grating made with gray scale x-ray lithography techniques. High degree of spectral and spatial uniformity (97%) is achieved.

diffraction grating↗
NASA NTRS1978

On the use of classical and conical diffraction mountings for XUV gratings

A description is given of the properties of plane diffraction gratings used in conical diffraction. Formulas are given for computing the direction of the diffracted orders. Experiments were performed to investigate the behavior of gratings used on conical diffraction mountings. Comparisons made with classical diffraction mountings show a significant increase in the efficiency of the -1 order. An empirical formula to predict the efficiencies of gratings used in conical diffraction mountings has been verified by the measurements.

Neviere, M.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Concave holographic grating for spectrographic applications: Study of the aberrations

An analysis of reflecting diffraction gratings by the application of holographic techniques is presented. The subjects discussed are: (1) holographic grating properties, (2) calculation of aberrant optical path, (3) analytical expression of stigmatic points, (4) spherical aberration and limitation of grating width, and (5) determination of construction parameters.

Pieuchard, G.↗
NASA NTRS2009

Spatial Modulation Improves Performance in CTIS

Suitably formulated spatial modulation of a scene imaged by a computed-tomography imaging spectrometer (CTIS) has been found to be useful as a means of improving the imaging performance of the CTIS. As used here, "spatial modulation" signifies the imposition of additional, artificial structure on a scene from within the CTIS optics. The basic principles of a CTIS were described in "Improvements in Computed- Tomography Imaging Spectrometry" (NPO-20561) NASA Tech Briefs, Vol. 24, No. 12 (December 2000), page 38 and "All-Reflective Computed-Tomography Imaging Spectrometers" (NPO-20836), NASA Tech Briefs, Vol. 26, No. 11 (November 2002), page 7a. To recapitulate: A CTIS offers capabilities for imaging a scene with spatial, spectral, and temporal resolution. The spectral disperser in a CTIS is a two-dimensional diffraction grating. It is positioned between two relay lenses (or on one of two relay mirrors) in a video imaging system. If the disperser were removed, the system would produce ordinary images of the scene in its field of view. In the presence of the grating, the image on the focal plane of the system contains both spectral and spatial information because the multiple diffraction orders of the grating give rise to multiple, spectrally dispersed images of the scene. By use of algorithms adapted from computed tomography, the image on the focal plane can be processed into an image cube a three-dimensional collection of data on the image intensity as a function of the two spatial dimensions (x and y) in the scene and of wavelength (lambda). Thus, both spectrally and spatially resolved information on the scene at a given instant of time can be obtained, without scanning, from a single snapshot; this is what makes the CTIS such a potentially powerful tool for spatially, spectrally, and temporally resolved imaging. A CTIS performs poorly in imaging some types of scenes in particular, scenes that contain little spatial or spectral variation. The computed spectra of such scenes tend to approximate correct values to within acceptably small errors near the edges of the field of view but to be poor approximations away from the edges. The additional structure imposed on a scene according to the present method enables the CTIS algorithms to reconstruct acceptable approximations of the spectral data throughout the scene.

Bearman, Gregory H.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Replica grating study

Methods are outlined which were used to test the response of replica diffraction gratings to a space environment, specifically the response of the replica gratings to thermal-vacuum and electron irradiation stress. It is concluded that there probably is some degradation to thermal stress, but that there is probably no significant degradation due to a vacuum environment. It is further concluded that the degradation of performance of replica gratings because of electron irradiation is due to the interaction of the electrons and the replica grating substrate and not to the replication material itself. Replica and original gratings on the same substrate material should thus respond to particle irradiation in the same manner. A study is presented on the variation of refraction index of a space-related material, Nd:CaF2, with wavelength, percent neodymium doping, and temperature.

Gunter, R. C., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS2006

Efficiency of a Grazing-incidence Off-plane Grating in the Soft-x-ray Region

Efficiency measurements of a grazing-incidence diffraction grating in the off-plane mount were performed using polarized synchrotron radiation. The grating had 5000 grooves/mm, an effective blaze angle of 14 deg., and was gold coated. The efficiencies in the two polarization orientations (TM and TE) were measured in the 1.5-5.O nm wavelength range and were compared with the efficiencies calculated using the PCGrate-SX code. The TM and TE efficiencies differ, offering the possibility of performing unique science studies of astrophysical, solar, and laboratory sources by exploiting the polarization sensitivity of the off-plane grating.

Seely, J. F.↗
NASA NTRS2006

Wavelength-Agile External-Cavity Diode Laser for DWDM

A prototype external-cavity diode laser (ECDL) has been developed for communication systems utilizing dense wavelength- division multiplexing (DWDM). This ECDL is an updated version of the ECDL reported in Wavelength-Agile External- Cavity Diode Laser (LEW-17090), NASA Tech Briefs, Vol. 25, No. 11 (November 2001), page 14a. To recapitulate: The wavelength-agile ECDL combines the stability of an external-cavity laser with the wavelength agility of a diode laser. Wavelength is modulated by modulating the injection current of the diode-laser gain element. The external cavity is a Littman-Metcalf resonator, in which the zeroth-order output from a diffraction grating is used as the laser output and the first-order-diffracted light is retro-reflected by a cavity feedback mirror, which establishes one end of the resonator. The other end of the resonator is the output surface of a Fabry-Perot resonator that constitutes the diode-laser gain element. Wavelength is selected by choosing the angle of the diffracted return beam, as determined by position of the feedback mirror. The present wavelength-agile ECDL is distinguished by design details that enable coverage of all 60 channels, separated by 100-GHz frequency intervals, that are specified in DWDM standards.

Pilgrim, Jeffrey S.↗
NASA NTRS1994

MANN: A program to transfer designs for diffractive optical elements to a MANN photolithographic mask generator

There are two basic areas of interest for diffractive optics. In the first, the property of wavefront division is exploited for achieving optical fanout, analogous to the more familiar electrical fanout of electronic circuitry. The basic problem here is that when using a simple uniform diffraction grating the energy input is divided unevenly among the output beams. The other area of interest is the use of diffractive elements to replace or supplement standard refractive elements such as lenses. Again, local grating variations can be used to control the amount of bending imparted to optical rays, and the efficiency of the diffractive element will depend on how closely the element can be matched to the design requirements. In general, production restrictions limit how closely the element approaches the design, and for the common case of photolithographic production, a series of binary masks is required to achieve high efficiency. The actual design process is much more involved than in the case of elements for optical fanout, as the desired phase of the optical wavefront over some reference plane must be specified and the phase alteration to be introduced at each point by the diffraction element must be known. This generally requires the utilization of a standard optical design program. Two approaches are possible. In the first approach, the diffractive element is treated as a special type of lens and the ordinary optical design equations are used. Optical design programs tend to follow a second approach, namely, using the equations of optical interference derived from holographic theory and then allowing the introduction of phase front corrections in the form of polynomial equations. By using either of these two methods, diffractive elements can be used not only to compensate for distortions such as chromatic or spherical aberration, but also to perform the work of a variety of other optical elements such as null correctors, beam shapers, etc. The main focus of the project described in this report is how the design information from the lens design program is incorporated into the photolithographic process. It is shown that the MANN program, a photolithographic mask generator, fills the need for a link between lens design programs and mask generation controllers.The generated masks can be used to expose a resist-coated substrate which is etched and then must be re-coated, re-exposed, and re-etched for making copies, just as in the electronics industry.

Matthys, Donald R.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Measuring Temperature By Laser-Induced-Grating Spectroscopy

Temperature computed from speed of laser-induced counter-propagating acoustic waves. Interference between intersecting pumping laser beams gives rise to spatially periodic heating, which in turn, creates oscillating diffraction grating probed by another laser beam. Oscillations in diffracted probe-laser intensity correspond to oscillations of counter-propagating acoustic waves generated by spatially periodic heating.

VanderWal, Randall L.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Ruled and holographic gratings experiment (AO 138-5)

Experiments on the the Long Duration Exposure Facility involving the study of the behavior of diffraction gratings, ruled replica, holographic, and ion etched masters with a long exposure to the space environment are discussed. To separate the metallic coatings compartment, some mirrors were added to the experiment. In order to be free from grating senescence on ground, one set of reference compounds was stored. Two sets of compounds were loaded, exposed, and shaded typed, in order to differentiate vacuum influences and sun illumination, cosmic dust, and radiation incidences. The investigation of possible damages was operated according to the fundamental triple point of view of wavefront flatness, absolute efficiency, and stray light level.

Bonnemason, Francis↗