Multilevel diffractive optical elements are necessary for achieving high-efficiency performance. Here the diffraction efficiency of a multilevel phase-only diffractive lens is analyzed. Approximate, as well as more accurate, approaches are presented. Both plane-wave and Gaussian illumination are discussed. It is shown that for many practical cases the diffraction efficiency can be determined by...

Contents 1. Introduction 2. Electronic states in a weakly oblated ellipsoidal quantum dot (impermeable walls). 3. The model of finite deep rectangular ellipsoidal well 4. Strongly oblated ellipsoidal quantum dot 5. Strongly prolated ellipsoidal quantum dot 6. Electronic states in a cylindrical quantum dot having elliptical lens shaped cross section 7. Electronic states in a cylindrical quantum ...

We discuss the effects of an isolated gravitational lens on the rotation of the plane of polarization of linearly polarized light rays, the so called gravitational Faraday rotation, in metric theories of gravity. By applying the thin lens approximation, we derive simple expressions for extended, rotating astrophysical systems deflecting electromagnetic radiation from background sources. Higher ...

In this paper we discuss a choice between the diffractive and refractive binary micro-lenses for the longwave IR FPA. To investigate diffraction on the micro-lenses we have used a numerical code based-on the rigorous electromagnetic theory, because neither geometrical optics nor thin element approach of scalar diffraction theory can correctly describe waveguide, shadowing and interference effec...

The propagation of the light that is emitted from both the tunable Ti:Sapphire laser (single mode) and the Coherent FAPs (multimode) is found to be modeled very well using gaussian optics. This is useful when trying to obtain a beam of a certain size at some prescribed distance from a converging lens. This technote will describe (1) gaussian optics, (2) how to calculate the beam radius after pa...

A simple derivation of analytic expressions for the chromatic paraxial aberration coefficients of radial gradientindex lenses is presented. By decomposing the transverse chromatic aberration vector of an arbitrary paraxial ray in contributions from refraction at the surfaces and from transfer through the inhomogeneous media of the system, remarkably short formulas for the contributions of trans...

We investigated whether the development of the vertebrate crystalline lens is sensitive to visual input. The optical properties of fish lenses were examined as a function of lens size and the optical rearing conditions. Fish (Haplochromis burtoni, Cichlidae) were reared in white light (control group), under spectral deprivation (monochromatic lights), deprivation of the cone system (scotopic il...

Best resolutions in X-ray focusing are obtained to date by using diffractive lenses called Fresnel zone plates (FZPs). Their further improvement is nevertheless hindered by fundamental limitations in the employed manufacturing techniques. Here, we show a novel method to fabricate FZPs based on multilayer deposition with atomic layer deposition (ALD) and subsequent sectioning with focused ion be...

We demonstrate a self-starting Kerr-lens mode-locked (KLM) Yb:YAG thin-disk oscillator operating in the regime of positive intracavity group-delay dispersion (GDD). It delivers 1.7 ps pulses at an average power of 17 W and a repetition rate of 40 MHz. Dispersive mirrors compress the pulses to a duration of 190 fs (assuming sech2 shape; Fourier limit: 150 fs) at an average power level of 11 W. T...

Optical components, such as lenses, have traditionally been made in the bulk form by shaping glass or other transparent materials. Recent advances in metasurfaces provide a new basis for recasting optical components into thin, planar elements, having similar or better performance using arrays of subwavelength-spaced optical phase-shifters. The technology required to mass produce them dates back...