We describe a design methodology for synthesizing cubic-phase optical elements using two-dimensional subwavelength microstructures. We combined a numerical and experimental approach to demonstrate that by spatially varying the geometric properties of binary subwavelength gratings it is possible to produce a diffractive element with a cubic-phase profile. A test element was designed and fabricat...

The invention of holography by D. Gabor, followed by the works of E. Leith and Upatnieks, made possible to perform nearly arbitrarily wavefront transformations with the aid of optical microstructures fabricated by interference (Gabor, 1948; Leith & Upatnieks, 1962; Denisyuk, 1962; Benton, 1969). The realization by A. Lohmann and co-workers in the mid1960’s that optical holograms can be simulate...

An adaptive optical communication system is proposed. The system sends spatial information by emitting multiple variable laser beams generated from a programmable diffractive optical element (DOE): phase-only liquid crystal Spatial Light Modulator (SLM). Laser beams carrying signals are programmable by an optimal algorithm based on an iterative Fourier transformation algorithm. The system has t...

A more computationally tractable method to design a multiplexed phase diffractive optical element with optical design software to extend the depth of focus is proposed, through which the intensity distribution of the output beams can also be controlled with great flexibility. The design principle is explained in detail. And the feasibility of this design method is illustrated through a design e...

An optical implementation of the fractional Fourier transform (FRT) with broadband illumination is proposed by use of a single imaging element, namely, a blazed diffractive lens. The setup displays an achromatized version of the FRT of order P of any two-dimensional input function. This fractional order can be tuned continuously by shifting of the input along the optical axis. Our compact and f...

Diffractive lenses have been traditionally designed with the first diffracted order. The spectral characteristics of diffractive lenses operating in higher diffracted orders differ significantly from the first-order case. Multiorder diffractive lenses offer a new degree of freedom in the design of broadband and multispectral optical systems that include diffractive optical elements. It is shown...

The aberration introduced by the primary optical element of a lightweight large aperture telescope can be corrected with a diffractive optical element called the liquid crystal spatial light modulator. Such aberration is usually very large, which makes the design and modeling of such a system difficult. A method to analyze the system is introduced, and the performance limitation of the system i...