Diffraction by dual-period gratings

The dynamical characteristics of dual-period perfectly conducting gratings are explored. Gratings with several grooves (reflection) or slits (transmission) within each period are considered. A scalar approach is proposed to derive the general characteristics of the diffracted response. It was found that compound gratings can be designed to cancel as well as to intensify a given diffraction order. These preliminary estimations for finite gratings are validated by numerical examples for infinitely periodic reflection and transmission gratings with finite thickness, performed using an extension of the rigorous modal method to compound gratings, for both polarization cases.     

浮雕型全息光栅诱导液晶分子取向排列的研究

在玻璃衬底上制备浮雕型全息光栅作为液晶显示器件取向层,分析了液晶层厚度对液晶分子在光栅取向层上排列的影响.发现液晶层厚度约为8μm时,液晶分子是沿光栅沟槽方向一致排列,其显微织构均匀,各点光强均匀一致,两个相同光强的状态周期为90°,周期性的微沟槽是促使液晶分子取向一致的主要原因.     

Diffraction properties of double-layer rectangular phase gratings

Abstract

We theoretically present diffraction properties of double-layer rectangular phase gratings (DLRPGs). Computer simulations show that these DLRPGs can realize several functions such as optical filtering, optical switching, optical amplitude modulating, beam splitting with variable output beam numbers and wavelength division multiplexing, and so on. As a test of the above diffraction properties, we fabricate a set of DLRPGs in a double-layer light-sensitive material by the contact printing method. Based on the DLRPGs of the material, a single beam splitter with experimental results of splitting of an incident beam into 2, 3 or 5 output beams and of higher than 64% total diffraction efficiency are realized when the incident angle of the readout beam is tuned during the reading process.     

Scanning methods for production of blazed relief gratings

Abstract

New methods for the production of blazed relief grating profiles using grating masks with either binary or harmonic transmittance have been developed. These methods are based on the recording of a scanning wave, properly modulated by a mask, through a grating period into photoresist. The applicability of the gratings produced by this method would be especially in the infrared or near-infrared wavelength regions in the reflection mode. These methods have been theoretically analysed and the principal ideas of the methods were experimentally verified.     

Diffraction analysis of blazed transmission gratings with a modified extended scalar theory

An alternative interpretation of the diffraction of blazed transmission gratings with moderate structure period is proposed according to a modified extended scalar theory (MEST). The diffraction field on the bottom facet of the grating is considered to be the interference of four subfields investigated in the problem of diffraction of a plane wave by an infinite half-plane. It is observed that MEST gives the total field that agrees with rigorous coupled-wave analysis (RCWA), and the result is more reliable than that of extended scalar theory (EST). The MEST is still a ray-optical-based approximation approach, and the region of validity is compared with EST and RCWA.     

Diffraction gratings inside bulk azodye-doped hybrid inorganic-organic materials by a femtosecond laser

We have investigated diffraction gratings fabricated inside bulk azodye-doped hybrid inorganic-organic materials by a focused near-IR 800 nm femtosecond laser directly. The first-order diffraction of the grating was measured using a 632.8 nm He-Ne laser. By changing the laser parameters such as the laser power, the scanning speed, and the grating period, we found that the first-order Bragg diffraction efficiency was strongly dependent on the parameters of the femtosecond laser. The results showed that the first-order Bragg diffraction efficiency can be increased when decreasing the laser power or increasing the grating periods and the scanning speed of the laser. The mechanisms were also analyzed briefly.     

Diffraction characteristics with various polarizations of overlapping holographic gratings in a uniaxial crystal

By the Riemann method, a coupled wave model is derived for the ordinary-to-ordinary (OO) and extraordinary-to-extraordinary (EE) Bragg diffraction of a Gaussian beam by overlapping holographic gratings in a uniaxial crystal. The computer simulation is used to discuss the relations among the diffraction efficiency, the index modulation, the wavelength sensitivity, the angular sensitivity, and the the widths of the recording and reading beams. The characteristics of EE and OO diffraction in a uniaxial crystal are found to be remarkably different. The simulation shows that EE diffraction may exhibit far higher diffraction efficiency than does OO diffraction for very low index modulation with the same hologram size, for example, nearly 90% when the size is 8.2 x 10(-5).     

Generalized Curvilinear Diffraction Gratings: III . Euclidian diffraction gratings

This paper is the third in a series of papers on the diffraction and imaging properties of generalized curvilinear diffraction gratings. Here we study classes of plane uncrossed diffraction gratings which have the common property that their Fourier transform patterns consist of sharp-line caustics. These types of generalized gratings are referred to as ‘Euclidian diffraction gratings’, because the condition for the formation of line caustics is equivalent to the global vanishing of the gaussian curvature of the grating line pattern function. The analysis is applied to the laser material processing system discussed in our last paper [1].     

Aberrations of diffracted wave fields. II. Diffraction gratings

The Rayleigh-Sommerfeld theory is applied to diffraction of a spherical wave by a grating. The grating equation is obtained from the aberration-free diffraction pattern, and its aberrations are shown to be the same as the conventional aberrations obtained by using Fermat's principle. These aberrations are shown to be not associated with the diffraction process. Moreover, it is shown that the irradiance distribution of a certain diffraction order is the Fraunhofer diffraction pattern of the grating aperture as a whole aberrated by the aberration of that order.     

Additive colour mixing by surface relief gratings utilizing the power spectrum of a fluorescent lamp

Additive colour mixing produced by diffractive grating structures is studied. The gratings produce almost monochromatic primary colours to a selected viewing angle, providing thus a very large colour gamut. The colours inside the gamut are obtained by additive colour mixing in the reflected diffraction order. The amount of a single primary in the additive colour mixing within one colour pixel is determined by the area fraction of the corresponding grating. We demonstrated the concept by fabricating samples which appear white at 30° viewing angle when illuminated by 4000?K fluorescent lamp.     

Weak anchoring of nematic liquid crystals on photo-induced surface relief gratings of organic polysilane

Surface relief gratings on organic polysilane thin films are fabricated by holographic exposure of ultra-violet light, and Au gratings are subsequently prepared on polysilane gratings by vapor deposition of Au. The anchoring energies of 4-pentyl-4′-cyanobiphenyl (5CB) nematic liquid crystal on the fabricated gratings are determined with a saturation voltage method. The anchoring energies of Au gratings are weaker than those of organic polysilane gratings because of suppression of π–π interaction between the liquid crystal and the alignment layer. The polar anchoring energies of Au gratings are also weaker than those reported in literature.     

Effects of graphite shape on thermal fatigue resistance of cast iron with biomimetic non-smooth surface

In order to improve thermal fatigue resistance of cast iron and further study the effects of graphite shape on it, samples with different graphite shapes were processed by laser to create a biomimetic non-smooth surface. The results indicated that laser processed zone caused the longer crack initiation life and the slower crack propagation rate, which endowed biomimetic non-smooth surface with a beneficial effect on improving thermal fatigue behavior of iron with flake, vermiform or nodular graphite. Thermal fatigue resistance of samples with the same kind of surface (smooth or non-smooth) all were sorted as nodular graphite iron > vermicular graphite iron > flake graphite iron.     

Diffraction patterns of binary liquid crystal gratings in homeotropic and hybrid geometries

We report on the diffraction properties of the binary liquid crystal (LC) gratings consisting of alternating homeotropic and hybrid domains. The measured diffraction patterns agree well with theoretical results in a comprehensive model with a linearly approximated phase profile around the domain boundary. It is found that the linearly distorted length is independent of the grating period and depends only on the cell thickness, the surface anchoring energy, and the elastic constants of the LC material. For the LC cell thickness of 5.9 μm, the linearly distorted length is determined as 2.12 μm. The binary LC grating devices are expected to play an important role in the area of optical data storage and optical information processing.     

Diffraction properties of transmission photorefractive volume gratings in a cerium-doped potassium sodium strontium barium niobate crystal

The diffraction efficiency of volume gratings written by two-wave mixing in a cerium-doped potassium sodium strontium barium niobate (Ce:KNSBN) photorefractive crystal is studied. It is found that the diffraction efficiency strongly depends on the polarization of writing beams and exhibits loop behavior with respect to the fringe modulation. The fringe modulations before and behind the crystal are compared. Modified coupled-wave theory is used to fit the experimental data. This research presents data that are relevant to the application of Ce:KNSBN crystals to holographic recording and optical information processing.     

Fabrication of switchable liquid crystal devices using surface relief gratings in photopolymer

Holographically recorded surface relief gratings in dry, self-developing acrylamide based photopolymer were used to fabricate two types of switchable liquid crystal (LC) device. One is an electrically switchable LC diffraction grating and the other is an electrically switchable polarization rotator. The electrically switchable diffraction grating was characterized by measuring the dependence of the intensity in the first diffracted order on the applied electric field. The polarization rotator was characterized by studying the influence of the applied electric field on the twist angle and the variation of intensity in the zero and the first orders of diffraction.     

Surface relief gratings in AsSe glass fabricated under 800-nm laser exposure

Chalcogenide glasses are materials of interest for optical devices in the IR region. Of the As-based glasses, the As_xS_1−x has received most of the attention, with a variety of processes and devices being studied and demonstrated. In the present work we explored the use of readily available 800-nm laser sources for fabricating surface gratings in As_xSe_1−x glass. We demonstrate for the first time, to the best of our knowledge, surface relief gratings written using continuous-wave 800-nm laser light in AsSe. Such structures can be enhanced to enable short-period reflectors in AsSe-based waveguide and fiber devices.     

Diffraction efficiency of volume gratings with finite size: Corrected analytical solution

Abstract

In order to correct errors in a previously published work on a treatment of two-dimensional coupled-wave theory, a complete derivation of the two-dimensional ‘overlap grating’ coupled wave equations is given. By using the Riemann method, a corrected solution to the equations in closed mathematical form is obtained. On the basis of this solution a brief investigation of the diffraction properties of finite-sized gratings, and in particular the dependence of diffraction efficiency on the geometric size of gratings, is given.