MULTILEVEL PHASE-ONLY ARRAY GENERATORS WITH A TRAPEZOIDAL PHASE TOPOLOGY

The implementation of a two-stage design process for the design of dif fractive optical elements for array illumination is described. Results are presented for on-axis two-dimensional array illuminators for whic h this method is used. The final designs are theoretically within 5% o f the calculated diffraction efficiency upper bound, and theoretical s ignal reconstruction error is below 1%. Experimental verification of t he design theory is given, with experimental diffraction efficiencies within 4% of design values and signal reconstruction error below 6%. ( C) 1997 Optical Society of America.