US5080465A — Diffraction grating and method of making

Claim 1

Independent Claim 101 words

A diffraction grating, comprising a plurality of grooves formed by a plurality of first facets having a first set of propagative optical characteristics and all generally positioned with a first orientation in a local area, and a plurality of second facets having a second set of propagative optical characteristics and all generally positioned with a second orientation in said local area, said first facets being oriented to transmit and diffract light having a wavefront shape and incident thereon and said second facets being oriented and having propagative characteristics to substantially maintain said wavefront shape in said diffracted light substantially without discontinuity.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 101 words

A diffraction grating, comprising a plurality of grooves formed by a plurality of first facets having a first set of propagative optical characteristics and all generally positioned with a first orientation in a local area, and a plurality of second facets having a second set of propagative optical characteristics and all generally positioned with a second orientation in said local area, said first facets being oriented to transmit and diffract light having a wavefront shape and incident thereon and said second facets being oriented and having propagative characteristics to substantially maintain said wavefront shape in said diffracted light substantially without discontinuity.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 24 words

A diffraction grating as in claim 1, wherein said second facets are oriented generally parallel to the direction of propagation of said diffracted light.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 77 words

A diffraction grating as in claim 1, wherein said grooves are formed in an optically transparent layer and said first set of propagative optical characteristics comprises high transmissiveness, and further comprising a transmissive coating disposed on said first facets for providing said first set of optical characteristics and said second set of propagative optical characteristics comprising high reflectivity and further comprising a conductive surface disposed on said second facets for providing said second set of optical characteristics.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 22 words

A diffraction grating as in claim 3, wherein said transmissive coating comprises a single layer having a thickness of a quarter wavelength.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 26 words

A diffraction grating as in claim 4, wherein said transmissive coating is selected from the group consisting of Mg F 2 and Th F 4 .

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 21 words

A diffraction grating as in claim 4, wherein said transmissive coating comprises multiple layers having a thickness of a quarter wavelength.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 48 words

A diffraction grating as in claim 6, wherein said layers comprise alternating materials selected from the group consisting of: 1) Mg F 2 and Hf O 2 , or 2) Ti O 2 and Mg F 2 , or 3) Th F 4 and Si O 2 .

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 18 words

A diffraction grating as in claim 3, wherein said first facets are substantially perpendicular to said second facets.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 36 words

A diffraction grating as in claim 8, further comprising means for supporting said transparent layer at an angle where light incident on said first facets is incident thereon at a substantially right angle to said facets.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 23 words

A diffraction grating as in claim 3, wherein said first and second facets are formed in a transparent locally planar wafer of material.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 15 words

A diffraction grating as in claim 10, wherein said wafer of transparent material is curved.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 28 words

A diffraction grating as in claim 11, wherein said curved wafer of transparent material is convex whereby focusing of said rays transmitted through said first facets is achieved.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 59 words

A diffraction grating as in claim 1, wherein said first set of optical characteristics comprise high reflectivity and further comprising a reflective dielectric coating for providing said first set of optical characteristics and said second set of propagative optical characteristics comprise high conductivity, and further comprising a metallic coating disposed on said second facets to form a reflective layer.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 58 words

A diffraction grating as in claim 1, wherein said first and second facets are disposed on and formed by a transparent layer and further comprising a transparent substrate for supporting said transparent layer in a position where said second facets are substantially parallel to light transmitted through said first facets as said light travels through said transparent layer.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 27 words

A diffraction grating as in claim 1, wherein said first facets form an angle with respect to said second facets in the range between 60° and 120°.

Claim 17

Independent Claim 88 words

A method of manufacturing a diffraction grating comprising the steps of: (a) cutting a plurality of first facets in a transparent substrate, said first facets being cut to have a first orientation; (b) cutting a plurality of second facets in said transparent substrate, said second facets being cut to have another orientation; and (c) depositing a reflective material on said second facets, wherein said reflective material is deposited by depositing said reflective material over all of said facets and then removing said reflective material from said first facets.

Claim 18

Independent Claim 88 words

A method of manufacturing a diffraction grating comprising the steps of: (a) cutting a plurality of first facets in a transparent substrate, said first facets being cut to have a first orientation; (b) cutting a plurality of second facets in said transparent substrate, said second facets being cut to have another orientation; and (c) depositing a reflective material on said second facets, wherein said reflective material is deposited by depositing said reflective material over all of said facets and then removing said reflective material from said first facets.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 16 words

A method as in claim 16, wherein a transmissive coating is deposited on said first facets.

Claim 20

Independent Claim 165 words

A method of manufacturing a diffraction grating for use with light falling on said grating at a desired angle comprising the steps of: cutting a plurality of first facets and second facets in a substrate, said first facets being cut to have a first orientation, and said second facets being cut to have another orientation to form a master grating in said substrate, depositing a conductive layer on said master grating, molding in epoxy a replica of said master grating by depositing epoxy on said reflective material, curing said epoxy until said epoxy hardens and adheres to said conductive layer, separating said hardened epoxy layer with said metal adhered thereto from said master; and etching away the metal from moulded first facets moulded by said first facets, said first and second facets being oriented with respect to each other in positions which result in the transmission of light incident on moulded first facets in a direction substantially parallel to facets moulded by said second facets.

Claim 21

Independent Claim 165 words

A method of manufacturing a diffraction grating for use with light falling on said grating at a desired angle comprising the steps of: cutting a plurality of first facets and second facets in a substrate, said first facets being cut to have a first orientation, and said second facets being cut to have another orientation to form a master grating in said substrate, depositing a conductive layer on said master grating, molding in epoxy a replica of said master grating by depositing epoxy on said reflective material, curing said epoxy until said epoxy hardens and adheres to said conductive layer, separating said hardened epoxy layer with said metal adhered thereto from said master; and etching away the metal from moulded first facets moulded by said first facets, said first and second facets being oriented with respect to each other in positions which result in the transmission of light incident on moulded first facets in a direction substantially parallel to facets moulded by said second facets.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 128 words

A transmission diffraction grating, comprising a transparent member defining an input face formed by a plurality of grooves formed by a plurality of first facets having a first set of propagative optical characteristics and all generally positioned with a first orientation in a local area and a plurality of second facets having a second set of propagative optical characteristics and all generally positioned with a second orientation in said local area, said first facets being oriented to transmit and diffract light incident thereon at a particular angle and having a particular wavefront shape, and said second facets being oriented and having propagative characteristics to substantially maintain said wavefront shape in said diffracted light substantially without discontinuity, said transmitted light being output through an output face of said member.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 128 words

A transmission diffraction grating, comprising a transparent member defining an input face formed by a plurality of grooves formed by a plurality of first facets having a first set of propagative optical characteristics and all generally positioned with a first orientation in a local area and a plurality of second facets having a second set of propagative optical characteristics and all generally positioned with a second orientation in said local area, said first facets being oriented to transmit and diffract light incident thereon at a particular angle and having a particular wavefront shape, and said second facets being oriented and having propagative characteristics to substantially maintain said wavefront shape in said diffracted light substantially without discontinuity, said transmitted light being output through an output face of said member.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 40 words

A diffraction grating as in claim 19, further comprising means for supporting said transparent layer in a position where said second facets are substantially parallel to light transmitted through said first facets as said light travels through said transparent member.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 23 words

A diffraction grating as in claim 28, wherein said first facets are substantially perpendicular to the direction of propagation of said incident light.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 21 words

A diffraction grating as in claim 20, wherein said first facets form an acute angle with respect to said second facets.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 21 words

A diffraction grating as in claim 20, wherein said first facets form an obtuse angle with respect to said second facets.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 132 words

A diffraction grating, comprising an optically transmissive grating element having an input face and an output face and having a plurality of grooves defined in said input face, grating structure being formed by a plurality of first substantially planar facets for transmitting light incident on said first facets and all generally positioned with a first orientation in a local area and a plurality of second substantially planar facets defined in said input face and all generally positioned with a second orientation in said local area, said first facets being oriented to transmit light incident thereon at a particular angle and said second facets being oriented to be generally parallel to light transmitted through said first facets and a layer of conductive material deposited on said second facets to reflect said transmitted light.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 132 words

A diffraction grating, comprising an optically transmissive grating element having an input face and an output face and having a plurality of grooves defined in said input face, grating structure being formed by a plurality of first substantially planar facets for transmitting light incident on said first facets and all generally positioned with a first orientation in a local area and a plurality of second substantially planar facets defined in said input face and all generally positioned with a second orientation in said local area, said first facets being oriented to transmit light incident thereon at a particular angle and said second facets being oriented to be generally parallel to light transmitted through said first facets and a layer of conductive material deposited on said second facets to reflect said transmitted light.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1995-01-13	1995-07-15	1996-01-14	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1999-01-13	1999-07-15	2000-01-14	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2003-01-13	2003-07-15	2004-01-14	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Diffraction grating and method of making

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