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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 19 records
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NASA NTRS1993

Fabricating binary optics: An overview of binary optics process technology

A review of binary optics processing technology is presented. Pattern replication techniques have been optimized to generate high-quality efficient microoptics in visible and infrared materials. High resolution optical photolithography and precision alignment is used to fabricate maximally efficient fused silica diffractive microlenses at lambda = 633 nm. The degradation in optical efficiency of four-phase-level fused silica microlenses resulting from an intentional 0.35 micron translational error has been systematically measured as a function of lens speed (F/2 - F/60). Novel processes necessary for high sag refractive IR microoptics arrays, including deep anisotropic Si-etching, planarization of deep topography and multilayer resist techniques, are described. Initial results are presented for monolithic integration of photonic and microoptic systems.

Stern, Margaret B.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Low cost paths to binary optics

Application of binary optics has been limited to a few major laboratories because of the limited availability of fabrication facilities such as e-beam machines and the lack of standardized design software. Foster-Miller has attempted to identify low cost approaches to medium-resolution binary optics using readily available computer and fabrication tools, primarily for the use of students and experimenters in optical computing. An early version of our system, MacBEEP, made use of an optimized laser film recorder from the commercial typesetting industry with 10 micron resolution. This report is an update on our current efforts to design and build a second generation MacBEEP, which aims at 1 micron resolution and multiple phase levels. Trails included a low cost scanning electron microscope in microlithography mode, and alternative laser inscribers or photomask generators. Our current software approach is based on Mathematica and PostScript compatibility.

Nelson, Arthur↗
NASA NTRS1993

Asymmetric three-beam binary optic grating

Binary and diffractive optical components are finding many applications in optical systems and integrated optical devices. A recent application required the development of a two-dimensional diffraction grating to perform an asymmetric, three-beam fanout. In this paper, techniques are presented for the design of arbitrary fanout grating devices. Modeling and optimization processes are demonstrated for the three-beam grating. The counter-intuitive results of the initial design are discussed, and experimental data verifying performance are presented.

Kathman, Alan D.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Binary optics: Trends and limitations

We describe the current state of binary optics, addressing both the technology and the industry (i.e., marketplace). With respect to the technology, the two dominant aspects are optical design methods and fabrication capabilities, with the optical design problem being limited by human innovation in the search for new applications and the fabrication issue being limited by the availability of resources required to improve fabrication capabilities. With respect to the industry, the current marketplace does not favor binary optics as a separate product line and so we expect that companies whose primary purpose is the production of binary optics will not represent the bulk of binary optics production. Rather, binary optics' more natural role is as an enabling technology - a technology which will directly result in a competitive advantage in a company's other business areas - and so we expect that the majority of binary optics will be produced for internal use.

Farn, Michael W.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Binary optics at Hughes Danbury Optical Systems

An overview of binary optics development at Hughes Danbury Optical Systems is presented. Design software used for mask design is presented. A brief discussion of fabrication follows. Two examples of actual projects are used to highlight the discussion: (1) a large aspheric lens; and (2) a set of grating and lenslet arrays.

Logue, James↗
NASA NTRS1993

Scattering from binary optics

There are a number of sources of scattering in binary optics: etch depth errors, line edge errors, quantization errors, roughness, and the binary approximation to the ideal surface. These sources of scattering can be systematic (deterministic) or random. In this paper, scattering formulas for both systematic and random errors are derived using Fourier optics. These formulas can be used to explain the results of scattering measurements and computer simulations.

Ricks, Douglas W.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Conference on Binary Optics: An Opportunity for Technical Exchange

The papers herein were presented at the Conference on Binary Optics held in Huntsville, AL, February 23-25, 1993. The papers were presented according to subject as follows: modeling and design, fabrication, and applications. Invited papers and tutorial viewgraphs presented on these subjects are included.

Cole, Helen J.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Binary optical filters for scale invariant pattern recognition

Binary synthetic discriminant function (BSDF) optical filters which are invariant to scale changes in the target object of more than 50 percent are demonstrated in simulation and experiment. Efficient databases of scale invariant BSDF filters can be designed which discriminate between two very similar objects at any view scaled over a factor of 2 or more. The BSDF technique has considerable advantages over other methods for achieving scale invariant object recognition, as it also allows determination of the object's scale. In addition to scale, the technique can be used to design recognition systems invariant to other geometric distortions.

Reid, Max B.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Manufacturing the key to binary optics

The topics are presented in viewgraph form, and the topics covered include the following: gratings, grating characteristics, grating manufacture, zone plate, zone plate characteristics, zone plate manufacture, holography, holographic aberration correction, wavefront generated holograms, computer generated holograms, fabrication, fabrication capabilities, replication, processing errors, and quality control.

Guenther, Bob D.↗
NASA NTRS1981

A binary coherent optical receiver for the free-space channel

The structure of a coherent binary optical MAP receiver was derived and the effects of background radiation and phase estimation errors on receiver performance were evaluated. It was found that random phase errors do not affect the performance of the coherent receiver significantly, as long as the standard deviation of the phase error remains less than roughly 0.14 radians (or 8 degrees). It was also shown that background radiation is effectively suppressed by the optical homodyne receiver: Significant deterioration in receiver performance is observed only in the presence of extremely intense background fields. The most notable characteristic of the binary optical homodyne receiver therefore appears to be its ability to achieve quantum limited performance in high background environments, provided that sufficiently accurate estimates of the received phase can be obtained.

Vilnrotter, V. A.↗
NASA NTRS1998

Measuring In-Plane Displacements with Variable Sensitivity Using Diffractive Optic Interferometry

This paper introduces a method called diffractive optic interferometry (DOI) which allows in-plane displacement components to be measured with variable sensitivity. DOI relies on binary optical elements fabricated as phase-type Dammann gratings which produce multiple diffraction orders of nearly equal intensity. Sensitivity is varied by combining the different wavefronts produced by a conjugate pair of these binary optical elements; a transmission element is used to produce several illumination beams while a reflective element, replicated on the surface of a specimen, provides the reference for the undeformed state. The steps taken to design and fabricate these binary optical elements are described. The specimen grating is characterized, and tested on a disk subjected to diametrical compression. Overall, the results are excellent, with experimental data agreeing to within a few percent of the theoretical predictions.

Shepherd, Robert L.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Diffractive optics technology and the NASA Geostationary Earth Observatory (GEO)

Diffractive (or binary) optics offers unique capabilities for the development of large-aperture, high-performance, light-weight optical systems. The Geostationary Earth Observatory (GEO) will consist of a variety of instruments to monitor the environmental conditions of the earth and its atmosphere. The aim of this investigation is to analyze the design of the GEO instrument that is being proposed and to identify the areas in which diffractive (or binary) optics technology can make a significant impact in GEO sensor design. Several potential applications where diffractive optics may indeed serve as a key technology for improving the performance and reducing the weight and cost of the GEO sensors have been identified. Applications include the use of diffractive/refractive hybrid lenses for aft-optic imagers, diffractive telescopes for narrowband imaging, subwavelength structured surfaces for anti-reflection and polarization control, and aberration compensation for reflective imaging systems and grating spectrometers.

Morris, G. Michael↗
NASA NTRS1993

Color separation gratings

In this paper, we describe the theory, fabrication and test of a binary optics 'echelon'. The echelon is a grating structure which separates electromagnetic radiation of different wavelengths, but it does so according to diffraction order rather than by dispersion within one diffraction order, as is the case with conventional gratings. A prototype echelon, designed for the visible spectrum, is fabricated using the binary optics process. Tests of the prototype show good agreement with theoretical predictions.

Farn, Michael W.↗