DOE: Diffractive Optical Elements

Diffractive Optics modulate light by diffraction. These micro-structured optical elements are binary or multiple phase level, where the surface structures are either etched in fused silica or embossed in different polymer materials.Diffractive optical elements have unique properties enabling them to realise optical functions, which are hardly to achieve using classical diffractive optics. Furthermore, they can even perform like conventional optical functions such as lenses, prisms or aspheres.

Diffractive Optical Elements (DOE) made by HOLOEYE are used in various application fields from basic research to industrial high volume applications. Any development of these special optical components is our complete service for our customers. We guide you from the analysis of your existing optical system via an open discussion about diffractive optics´ possibilities to an optimized fabrication and replication technology.

Basically, diffractive optics can realize almost any optical functionality such as refractive optics can do but with reduced weight and size. But there is a little more … These micro-optical components can add functionalty onto the laser beam, which can not be achieved with classical optical components. Beam splitters, Fourier Holograms, Beam shapers, Diffusers and various grating structures act like optical processors, transforming light in almost any desired distribution. DOE´s are not limited to lasers. Partially coherent light from LEDs or other light sources can also be modulated.

Beam Splitters

Diffract the original laser beam into a certain number of beams with a specific direction and intenisty.

Fourier Holograms

A special version of Beam Splitters where special patterns, like images, are realised by diffraction in the optical far field.

Beam Shapers

Map a certain phase function onto the laser beam in order to modify its propagation. Classical application is a Top-hat generation.

Diffusers

These elements can be seen as special scattering plates, where the light will be diffused to a certain geometry mostly to generate a homogenious illumination.