On-axis beam extinction through diffraction design and analysis

To optimize the functions of the surface-relief diffractive optical element s for optical limiters and other applications, we present a systematic desi gn and analysis with numerical illustrations of the transmission properties of different surface-relief phase gratings and Fabry-Perot elements. The s pectral re sponse and the tolerance of fabrication errors have been include d. An analysis shows that the blazed grating and the echelon grating, a mul tilevel element as a substitute of the blazed grating, can make the on-axis transmittance very low (less than 1% with one grating) over the broad visi ble band with a large tolerance of fabrication errors. The results are high ly significant for the design of optical-limiting devices. (C) 1999 Optical Society of America.