Diffractive and Micro-Optics

Objective:

The efficient optical instruments require optics with more degrees of freedom to meet greater demands in their performance. These instruments are composed of diffractive elements, off-axis aspheres and freeform surfaces. The use of these elements in an optical system provides opportunities for numerous improvements in the performance. In the last one decade there have been technological advances in precision optical technologies whereby new design, manufacturing and testing procedures for such optics are developed. There is a need for optical engineers to learn about these recent scientific and technological developments and aware about the challenges involved in incorporating such optics.

Course Modules

Diffractive optics, Micro optics, Design of diffractive optics, Amplitude and Phase Diffractive Optics, Application of Diffractive optics, Fabrication of Diffractive and micro optics, Photo-Lithography, Interferometric, profilometric and other testing techniques for Diffractive optics, Plastic optics, Injection Moulding of plastic optics, Applications of Micro optics in Beam shaping, MOEMS, Optical information technology and Aspheric optics, Freeform optics

Modules:

1. Introduction to Diffractive and micro optics, Novel characteristics of diffractive optics
2. Design criteria of diffractive elements, Diffraction efficiency analysis of binary (Amplitude and Phase) and multi-level diffractive optics
3. Applications of Diffractive Optics: Design exercises on applications of diffractive optics such as chromatic aberration corrections, null element in aspheric testing, and subwavelength gratings
4. Fabrication techniques for diffractive and micro-optics; Lithography, direct writing, replication and dynamic methods
5. Measurement and characterisation of diffractive and micro-optics; profilometric, interferometric and slope measurement techniques
6. Polymer/plastic optics vs glass optics; optical properties of plastic optics, Manufacturing methods of plastic optics
7. Aspheric and freeform optics for imaging and non-imaging applications, Fabrication and testing techniques of freeform optics
8. Applications of Micro optics: Micro-optical components/systems for beam shaping, MOEMS, and optical information technology